New Year Ponderings
Hi everyone!
Happy holidays and I wish you all the greatest blessings in the new year!!! Here's to 2018 being better than 2017!
This time of year I often find myself reflecting back on recent events or happenings. I think it might have to do with the absurd amount of time on my hands now that I'm not doing 40 million assignments in a day. Anyhow, I don't exactly know if talking about disappointments is auspicious for the new year so I held off writing for a bit (at least that's my excuse) and now I'm ready to hopefully share some wisdom from all of my ponderings.
As much fun as I had with my family and newfound company over the start of break, in a lot of ways it was a bit of a letdown. I got deferred from the two "better" colleges I applied to. I had to stick it through finals. I was anxious and antsy about all my scholarship stuff through basically last week. My first tower building attempt failed miserably (Science Olympiad). I kind of have a cold. You get the idea.
I also think that some of you have experienced some more jarring disappointments beyond my relatively minor ones. The one that comes most quickly to mind is the finalization of grades, what like two weeks ago now? Maybe you didn't do as well as you would've liked. Maybe you still haven't gotten the guts to check yet. Or maybe you got rejected from your choice college. There are also infinitely many personal ones that I won't get into here, but I think you all know what I'm referring to.
Disappointments honestly suck. I'll be the first to get on that bandwagon actually, but I also think they are a symbol of strength. You can't be disappointed if you never had hope. So why did you have the hope in the first place? Because, at the very least, you were taking a chance. You can't be disappointed about something you never tried. I can't say, "Oh, I'm so sad that my nuclear reactor isn't completely emission free", because well, I don't actually have a nuclear reactor. At the end of the day, so what if you failed or didn't do as well as you wanted? You're still doing better than the person who never tried.
Quoting from one of my favorite movies (also the one that makes me want to cry), Jyn Erso says this in Rogue One, "...we'll take the next chance, and the next, on and on until we win, or the chances are spent." She also says that a fighter with a stick can take the day but that's beside the point for now. We're not in a war zone, so our chances are never really spent, we just face failures. Take advantage of that. Take the chance that is offered to you, whether that is an opportunity that you want to grab or a new direction that you want to explore. Nothing in this world is guaranteed to us. Every opportunity that you want, I can pretty much say for sure that there are others out there who want the same thing. Chances don't grow on trees, dear reader. If you won't grab that opportunity when it comes by, someone else will. I hate to say this, but there are not as many opportunities as there are people.
And when there are no opportunities available to you? Use that time to become your best self. Work and hone your skills. Spend time with those you love and do what you love. Be ready when that next chance comes, take it, and mould it into everything that you have ever dreamed of. Heck, sometimes ignorance really is bliss when it comes to this kind of thing because the less you know, the less you have to fear. That's why they call it a chance; you can figure it out as you go if you must. If I had a dollar for every time I got myself into something before I could really think the entire thing through...lol. Don't follow my example kids ;)
Now comes the most important part: you've tried, you've failed. What next? Failure is an inevitable part of life and is a far better teacher than Success. That is as corny as it gets but it's true. There is also never any true failure in my opinion. Every time you "fail", you learn something. For example, I learned that I shouldn't steam bass wood the way I was doing it, because it snapped in half as soon as I tried to bend it. I think not heating glue also helps...it kinda just melts. Whoops. I spent my entire first semester during PSEO in a gloom because I was "failing" in ways I didn't even know was possible. I got my first "B" on a real test (big problem, I know, but to little junior me it was), I had no close friends I could weep my sorrows to that would understand the kind of pressures college puts on a person, I struggled with talking in front of my huge lectures (even though I'm a total extrovert), I had the biggest problem in trying to make new friends, and I just missed my small-town high school where everyone knew me and I knew what I was doing. Honestly, when I floundered at speaking in front of huge lectures and at making friends, I thought I was screwed for sure. Talking is the one thing I am good at and if I can't even do that... But I made it, didn't I? I picked myself off the ground the next semester and kept going. I met some of my best friends that next semester, and I kept chugging in my classes. Once you've done this failure thing enough times, you'll realize that you are so much more resilient than you think. I already know you are.
I never really answered the question: what next? For me, it's usually a brief period of mourning first. Thinking about what might've been, how good it was when I was working at it, etc. etc. Maybe shed a tear or two on the time you spent and how it still didn't work out. Do whatever it is that you think you need to deal with it in a healthy way, whether that is working out, eating some ice cream, watching movies, etc. The key, is to not blame yourself or to regret. Those two are especially hard when something you care about deeply falls apart. I trust that all of you do the best you can given the circumstances, and whether or not it works out, no one can ask for more than your best. None of that "but my best wasn't enough" junk, alright? Promise? Okay, good. If you haven't read my previous post, I think you should, but the point there was to not regret your decisions. Even if you think you made a dreadful mistake, it is a part of you now. What happened changed you, and for good or for ill, you wouldn't be you without it. Even if it gave you imperfections, be grateful. I happen to believe in perfect imperfections.
After all of that, you get up out of bed, dry your tears, and you try again. You go about life again. Make plans with your friends, hang out with your family, try new things, and love doing the old ones. And when the next chance comes along, you make sure you reach for it and work at it with everything you have.
I am not a particularly religious person, and I like to believe that a person's fate or destiny is their own to control. However, I do think that life works out for the best, and sometimes it almost does feel like there is some plan that governs our lives. Whatever life decides to throw at you, accept it as a blessing and be grateful. Even if something isn't what you wanted, you may one day look back and realize that it was what you needed.
Two complimentary memes :)
Disclaimer: This is not me saying girls are better and whatnot, but I just thought this second one was funny. Remember that, regardless of gender, you are not defined by and do not need someone else to help you "make it". You are all beautiful, talented individuals and you will go far. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise.
Also: LOOK AT THE PUPPY 😍😍😍
Much love,
~Tempest
Happy holidays and I wish you all the greatest blessings in the new year!!! Here's to 2018 being better than 2017!
This time of year I often find myself reflecting back on recent events or happenings. I think it might have to do with the absurd amount of time on my hands now that I'm not doing 40 million assignments in a day. Anyhow, I don't exactly know if talking about disappointments is auspicious for the new year so I held off writing for a bit (at least that's my excuse) and now I'm ready to hopefully share some wisdom from all of my ponderings.
As much fun as I had with my family and newfound company over the start of break, in a lot of ways it was a bit of a letdown. I got deferred from the two "better" colleges I applied to. I had to stick it through finals. I was anxious and antsy about all my scholarship stuff through basically last week. My first tower building attempt failed miserably (Science Olympiad). I kind of have a cold. You get the idea.
I also think that some of you have experienced some more jarring disappointments beyond my relatively minor ones. The one that comes most quickly to mind is the finalization of grades, what like two weeks ago now? Maybe you didn't do as well as you would've liked. Maybe you still haven't gotten the guts to check yet. Or maybe you got rejected from your choice college. There are also infinitely many personal ones that I won't get into here, but I think you all know what I'm referring to.
Disappointments honestly suck. I'll be the first to get on that bandwagon actually, but I also think they are a symbol of strength. You can't be disappointed if you never had hope. So why did you have the hope in the first place? Because, at the very least, you were taking a chance. You can't be disappointed about something you never tried. I can't say, "Oh, I'm so sad that my nuclear reactor isn't completely emission free", because well, I don't actually have a nuclear reactor. At the end of the day, so what if you failed or didn't do as well as you wanted? You're still doing better than the person who never tried.
Quoting from one of my favorite movies (also the one that makes me want to cry), Jyn Erso says this in Rogue One, "...we'll take the next chance, and the next, on and on until we win, or the chances are spent." She also says that a fighter with a stick can take the day but that's beside the point for now. We're not in a war zone, so our chances are never really spent, we just face failures. Take advantage of that. Take the chance that is offered to you, whether that is an opportunity that you want to grab or a new direction that you want to explore. Nothing in this world is guaranteed to us. Every opportunity that you want, I can pretty much say for sure that there are others out there who want the same thing. Chances don't grow on trees, dear reader. If you won't grab that opportunity when it comes by, someone else will. I hate to say this, but there are not as many opportunities as there are people.
And when there are no opportunities available to you? Use that time to become your best self. Work and hone your skills. Spend time with those you love and do what you love. Be ready when that next chance comes, take it, and mould it into everything that you have ever dreamed of. Heck, sometimes ignorance really is bliss when it comes to this kind of thing because the less you know, the less you have to fear. That's why they call it a chance; you can figure it out as you go if you must. If I had a dollar for every time I got myself into something before I could really think the entire thing through...lol. Don't follow my example kids ;)
Now comes the most important part: you've tried, you've failed. What next? Failure is an inevitable part of life and is a far better teacher than Success. That is as corny as it gets but it's true. There is also never any true failure in my opinion. Every time you "fail", you learn something. For example, I learned that I shouldn't steam bass wood the way I was doing it, because it snapped in half as soon as I tried to bend it. I think not heating glue also helps...it kinda just melts. Whoops. I spent my entire first semester during PSEO in a gloom because I was "failing" in ways I didn't even know was possible. I got my first "B" on a real test (big problem, I know, but to little junior me it was), I had no close friends I could weep my sorrows to that would understand the kind of pressures college puts on a person, I struggled with talking in front of my huge lectures (even though I'm a total extrovert), I had the biggest problem in trying to make new friends, and I just missed my small-town high school where everyone knew me and I knew what I was doing. Honestly, when I floundered at speaking in front of huge lectures and at making friends, I thought I was screwed for sure. Talking is the one thing I am good at and if I can't even do that... But I made it, didn't I? I picked myself off the ground the next semester and kept going. I met some of my best friends that next semester, and I kept chugging in my classes. Once you've done this failure thing enough times, you'll realize that you are so much more resilient than you think. I already know you are.
I never really answered the question: what next? For me, it's usually a brief period of mourning first. Thinking about what might've been, how good it was when I was working at it, etc. etc. Maybe shed a tear or two on the time you spent and how it still didn't work out. Do whatever it is that you think you need to deal with it in a healthy way, whether that is working out, eating some ice cream, watching movies, etc. The key, is to not blame yourself or to regret. Those two are especially hard when something you care about deeply falls apart. I trust that all of you do the best you can given the circumstances, and whether or not it works out, no one can ask for more than your best. None of that "but my best wasn't enough" junk, alright? Promise? Okay, good. If you haven't read my previous post, I think you should, but the point there was to not regret your decisions. Even if you think you made a dreadful mistake, it is a part of you now. What happened changed you, and for good or for ill, you wouldn't be you without it. Even if it gave you imperfections, be grateful. I happen to believe in perfect imperfections.
After all of that, you get up out of bed, dry your tears, and you try again. You go about life again. Make plans with your friends, hang out with your family, try new things, and love doing the old ones. And when the next chance comes along, you make sure you reach for it and work at it with everything you have.
I am not a particularly religious person, and I like to believe that a person's fate or destiny is their own to control. However, I do think that life works out for the best, and sometimes it almost does feel like there is some plan that governs our lives. Whatever life decides to throw at you, accept it as a blessing and be grateful. Even if something isn't what you wanted, you may one day look back and realize that it was what you needed.
Two complimentary memes :)
Also: LOOK AT THE PUPPY 😍😍😍
Much love,
~Tempest
Comments
Post a Comment