“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”
― Marie Curie
“Life is a desert of shifting sand dunes. Unpredictable. Erratic. Harmony changes into dissonance, the immediate outlives the profound, esoteric becomes cliched. And vice versa.”
— Ella Leya
The world is messy.
There is no surprise. It’s always been like this.
Yet, in the midst of its chaotic ever-changing nature, we’ve found ourselves often acclimatized to certain periods where life is generally doable. But every once and while, it all goes haywire.
The current pandemic is a very obvious example of such a case.
It’s not like the world was in great shape before, but at least some of us had come to grips with it. There was room to breathe and adapt.
But that’s just it. The very essence of having to adapt means the world we live in is bound to change yet again and demand us to adapt to it. And otherwise we won’t be able to survive this planet.
The biggest problems this non-ending cycle causes us are as follows:
- Confusion
- Regret
- Frustration
- Fear
You were going to get a masters degree and it’s now on hold
Confusion
You had plans to travel to see your family and now you miss them
Regret
You had a very promising job offer lined up and now it’s been retracted
Frustration
You have no idea how you’ll pay your bills in six months
Fear
There can many other difficult elements as well far beyond what can be written here. Specially considering each person’s own struggles.
So what now?
What happens when the dust settles and you are left alone to fend for yourself against the crashing waves of malice and turmoil dragging you away from the shores of stability?
Surely we can’t just lie down and give up? Or are such ideas of fighting back more frustrating? In the darkest hour, to fight seems like trying to walk out of quick sand.
It’s not easy and no one can tell you otherwise.
But that’s exactly what is what life offers, and it’s up to us to make the best of it.
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Put the regret behind you
There is no reason or point to dwell on the past and its failures. Don’t let your mind make you fall victim to the disheartening thoughts running around.
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Be aware of your reality
If you’ve not come to terms with your surroundings, you will fail to act accordingly. It’s vital to act based on an accurate reading of reality. This takes practice but it is important to keep at it.
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Learn from your mistakes
Easy and simple. It’s not to say that you won’t make the same ones again, but be sure to get better at not making that mistake with each try next time. DO NOT carry your guilt with you. Throw that away as soon as possible, it serves no purpose.
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Goals
Start setting short and long term goals, again. Even if you plans were thrown into the river by whatever factors, to chase your dreams, you need a plan.
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Celebrate the little things
Take time during your day to learn to enjoy simple joys in your daily life and surroundings no matter how insignificant they may seem to others.
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Dream
Finally, no matter what happens, always remember your dream and never stray from chasing it for as long as the road may be.
Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will you.
Take your time. Accept reality and work towards a better future that’s out there for you.
Wisdom comes from knowing how to accept, how to let go and how to be understanding.
