You can think you have it all figured out, have your mindset rock solid, emotions in check, ready for anything, but then you get hit with the unexpected.
Just when I thought I had my head back on straight and had learned all the lessons I needed to learn, it all came right back. I truly believed I was seeing everything clearly and logically, but of course that’s when the Universe tested me. Unfortunately, I’m not where I need to be yet.
I’m going through some completely new experiences in my life – ones I’ve never had to work through in the past. I have no knowledge on how these things play out, what emotions I’m going to feel, how I’m going to work through them, or how to make things work out in the best way possible. Just like with learning anything new, you can’t expect to have all the answers and to perform perfectly from the start.
This fact can suck sometimes. When your emotions are involved in new ways, they hit you like a ton of bricks. Unlike all those times you’ve practiced being a Stoic in your daily life and you’ve developed a healthy view of the world, there are things that you can’t fully prepare for. You’re going to run into challenges that break you down the first few times. You have to experience all the thoughts and all the emotions in order to learn.
It fuckin sucks. You feel like a dumbass. You question why you feel this way when you can reason through so many other things. You’re gonna get angry, sad, heartbroken, and deal with so many other negative emotions you wish you could skip. That’s what happens when there’s something you need to learn about yourself.
No matter how strong you believe you are, something is powerful enough to bring you to your knees. You will collapse under the weight and feel like you were never a strong person to begin with. Just know that’s not the case. When you’re pushed to the ground, feel every single emotion, never act on them, and fight back against the oppressor by telling yourself you’ll make it through.
Nothing can stop you from becoming a better version of yourself. Obstacles can only get in the way temporarily. You have to face them head on and know you will overcome them no matter what. It won’t be easy, but it will teach you so much about yourself. So keep fighting and never let new challenges break you down for good.
October 5, 2024
