How many people out there can truly say that they have lived their lives for themselves?
Since the day we are born, we have been followed by the hopeful eyes of our loved ones wherever we go. We carry their expectations in the pocket of our shirts as we fix our neckties to leave for work or school.
We have constantly been defining ourselves with the duties we wear like a badge of honour along our shoulders. We believe that all these shining badges of our position in society, family and the social circle, in general, are what define us as a person.
Yet, when it comes to stripping yourself of any such badges or the educational qualifications that adorn your shoulders, will you come to identify yourself for the soul that you have within?
When you bare yourself away from every accessory of expectations, every fabric of qualifications and each badge of duties and social status, what would come to define you?
The world we reside in is ever-changing and it makes sure that every living soul knows that it is always haunted by the shadow of the finitude that follows life.
In this finitude that we face, we spend almost all of it living up to other’s expectations and keeping up with the strides of the people around us, comparing and fretting over the landmarks that we might not reach if we lose focus of the way ahead.
We go on like this for the rest of our lives and when the end of life finally comes, most people realise that they haven’t even lived.
A young boy was asked what he wanted to become when he grew up, unlike his peers who threw the variations like astronaut, doctor or pilot, the boy simply replied that he wanted to be Joyful.
Isn’t it simple? To be Joyful?
Even after achieving everything, you return home and do not have the will to smile and cry yourself to sleep instead, dreading your next day lined with innumerable tasks, has your life been worth it?
There was a young ambitious man who achieved everything one could dream of, a high-paying job, a great status in society and married the woman of his parents’ choice.
From the world outside, everything appeared perfect in this man’s life but when the young man passed away by suicide, a lot of dreadful things came to haunt everyone around.
The man, albeit every achievement, has always been upset, he has never felt Joy. With his unhappiness, his life at home was less than perfect, there were constant arguments and the man simply did not understand why he felt so dissatisfied and sad after everything he achieved.
The emotional turmoil kept bottling up and he did not feel secure enough to bare himself to anyone to a point where he felt that suicide was a better option than keep on living the apparent dream life.
When you think of your last day on earth, will you think about the subjects you studied for? The top marks on your report cards? The expectations you stood up to?
Will you ever stop and think if you were truly Joyful in this life?
We spend our whole lives carrying the grief of the past and the dread of the future, what about the Joy of the present?
This is not normal, we are simply human beings, a species with breaths, thoughts, emotions and a life of limited years. We are not machines that have to work their roles a specific way all their lives until they can’t work anymore.
We are more than our badges and qualifications. There is more to life than just the materialistic achievements and expectations the world wants to define us with.
If today, by the end of the day, you do not feel Joy, satisfied and at peace with where you are with your struggles and your thoughts, you will never find that Joy tomorrow.
Joy is a part of life, not a goal. It resides within our soul and it is only about letting Mindfulness be enlightened within you that can flip your world around for the better.
Choose your definition for your life, no one has the right over this definition apart from you.
It is about living on your terms, moving at your own pace and being Joyful no matter where your path may lead. Self-Awareness has a significant impact on how we live.
As long as you give priority to your Emotional Well-being, life will give priority to your identity as a human, away from the cluster of brainy machines.
Create your unique definition of identity and live the life that means it.
