Silence the external, and blast the internal.
Her, Feb 2024
I find it really interesting how we often get stumped when trying out something new for ourselves when we compare ourselves to others. Yes, there is merit in following a path carefully carved for us, but don’t expect to find yourself in someone else’s footing. Every single person is on their own journey, towards several destinations, and our mere crossings are pure coincidences, in my opinion. Coincidences that all happen for a reason, as described by the logos. And trying to control any of it, is only a waste of your own time. In a similar vein, so is comparison. Many of us fall victim to the notion that you need to compete with others to get ahead, that you need to do exactly what everyone else is doing to not feel behind or even outpace them by running on your own adrenaline to feel a fleeting moment of calm. Why? What if we just shut out the noise and stayed in our own swimlanes, figuring out along the way?
Recently, in a number of challenging situations, I’ve found myself thinking “Oh I bet person x would’ve done so much better in this case, or person y is so much more qualified than I am”. But the truth of the matter is, I’m the one in the situation. I’m the one with the opportunity in this moment in time. And with the intention to make the most of it, and come out having learnt something, all I can do to succeed is try my absolute best. Leave everything I have on the table and then some. There’s no point in doing what someone else would do, because then how do I know my own value add? The only way to discover and reach my own true potential is to look inside. Silence the external, and blast the internal.
Today, and really everytime I listen to a podcast, I learn so many new things:
- Don’t just hope things go as you want them to – hope they go just as they were meant to. Then you’re really in for the ride.
- You don’t need to know everything there is out there to succeed – you just need to know enough to get your foot in the door, and have the confidence that you’ll figure it out when you get there. Do the prep, but don’t underestimate your abilities
- Being happy for others is such a pleasant emotion – when you remove yourself from the equation, and realize that joy is something meant to be shared, you enable yourself to foster positive energy and attract what is meant for you
- Look at what you have and what you can do – in many situations, we tend to look for what we’re missing out on, or the opportunity cost (due to human tendencies), but that just robs us of what’s currently in front of us. If we just fully partook in what we do have, maybe we’d reap more of what we could’ve earlier on.
- Take part in the little things – everyday, as we get absorbed into our day to day responsibilities, we often miss out on the little things that make life worth living. A new recipe, the trip to the grocery store, watching your favorite tv show, booking a new experience – every thing counts, so make note of what truly brings you joy to uplift you in moments you feel down.
- Make note of your worries & schedule time to tackle them – This was something I listened to on a podcast today. It was about how much we distract ourselves from our pending tasks and procrastinate by worrying about the other 10s of 100s of 1000s of things we could. Here’s the harsh truth, there’s always going to be something you can worry about, but that’s an active choice you make. You instead, could time-block yourself so you enable yourself to be fully present and give your all in the moment, and then can think about whatever other challenge you face with a clearer mind.
- Nothing changes unless your inner world does – I read/heard somewhere that our experience of life is really just a manifestation of our own feelings and thoughts. So really, it’s a figment of our imagination. If we could get ahold of our emotions and transform our thinking patterns, that’s when we’ll see the real change in our lives. Not when we achieve xyz, or reach abc because that’s when “they said we’d make it”. No, it’s when you change the way you see yourself, perceive the world and accept its challenges as opportunities for you to reach something farther than you think you can.
- Living with no regrets – This is something I’ve decided to live by. How many opportunities do we give up because of ourselves holding us back? How many of us stand in our own way (knowingly or unknowingly)? It’s not okay. And this limited time we have on earth is not for the purpose of rejecting things we haven’t even tried. In fact, it’s for the complete opposite. We’re put on this earth to go forth, fearlessly and give everything our heart desires a shot. We’re put on this earth to be of service to others, and to experience all that life can have us do. The world is too big for us to be stuck in our small self-constructed bubbles. If you’re reading this, this is your sign to leave your worrisome, externally driven self on the table here. Starting now, go forth and live your life without worries of what people might think, or what might happen that is beyond your control or concern. Focus on your actions, your instincts and follow your curiosities.