It is hard to pinpoint what it means to be cool, what qualities make someone cool. The definition changes very often and it changes from person to person. Coolness can come in a variety of ways. For some, being cool means being a rebel, riding a chopper, wearing a leather jacket. For others, it may mean living a minimalist, hippie life on a foreign land. Some think a successful career and money makes them cool. From being a part of a band, to winning academic awards, to having a good sense of humor, different individuals see the ability of “coolness” differently.
Individuals see and understand the world depending on the culture they come from, the education they have had, their age, and more. Different individuals find asking themselves questions like these too often: “Am I cool enough to initiate a conversation with that person?” “Am I cool enough to go to that event by myself?” “Am I cool enough to start a business?”
The ‘cool’ is different for different individuals because they perceive a certain “something” that makes them stand out. The vivid imagination power allows human beings to perceive different ‘somethings’ (realities) and they live their life accordingly.
The prevailing culture and education, that are unwholesome, instill invalid knowledge and beliefs in individuals. These beliefs distort their perception of reality and they slip into false realities. These perceived realities ought to change after a while; if not, they cause pain and hardship. The base of all the fear, anxiety, depression, change, etc. is these unverified beliefs that have no ground in reality. That is why people’s definition about life and living keeps changing, over the course of life.
What is cool now, might be uncool when the perspective changes. The same stands true for religious beliefs, political ideologies, morality, and everything else. The end result of living in the illusion is always a disappointment. The way out is to align oneself with actual reality, which remains the same at all times.
Coming back to coolness…
The truly cool people are authentic and true to their human nature. That is why the “cool” are naturally confident in who they are. Their attitude and behavior are uniquely their own. They are kind, generous, loving, truthful, and always in alignment with the reality of existence. They believe in living life happily, creating meaningful relationships, ensuring the well-being of themselves and those around them, and leaving behind a better world.
All the other types of coolness are only temporary. It fades away with the progression in age, technology, trend, etc. But, the coolness that is real human nature, will always be true, be it today in the 21st century, 100 years from now, or the 18th century. Thus, it can be concluded that human beings are by default “cool”.
So, a truly cool person:
- Is compassionate and forgiving.
- Doesn’t find faults in others, instead improves his own understanding.
- Creates beautiful memories in every interaction.
- Creates meaningful human relationships.
- Never pretends and never tries to impress others superficially.
- Trusts himself, others, and is trustworthy.
- Never minds being wrong and appreciates an opportunity to learn to be right.
- Leads by example to earn respect.
- Is always mindful and in the present moment.
