The Pursuit Of The Ideal

Navigating urgency and thoughts on questioning the pace of life.

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I must admit that before starting this newsletter, I had unrealistic notions about the writers who advocate wellness. I used to think they had all aspects of their lives figured out. Today, I realised that while I talk about practising peace and pacing ourselves in a fast-paced world, I also end up finding myself comparing my progress with others on multiple occasions. It’s usually the people who are where I want to be or the ones a couple of steps ahead of me in the journey to achieve the same goals. That does not mean that we’re fooling the readers. It just means that we are human, and it’s okay for every human to feel this way sometimes. 

The world is a limitless ocean, and somehow, there is an expectation for you to keep moving even when you want to slow down. Everyone has a different idea of what an “ideal” life looks like, and in pursuit of that Ideal life, we end up questioning our progress. 

Walking on the streets with no agenda on the list is the best way to slow down and soak in the atmosphere when I’m travelling somewhere. Much like everyday life..

Some thoughts on questioning the pace of life:

• Things fall into place when the time is right. And the right time is unique to each individual, even the ones on the path of achieving the same goals as you.

• We are learning each day, and even if our progress is slow, it’s still something.

• A couple hundred days ago, things looked different in your life. Even if we believe that nothing has changed since, the thing I know for sure is that we definitely knew less then. How we choose to use the information and growth we have acquired in that time is up to us. With each choice, there comes an opportunity to slowly but steadily turn things around.

• Five days ago, I finished my exams and felt a sense of urgency in the student community to start preparing for the September sitting right away. That is how other aspects of life function as well. The minute you achieve something, you want to start chasing the next. But if there’s anything I have learned from years of worrying about falling behind in life, it's that if my mind tells me to slow down and make room to breathe, I do that. There is no greater sign for you to slow down and breathe than your instincts telling you to pause. 

I hope these words serve as a reminder for you that you are doing okay right where you are in life. Even if you seek something more, which we all do, you will eventually find your way towards it or maybe something even better.

You just have to continue to show up, be grateful for your progress and know when to hit pause. 

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THIS WEEK’s RECOMMENDATIONS

• A note on forgetting and more… by

  Jamal Robinson
  . There is so much insight in this newsletter which you should definitely check out.

• How I dealt with plateauing on Substack by

  Mika
  . This newsletter gives a fresh perspective on being okay with the challenges that accompany slowing down in life. It’s absolutely beautiful and worth a read.

• Photo Essay: Happy Earth Day 2024 by

  Pamela Leavey
  , in honour of Earth Day.

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