After the second Matrix movie debuted, some fans came up with an interesting idea. They began to suspect that everyone in Zion was actually still in the matrix. Instead of being free, they were trapped in a second level designed to make them think they had escaped. Even though the third movie showed that this wasn’t the case, I’ve always been intrigued by this idea and I think there is an inverse of this concept that pertains to self-improvement.
I’ve learned a lot of useful stuff in a pretty short amount of time. Things that help me communicate more effectively with other people, reduce my anxiety, strengthen my immune system, get more accomplished in less time, etc. Despite knowing all this stuff, I realized when I wrote about my best life hacks that I don’t always use everything I know even when it would come in handy. I tend to focus more on learning new life hacks than on using what I’ve already learned. My mindfulness buddy dubbed this “shiny object syndrome”. It’s an issue we both face.
How does this pertain to the Matrix theory? In this case, rather than being stuck despite feeling free as in the Matrix theory, I’m feeling stuck even though I can be free whenever I want. I know enough to be able to pick the locks, open the doors, and walk out anytime. Yet more often than not, I get caught up searching for new stuff in the hopes that the next thing will set me free. The more I look elsewhere for freedom, the more I forget that I’m already holding the key.
It’s fine to add more tools to my toolbag but I don’t want to get so caught up in adding more tools that I stop using the ones I already have. There is a lot I can fix, take apart, and put back together in new ways with just a few good tools and a lot of work. I’ve been neglecting those tools for a long time now and it shows. So now I’m going to resume using what I’ve got to help me with anxiety, relaxation, productivity, meditation, insights, and more. I’m excited to see what that does for me and I hope this has been helpful for you.