Life is always challenging. It's not just because you have to give yourself and your family a decent meal three times a day or because you have to be consistent with paying your bills every month or keep up with the demands of the society as an adult and as professional but because people around you always have an expectation from you-- an expectation to perform, to excel, to be where you should be according to your course, to be successful, to follow your path. The society has a set of standards and goals for you. And when you fail to achieve them, that's when real internal struggles come in. Life is indeed challenging and there are a lot of factors that contribute to that. In order to survive, you've got to get a good grip on yourself, to never feel pressured, to never feel small, and to never feel like a failure.
Have you ever experienced scrolling through your Facebook timeline or Instagram feed and see where your colleagues are at or where they have been already or what they have achieved so far in their life or career? I bet yes, you have. All of us have. But then, how do you react? Do you press that "heart" or "like" button and tell them "Congratulations"? Yes, you should. Normally if a friend is promoted in his/her career or if somebody has decided to open up a business or somebody you know has travelled to your dream destination or your college classmate has found her "The One" and decided to marry and have a baby, how do you feel really? Of course, you're happy. They are achieving a milestone in their lives. They're successful and happy. But most of the time, aside from celebrating other people's success, you can't help it but you compare yourself with them too. If nothing grand is ever happening in your life yet, you will really feel insecure, sad, small, or depressed even.
I have been there. I know the feeling. I'm doing okay and well back then but there was a time when I let all of these bad thoughts and insecurities eat me up and swallow me whole. That became the darkest time of my life. I think of myself as a failure. When I listened to what other people had to say about me not being able to land a job in teaching while my college friends already have, that tore me apart. Comparisons are always there. People always have something to say and I listened to them. I believed them so much that I got to a point where I lost track of who I am and what my purpose in this world is. I feel so small and insignificant and I did not know how to get through the day without crying myself to sleep. I lost motivation in going to work and I lost sense of why I'm still living.
I don't want to go through that same stage ever again. That point in my young life gave me a glimpse of how badly life can get if you live by the standards of the society and listen to other people's expectations when in fact they should not matter. What matters most is how you see yourself and how you think of yourself. Thankfully, I got through those tough times through the help of a lot of people who have been there too. I learned throughout that experience that I'm not alone in feeling that way. There are people I know who have been there too and some others who are struggling in the exact same dilemma right now, which makes me think that life really has a way of creeping up on you. And you should never let it.
To you who feels "Not Enough", who feels small and insecure, and who feels lost, please know that this stage in your life right now is temporary. You may still be figuring out what you really want and it's okay. Take your time, take it slowly. Don't be afraid that other people already know what they want. Don't be afraid that other people already figured out what they want to do. Don't feel like you're losing and wasting time. Just reflect about it and I know you'll figure it out soon. And please, never compare yourself with others because it won't bring you any good. Comparisons will ruin your peace of mind and will make you unhappy and not contented. Each one of us has a different pace in life. I know your time will come. Soon, it will be your turn. God has prepared beautiful plans for you. You just have to wait. And while waiting, make sure you're also making yourself ready to receive whatever He has prepared for you. Work hard while trying to develop inner peace. Be genuinely happy, be grateful, always appreciate and count your blessings. See the beauty of life, and be thankful for every breath.
What I've learned in life so far is that it can be very difficult or it can be amazingly beautiful and it's up to you how it will be.
Love life, fellow Steemians. ✨