Life has a beautiful way of teaching us valuable lessons. What keeps you awake at night might be someone's sweetest dream, and what makes you proud today might be history to another. Let me share a powerful lesson I learned through a simple piece of fabric material.
Growing up in Nigeria, our family had this beautiful tradition. Every Christmas, our mother would get us kids these vibrant Ankara material outfits, those bold patterns and bright colors that could light up any room. One particular Christmas stands out in my memory, not for the clothes, but for the wisdom that came wrapped in them.
My sister and I got our usual Ankara material for our Christmas clothes, which would be sewed by our talented aunt. But my sister had a change of heart about using the material for her dress. Without missing a beat, my father simply claimed the unused Ankara fabric as his own house wrapper. No big deal to him.
There I was, feeling all special in my Christmas best one Sunday afternoon while returning home from church, when I spotted my father casually moving around the house in what could've been my sister's dress fabric. Immediately I signed him, I retorted "Dad!" In protest, "How can you just wear my special Christmas fabric like it's nothing?" His response was a knowing smile and a tale I will never forget.
He told me about this wealthy man who prided himself on wearing only the most exclusive clothes from rare materials. This man would go out to faraway markets, spending every penny to uncover special fabrics that no one else could obtain. He would parade around town, enjoying his one-of-a-kind clothing. Then came the day he visited his village, wearing his latest prestigious purchase. His pride deflated faster than a punctured balloon when he spotted a humble farmer working his field, wearing the exact same "exclusive" fabric.
Think about that for a second. Here I was, being proud about my Christmas outfit, while my father turned the same fabric into casual wear. And there was that proud man, discovering his "exclusive" clothing material on a farmer's back. Life has a funny way of humbling us.
We often get caught up in our little bubbles of achievement. Maybe it's your latest smartphone, those designer shoes, or that promotion you just landed. But here's the wake-up call - your prized possessions might be someone else's everyday items. Your big milestone might be someone's starting point.
But don't let this discourage you. When you think that you are at the bottom and looking up, don't forget to look around as well. You will find thousands of others working towards the same objectives, battling the same wars. Be happy where you are while your passion remains burning. Happiness is not settling down - it is enjoying your path while still developing.
There is no perfection, so take ownership of your beautiful mess. Every success had a struggle in the beginning. Your makeover starts where you're at today. That's your launch point, your departure station, your anchoring point.
If you want to accelerate the trip, lose the weight of your past. Break the patterns of comparisons. Life is not about possessing everything - it is about optimizing the best of what you possess. Let every new morning rebirth you into an even more powerful version of yourself.
Success is not about being right at every step, it is arriving at the right destination. Do not be blinded by other people's highlight reels. Invest in making your own story. Take lessons from those who preceded you, but do not allow their triumph silence your progress.
Everything you need for the next step is already within you. Yes, even when fear surfaces. You are worthy of your dreams.
Don't hurry. Listen to your heart. Build your courage. Let go of the "everything at the same time" mentality - greatness takes time to develop.
You're where you are supposed to be on your own path. Just take the next step, repeatedly and repeatedly and repeatedly.
Because you're not just another face in a sea of faces - you're a unique masterpiece with a very special something to bring to the world.
Onward and upward, my friend. Your history is still being written.
Posted Using INLEO