How Weird Can Wednesday Get?

It's day 22 of documenting 2025.

And the weirdest thing happened to me today.

Just before I started typing!

I'm typing this by 9:45 am, so it's already morning here.

So, I had to do some washing and I took it outside.

My house is in an open compound, so we see passerbys every minute.

What happened?

A guy I have never met before stood some metres away from where I was.

He was muttering something inaudible.

I turned, with the wet cloth in my hand and realized he was talking to me.

"What are you saying?" I asked.

"Please can I get your Whatsapp number?" he said, finally talking loud enough for me to hear.

I was perplexed.

Some guy I've never seen before, asking for my Whatsapp number.

I shook my head. "Sorry, I can't do that"

He said he wanted to be friends with me. I shook my head again.

Then he started to beg me.

He said the only reason why we met today was because he didn't go to work.

I still told him no.

"I don't know you!" I said. I wasn't angry, just....confused.

He told me we lived in the same community. 

I didn't know that. So what?

Still shaking my head as I wringed the cloth, I told him no.

"Maybe later", I lied.

Then he turned and walked away.

Good riddance.

I finished up with the clothes and went inside, still thinking of what had happened.

I'm likeable, I know.

But today's encounter was a no-no for me.

If he wanted to get my number, he could have introduced himself first.

I don't even know the guy's name.

Even if I did know his name, he still wouldn't get my number.

I don't feel bad about it.

If he wanted to be friends with me, he would introduce himself.

Besides, friendship in the real world doesn't start with a Whatsapp number.

Well, that's what I think 🤔 

In the online space, it's different.

He wasn't even smiling!

Something tells me he might come back, and I'll tell you how it goes.

Let's get into my notes for today.

I'm reading a book by Anthony Robbins called Awaken The Giant Within.

And I finished the last chapter yesterday.

I actually read the two short sections that ended the chapter.

So, the quote that started the first section goes like this:

"Nature has placed mankind under the government of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure.....they govern us in all we do, in all we say, in all we think: every effort we can make to throw off our subjection will serve but to demonstrate and confirm it."

This is by Jeremy Bentham.

I agree with the quote.

It's all pain versus pleasure.

And we most likely avoid pain.

Let's look at this blog I started.

I linked pleasure to sharing my ideas and encounters and I've done this before.

It was last year in the months of September and October.

I went offline for those two months, 61 days to be exact.

I shared all that happened in a blog as well.

A 61 day blog.

Funny story, it started as a 'crazy idea' on day 1. I just did it.

Now, documenting 2025 is an extended version.

Something I have never done before. 

365 days.

We'll see how it goes.

Tony put it beautifully,

"In fact, most of the things that are valuable in our lives require us to go against the basic conditioning of our nervous systems.

We must manage our fears by overriding this preconditioned set of responses, and in many cases, we must transform that fear into power.

Many times, the fear we are allowing to control us never become reality anyway."

I guess my fear of rejection is unfounded.

Not to say rejection might not happen.

I'm the one linking pain to rejection.

If I see rejection as an opportunity to do better, I won't fear it anymore.

Yeah!

Just gave myself a pep talk 😄

The key thing to remember is that we don't move away from real pain, we move away from what we believe will lead to pain.

The very last section started with the heading in bold letters:

LET'S MAKE SOME CHANGES RIGHT NOW 

Tony gave 5 steps.

1. Write down four actions that you need to take that you've been putting off.

2. Under each of these actions, write down the answers to the following questions:

📌 Why haven't I taken action?

📌 In the past, what pain have I linked to taking this action?

3. Write down all the pleasure you've had in the past by indulging in this negative pattern.

4. Write down what it will cost you if you don't change now.

5. Write down all the pleasure you'll receive by taking each of these actions right now.

This ends the fourth chapter which blends into the next one titled, "Belief Systems".

Hopefully, I can start on it tonight.

There was no power last night.

I'm bracing for the inevitable if it doesn't come by evening.

Charging my device at my neighbor's place.

Thanks for reading, my friend 😊 

I'll see you in tomorrow's post.

By the way, I'm Duon Ada.