What exactly are the “laws of life”? They are the moral compasses that guide our decisions, the principles on which we build our actions, and the ethical standards by which we live. Each individual has their own set of laws of life, shaped by their upbringing, experiences and personal beliefs. However, amidst the complexities of life's dilemmas, one constant remains: awareness. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay For me, the cornerstone of my laws of life is to listen and follow my conscience. Conscience serves as a beacon of morality, directing us toward what we perceive as right and just. It is a powerful internal force that can guide us through the labyrinthine paths of life, helping us distinguish right from wrong. Yet to heed his advice, we must first learn to differentiate between our awareness and intrusive thoughts. Intrusive thoughts, as defined by Lecia Bushak of the website Medical Daily, are unwanted and often disturbing ideas or impulses that intrude into our consciousness. These intrusive thoughts can manifest in a variety of forms, from fleeting impulses to self-harm to disturbing fantasies of violence. They are like unwelcome guests in the house of our mind, disturbing our peace and threatening to lead us astray. According to Bushak, four out of five people, myself included, deal with intrusive thoughts at some point in their lives. The challenge is to distinguish between the whispers of our conscience and the noise of intrusive thoughts. While conscience serves as a moral compass, guiding us toward virtuous actions, intrusive thoughts seek to lead us astray, tempting us toward harmful behaviors. The key distinction lies in their intentions: conscience does not advocate harm to oneself or others, whereas intrusive thoughts often involve destructive impulses. Guilt, a powerful emotion closely linked to conscience, serves as a barometer of moral wrongdoing. When we act inconsistently with our moral principles, guilt acts as a corrective force, returning us to the path of righteousness. The fact that guilt can weigh heavily on our hearts, compelling us to rectify our transgressions and strive for moral integrity is a testament to the influence of conscience. I realized that not everyone has the same level of awareness or sensitivity to moral dilemmas. Some people may be acutely aware of their moral failures and feel acute guilt over every misstep. Others, however, may demonstrate a blunted conscience, seemingly unaffected by their moral errors. This gap in moral sensitivity raises the question: why do people's levels of consciousness vary? The insidious nature of intrusive thoughts lies in their potential to erode awareness over time. Like a parasite, intrusive thoughts gradually infiltrate the recesses of the mind, corrupting the moral fabric of our being. By entertaining these intrusive thoughts and indulging in fantasies of wrongdoing, we unintentionally diminish the influence of our conscience. Little by little, our moral compass becomes skewed and we find ourselves straying from the path of righteousness. Mark Hall of Casting Crowns aptly describes this gradual descent into moral decadence as a “slow fade.” Just like a snowball rolling down a slope, our moral compromises pile up, leading us down a path.