Introspection

Today I would like to reflect on the notion of resting where you are at in life! Whether that be resting in joy of recent events or the sorrow of brokenness you feel... it is important to embrace life when it is happening so that we can learn from experiences and grow! This is an exceptionally important ritual in my life because I am an extremely ambitious perfectionist,

meaning that even the smallest failure to meet my own standards or exceed others often sends me spiraling into some form of existential crisis. It was not until this past year that I stopped to reflect on why I feel the need to push myself so hard, or why any form of failure had the ability to mentally debilitate me, thus forcing me to realize the importance of introspection.

I am a big reader so during this process I read self help book after self help book and in my hunger and need to acquire more knowledge on how to perfect myself I began to realize turning to outside sources is a great way to learn new things but in order to get any real soul work done I needed to examine my own mental and emotional process. Now this is easier said than done when we live in a time where dominant culture tells us to constantly look everywhere but ourselves for happiness. Sadly, I realized I was more apt to turn to an app on my phone for gratification than to sit with myself and sort through my thoughts. While this might not be the case for everyone I noticed all around me people were distracting themselves in some way or another from sorting through their emotional hard drive -- drinking, smoking, binging Netflix, seeking affection/attention, etc. We are worth so much more than living numb or unsettled! Introspection is not easy and often forces you to confront some harsh realities about yourself... but it is the healing that comes after the introspection and the way you choose to apply your energy thereafter. Do what makes you genuinely happy! Never give up and find what you think is worth sacrificing for! Knowing yourself is the most important step in being able to impact others and live a more fulfilling life.

For those of you struggling to find peace and happiness amidst the struggles of life and dysfunctionality, find consolidation in the potential of what could be, we are building toward better futures for ourselves-- hang in there. Life can seem mundane, seeking joy and purpose in day to day life cultivates growth and enforces the notion that your worth/attitude/joy/success is not contingent on external factors, but how you choose to love yourself.

It's all the little choices that determine your journey!