It is human nature to desire connection. We decide what is valuable to us, based on what we perceive to be important. At what point, do we flip a switch and decide we have enough? Too much of anything leads us into a rabbit hole of at least one of the 7 sins. It isn’t exactly alluring to come to terms with the darkness of our reality, but it’s necessary in order to see the light.

Sometimes we don’t know what “too much” looks like, until we get a taste of our own medicine. Without taking accountability, unhealthy patterns are bound to repeat themselves until we are sick of the cycles. We overcompensate in areas of our lives that we struggle to grapple with. It is not easy to look in the mirror and admit that we have not yet chosen to become a better version of ourselves. Below is an overview of how prevalent the 7 sins are in our lives, followed up by opportunities to combat them.

7 Sins

• Lust - the strong desire to connect with flesh

  Seeking instant gratification gets escalated by the gamification of dating apps.

• Gluttony - overindulgence of food or drink

  The rise of mukbangs contributed to an epidemic coupled with mental health issues.

• Greed - desire for material gain or social value

  Those who chase 5 seconds of fame never seem to be happy with themselves, do they?

• Sloth - habitual laziness

  The concept of doom-scrolling has turned into a standard of “normal”.

• Wrath - uncontrolled feelings of anger or resentment

  Two wrongs never make a right… including, in times of war.

• Envy - strong desire to have something that someone else has

  Birds of a feather flock together, fly away if you hear someone say they’re jealous of you.

• Pride - excessive love of one's own excellence

  No one is perfect, humbleness will continue to unite us.

These sins are escapist tools to avoid having to confront our inner blocks. They can become habit(s) to deal with a lack of control, gratitude, vulnerability, mindfulness, etc. My exposure into the nonprofit space has opened my eyes towards how being charitable provides an outlet to fend off sinful behaviors. Giving back provides a sense of accomplishment, especially when you’re able to see the impact of your work. Exploring all that life has to offer and skill sets that you have not tapped into yet, but are interested in, can also progress your professional development.

Be patient with yourself as you navigate the next steps in your journey, there is no one-size fits all approach. If you’re interested in exploring more of the nonprofit space, feel free to peruse some channels with my growing list of trusted partners here. Building strong foundational bonds over shared interests brings us one step closer to achieving success, in the way that we define it. Knowledge is power and it’s time to outgrow ignorance being bliss. How many more innocent lives need to die before we say enough is enough?

We have all been given a shot at life, to make the world a better place. Every individual decides what that looks like for themselves on a daily basis. The energy we put out into this world is the energy we wind up finding more of. As I continue to embrace being a forever learner, I am eager to support leaders, like yourself, accomplish goals that uplift our communities. World peace is attainable when we collectively apply ourselves to our full potential.

Values vary internationally based on access to education, basic necessities, cultural norms, political regimes, and more. Ask as many questions as your heart desires, you never know the fruitful path the answers may lead you towards. You deserve to live life purposefully, enrich yourself, and serve as a reliable resource for your loved ones to depend on. Stand up for what you believe in, especially when you know that there are voices who have yet to be heard.

For additional context, I am the type to call out mistreatment, if and when I see it. Sorry, not sorry.