Why I don't post about politics anymore
Jesse Chen
I help high-performers unlock fearless leadership and strengthen their relationships.
I withdrew from political posts in the final years of mom's life as my mental health declined. After her passing, I focused on my healing.
The reality is that I gave myself away for most of my life, in service to clubs, non-profits, family, work, and - yes - politics. Uncertain of who I was and what my purpose was in this world, I globbed onto various efforts to change it including movements and companies. Part of it was to impress mom and dad. Part of it was to make me worthy. Part of it was to be loved. Part of me didn't know who I was without my political views or without the skills in which I had been trained.?
Most of it was just being in service, trying to somehow make a difference.
Talking about the politics and work poisoned my intimate relationships and led me to live in a stress that even hijacked bedroom activities.
What I didn't realize was that I needed to change myself. (you have your inner world and your outer world. You can't lose yourself to the outer world. That's what happened to me.)
My addiction to politics and substances tore at my relationships until, at last, I had a mental breakdown triggered by mom's passing, an epic 18-year journey in which I was a part-time caregiver. After she passed during COVID, I woke up to a stark reality that I was not the man I wanted to be. I was buried in stress. I had spent years of my life serving others at the cost of myself... And, in between benders, there were times where I sadly thought about taking my own life.
Call it a spiritual awakening. (It turns out living in stress is optional!)
As I healed, I saw the shame, the guilt, the addictions, and the fear that had controlled me for most of my life. I could see how they impacted my relationships in profound ways. In a strange way, I am grateful for her passing because it woke me up: we don't get forever. So, I reflected on how I wanted to change what I could control, starting with my presence in relationships.
The truth is the vast majority of people are living in a state of stress and suffering because they're controlled by the past or, worse, the System. You or someone you know may be one of them.
Beaten down by family issues and a company or a culture that doesn't understand or value you as a human being. And held down by unresolved grief and trauma.
(By the way, none of this ever made it into the issues, risks, and dependencies trackers and yet, objectively speaking, should have been because they were absolutely holding me back from doing my best work, but I digress.)
I don't work for The Man anymore. I am my own Man. And I help guys get out of the muck so they can lead fulfilling, powerful lives of balance, service, and intimacy.
I work for myself and seek to align with those who want to grow. I don't look for others to direct my life - I direct myself. I don't look for others' approval - I approve of myself. I don't look for someone else to "love me" - I love myself. I don't sit in anyone's shadow. I don't allow energy into my life that doesn't serve my purpose. I don't think in terms of "if they just fixed this, everything would be great." I take responsibility - not just in my work but in how I show up in my relationships and the world.
I protect my peace like a Warrior that guards the walls of the Castle and accept that which is out of my control. I don't trade my time and energy as either a corporate loyalist or a political hack in the game of smoke-and-mirrors. I am not here to perpetuate a broken culture. I am not here to perpetuate the corruption of the powers-that-be that manipulate the masses by serving as a megaphone in their echo chamber intended to divide, conquer, and exploit.
I am not abandoning my personal dreams to helping someone else build theirs.
I'm only interested in helping those interested in finding clarity and peace in this chaotic world we live in and this one life we have. And enjoying a life of intimacy and fulfillment. (And let me tell you - it feels damn good).
Because it doesn't matter where you sit politically or what industry you work in or what role you have, this is the truth that unifies all of us. Our culture is broken. Our systems are broken. The next generation faces challenges that humanity's ancestors never faced. Meanwhile, most parents are infecting their kids with their own demons and more worried about industry investor news rather than how they show up with their own children at home (it's more than putting food on the table). In turn, it's even harder for the kids to grow up healthy and access their own life of peace.
Here's my truth:
Everyone has a right to live the life that brings them the most joy without these systems of government, business, media, education, parents, exes, politicians, bosses, substances, or whatever trying to steal it away.
In that spirit, I am now in service to help people come to this place of peace and strength. It's not political. It's not ideological. It's healing. It's growth.
Your time with your loved ones is precious. Your life is precious.
We. only. get. one.?
So, sure, go bungee-jumping or run off to Bora Bora, but know that it's about the energy you carry in your day-to-day life. That's where most of your life is spent. It's the moments between the meetings, the shots of liquor, the escapes, the Instagram vacation shots, the kid's soccer games, and the work happy hours.
From a spiritual perspective, there is nothing more important than living in peace and joy and service in alignment with your purpose. If stress is affecting your health or the health of your relationships, I invite you to act on it now... not after the panic attacks, the failed medications, the breakup, etc...
Only you can take responsibility for your life situation and the way you feel about it. And only you can choose to embark on the journey to change it.?
No one else can.
To those that resonate with this, I want to be clear - you are not alone in your struggle. You are not alone in seeking clarity or peace. You are not alone in your pain. In your rage against the machine. In your journey out of the matrix.
I invite you forward to do the inner work to rise to a life of fulfillment, balance, and peace and unlock wildly intimate relationships. Become The Man that you were born to be. Live in peace, joy, freedom, and abundance.
I do this for a living. There are shortcuts. Clarity awaits.
Reach out to me to book a call. Share with a friend.