Things I wanted to say to myself (and to you) last week
Thoughts on productivity, uncertainty and questioning one's progress in life.
I felt a slight disconnect with writing last week, which resulted in me taking a couple of days off the Substack app completely. As someone whose social life ends at the daily interactions on this platform, I spent my free time obsessing over daily targets and to-do lists. It was a pattern I had walked away from 4 years ago, but I found myself in the same territory once again last week. I had a vision of my goal, and I believed that putting in x hours of work would guarantee achieving that goal. Oh, how easy life would be if things worked out this way, but it doesn’t.
Don’t let every second of the present moment pass, fearing that a slight change of plans would stop you from achieving your goals. There are multiple roads to reach the same destination. You just have to learn to embrace flexibility on the way.
I don’t know what my thirties, forties or fifties will look like. But as someone inching closer to mid-twenties, I know that most people my age don’t know how life would turn out for them in the near future. When I stepped into the corporate world, some of my greatest fears were, “Will I be able to accomplish my goals?”, “Will I be able to earn enough money?”, “What does the future look like for me?”.
Three years later, I know that everything in life works out exactly the way that it is supposed to. At present, you may be in a slightly better or worse spot than what you had planned three years ago, but you did learn and grow with each passing day. This wisdom, a.k.a. the life experience that you have collected on this journey is far more valuable than any amount of bank balance will ever be.
Most of us do these two things in life: question our progress and compare it to that of others.
The truth is that your brain is accustomed to criticising yourself and your actions more than it is accustomed to appreciating them. So, it’s easy to convince yourself that you are not doing enough when in reality, you spend every second of your existence doing the best of what you can do to excel in life. Nobody knows what their future holds, even the ones you compare yourself with. So, let go.
Here are some reminders for the ones questioning their progress;
Your growth will not be visible at all times. But it doesn’t mean that it isn’t present.
Exactly 365 days ago today, you did not know if you could face the next 365 days of your life. But you did. Regardless of your experience, you are breathing on the other side of those mountains of fear. So, you have surely made progress.
THIS WEEK’s RECOMMENDATIONS
- . A beautiful and heartwarming interview shared by Matthew this week!
One Wonderful Year of Writing by
. Lovely reflection of Emily’s first year on Substack. Here’s to many more!The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Humanity by
. A simple word to describe this piece- Thought provoking!
If you enjoy reading Unwind, I would love it if you consider recommending the publication to your readers. Simply go to your dashboard > Recommendations > Manage > Add recommendation > Unwind.
"This wisdom, a.k.a. the life experience that you have collected on this journey is far more valuable than any amount of bank balance will ever be." This has really made me more grateful for the experiences I've had thank you for sharing this piece
I think that in my 20s, I thought I’d have life figured out by my 30s. I didn’t. By my 30s, I thought I’d have it all figured out by the time I turned 40. I didn’t. Enjoy the ride, and embrace spontaneity; I’m still learning.