WHAT IF IT'S OKAY
to be YOU?
We live in a world of information overload.
At the swipe of a screen, news media instantly draws us into a descending spiral of despair with a stream of information about air crashes and collapsing bridges to stampedes and flash floods, from nations at war to people in protest, and from increasing hostile boundaries to growing concerns over climate change. As we navigate through the bleakness of world news systematically fed into our veins, we ponder over the uncertainty of the future and consume ourselves looking for answers to a recurring question - ‘WHAT IF?’
We live in a world driven by speed and connectedness, which can often get overwhelming.
The need to share every milestone, every event and achievement with the world through images and social media, makes missing any of this feel like a disaster and routine life feel like failure. As we struggle to manage unreal expectations about success and growth in our professional and personal lives, and live everyday through the multiple choices that stare at us, a question that we tend to ask ourselves often is ‘WHAT IF?’
What if I had chosen a different career path or a different person? What if I was born in different circumstances? What if I had the courage to chase my dreams?
What if I had left? What if I had stayed back?
Conversely, every time we face new opportunities (which often come disguised as challenges) we gallop into the ‘what ifs’ of the future.
What if I don’t have it in me? What if I don’t know how to do it right? What if no one wants what I have to offer?
What if I fail?
By doing this we end up looking at adversity in opportunity, and allow self-doubt to bury ourselves under questions that shake our self-belief even further. And someday, we look back in regret and wonder yet again -
What if I had said yes? What if I had made that move, taken up that challenge, given myself that chance?
What if I had lived life differently?
We move through the river of life clinging helplessly to the rocks of the past, unable to flow into the abundance of opportunities that lie in the ocean of the future.
What if today, we decide to break the cycle by allowing this powerful question to work in our favour rather than against us? What if our ‘what ifs’ emerge from faith rather than doubt, from trust rather than regret? What if we choose to look at all the ways in which the universe silently supports us, cradles us in its loving energy and propels us towards our higher purpose?
Next time we are presented with an opportunity, can we shake off our fears and doubts, take a deep breath and tell ourselves - What if there is nothing wrong with me? What if I have it in me to succeed? What if someone out there needs exactly what I have to offer? What if this is exactly where I should be in life?
Next time we look back at our journey, can we release guilt and remorse, give ourselves a tight hug and say - What if it's okay to make the choices I did? What if every path I chose was leading me to this moment? What if all these failures were actually stepping stones to where I am today?
What if it’s okay to be YOU?
Before we go out there and try to change the world, let us remember to first accept our flawed selves, to believe that we are already enough, to let go of guilt, regret about the past, fear and worry about your future, self-doubt about our present self and above all, to embrace oneself with love and compassion.
WHAT IF that’s exactly how it's meant to be?
“You'll never get anywhere if you go about what-iffing like that.”
― Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
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In my opinion: If anyone is doing the job in hand, irrespective of whether it is small or big, with great love, totality and passion then they never have to bother about anything because doing our job in such way is in itself a reward.
Accepting our flawed self helps us in miraculous ways! Mahavir says this first step is the toughest in journey of a person toward ‘Deen’ within. Congratulations to you, as Lao Tzu mystic of China says ‘the journey of thousand miles starts with one step’ and it is this step and the journey of thousand miles is within! He also says that it is of two step only, rest are just repetition in between. The first you realised and the last also you will realise when you fall into realm of beyond mind. All in between will happen on it’s own just remain courageous to take risk.
Fascinating how our attention works, wanders, and evolves. 'Too Much of Information' by The Police comes to mind, but how we are adapting is even more intriguing.