With so much social and internal expectations we allow ourselves to live up to, it’s no wonder we are prone to depression. Below are 5 things that are not worth worrying about anymore.
Your 20s are meant to be a fun and adventurous time to discover who you are and what your purpose in life is. What I have noticed is that since the dawn of social media and the campaigning of endless opportunities presented to us, a lot of young people feel the heavy weight of rushing to tick off career goals and relationship statuses. I haven’t been immune to such pressure, mainly because I know that there are people look up to me or watching to see where I will end up in life. For the longest time I have been too hard on myself for making mistakes and there’s nothing worse than neglecting your fundamental right to be human from time to time. It took me getting too tired of accommodating other people’s opinions of me to realise that there is more to life than perfection. These are the things I have learned really didn’t matter in the first place:
It’s okay (and human) to make mistakes: I screw up way more than I can count, I have burnt bridges and hurt people along the way. But the great thing about making mistakes is that they are the best teachers that will help you empathise with other people’s weaknesses. What’s important is to take accountability for your actions, ask for forgiveness and move on with your life.
Your relationship status: I remember chatting with an acquaintance of mine who generally looked concerned about the fact that I am career-driven and barely share anything about my relationship status. From my previous experiences, I have learned that it’s way better to be happily single than settle for toxic relationships. If your peers are married and have children, then cool, it’s their journey. You have your own life to live, and when the time is right, the right partner will come your way.
Career changes and everything in between: Like life, everyone goes through different seasons in their careers. Some will get retrenched, fired and stay unemployed for a long time. You will hop on different industries and companies before you find the best career that you excel at. While at it, you will find yourself moving back home or not even have the opportunity to own a home for a long time, and although that stings your pride, it’s okay. The important thing is to try to remain optimistic and work hard to make your dreams come true.
Your looks: Beauty is so subjective and our opinion of our body image does affect our self-esteem. However, there’s more to you than how you look physically. You have a certain beauty that sets you apart that you should appreciate and flaunt. Frankly, a positive aura and personality are way more attractive than how you look.
What others think of you: If there’s one thing you shouldn’t lose your sleep on is what others think of you, especially when you are authentic and ambitious. It hurts when others draw up the wrong conclusions about you and when you lose friends along the way to your success. But it’s important to be the truest version of yourself without worry about everyone liking you.
