It’s been a very wild ride in my life at times and I’ve often found my mental health on the decline. To survive and thrive in a fast-paced world that ties your worth to so many different things - good grades, having a family, having money and many more - is no easy feat. Moreover, “success” is so multi-faceted that seemingly having it all in one aspect does not guarantee the same in other aspects.
I love using analogies and debating quotes of wisdom and advice that people have said because I strongly believe that there are two sides to every coin. Even recently, as Zoom University is drawing to an end and face-to-face classes are resuming, while it is more effective for learning and socialising, the crowds and noise can be a huge turn off.
In the build up to my birthday, there have been a lot of mixed feelings. I would say that I have felt extremely inadequate in many aspects of life - socially, personally and materially, and at times I even felt that the first 22 years of my life were a train wreck and I even questioned if there was anything worth celebrating about my life.
However, one quote that brings solace is by Albert Einstein “Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” In fact, fishes need not feel bad about not being able to climb trees which other animals are good at as they are better swimmers. It is a timely reminder that it is okay to be different.
I recall many years ago, I once grumbled about why my life was so different from my friends’ lives in so many aspects. I have lived most of the 22 years of my life thinking that being different is something to be ashamed of, but it is important to realise that we are all on different paths and that comparing is not always realistic.
Another thing I grew to realise in life is that things are not always black and white. Even to this day, I still catch myself feeling like a failure at the smallest bump and obstacle. However, it is so important to remember that one mistake does not make one a failure and there are so many small obstacles I have overcome to make my life better.
I guess in the end, at the end of the journey, looking back and having a feeling of satisfaction about a paradigm shift or new lessons learnt is one of the most satisfying feelings ever. Some of the paradigm shifts I realised in the past few years have made me feel so much more empowered and more comfortable in my own skin.
Image Link:
https://www.hkschool.org.uk/2019/10/05/everybody-is-a-genius-but-if-you-judge-a-fish-by-the-ability-to-climb-a-tree-it-will-live-its-whole-life-believing-that-is-stupid-albert-einstein/#:~:text=School%2C%20Upper%20School-,Everybody%20is%20a%20genius%2C%20but%20if%20you%20judge%20a%20fish,%E2%80%93%20Albert%20Einstein
Comentarios