So imagine this. You’re stuck in a violent storm and you got nothing to hold on to. You could either submit to the ravaging waves and let yourself sink under the limitless depth of the ocean or you can fight against it and keep yourself afloat amidst bouts of scrounging squalls of savage waves. What will you do?

Now if you’re someone who is going through a ruthless phase of life, you’ll probably choose the first option of giving up and letting go off your existence and submission to the adversities. And if you’re someone who has seen it all and is aware of your capabilities, your self-worth and most importantly your trust in yourself, you’ll be dandy with the second option. You rather put a fight than give up.

Technically speaking, there is no wrong or right in the options I have mentioned above. At the end of the day, it’s the kind of person you are and the choices you make that’ll determine the path you’ll take. There are billions of people out there with millions of stories to tell and countless experiences to recall. What we feel, what we go through and how we do things is unique to our lives and in no way you can tell or make others experience that. Not even through words both written or verbally spoken. So I am not here to make you feel bad or miserable if you choose the first option. You probably are a broken soul. An ugly heartbreak? lagging behind in academics? trying your best but not being able to deliver? getting sucked into the pitfalls of hopelessness?

I am not going to tell you ‘it’s okay’ to feel that way because it is the most terrible thing to say to someone who is dealing with shitloads of emotional distress. However, I will urge you to read this before you consider hating your life or life in general. I will coax you to read this if you are willing to choose the first option.

You’re an accomplished person. No matter how odd it sounds but you were among the 40 million to 1.2 billion sperms to reach the fallopian tube. You fought against all odds and even though some amount of luck was involved, it was your fight and struggle that brought you in this cruel, dastardly yet beautiful world.
If you put it that way, the race towards existence was more complex and difficult than any competitive exams out there(Ivy league, you can sit and cry in the corner). Thus, it’ll be wrong to say that you don’t have a fighting spirit inside you. On a much serious note, giving up or giving away your life just because of inconveniences(whether slight or meta) will be an absurd move. But how do you fight with it? Especially when every little thing out there makes you anxious and makes you quiver in anticipation? The conciousness weighs against your determination to fight and you find yourself stuck in a lackadaisical whirlwind of negativities. What if I tell you there is a way to to trick your brain into believing things are fine? Our brain is the most complex organ of the human body. If it can construe little, insignificant things and amplify it’s importance and complexity, it can also pick up positive cues that can help itself to calm down. Why should you suffer the brunt of how and what your brain processes? And once things eases for you, you don’t have to gambit with your brain. Everything will fall in places and you’ll find yourself invigorated by positivity.

Start by waking up everyday and getting out of the comfort of your cushy bed. When we are dealing with depressive and destructive thoughts, it’s easy for our brain to tell us to ‘sleep’ it all away. While that will definitely numb your emotional pain, but in a longer run you’ll fall prey to laziness. Not getting out of bed will also eventually dilate self-loath thoughts. Ever had one of those days where you didn’t leave your bed for the entire day and when you actually did, you felt more pointless and dejected? If yes, you know what I am hinting at. Therefore, get up with an enthusiasism to seize the day and mske the best use out of it. If you’re successful doing that, you’re already a one step closer to recovery.

Try to be self-dependent. Expect nothing from anyone or everyone. But don’t hide from people. Don’t be unecessarily rude and cold with them. While you struggle to rely on yourself, don’t be aversive to any helping hand that comes your way. Hold tight to it and stride towards an intimate discovery. Keep yourself open to possibilities and opportunities. Take a deep plunge into your intellect in order to derive pearls of wisdom and approbation. Hold your hand if nobody else holds them for you. Try looking at things at a bigger picture. Make short term goals and long term goals. Take steps to accomplish them. There is nothing more satisfying than the sense of achievement you’ll get if you worked your ass off for something imperative. Keep your brain occupied so it doesn’t wander off to the realms of beclouded plains.

Learn to love yourself. Let no one. I repeat let no one tell you or make you feel that you’re worth nothing. That you cannont do things. That you cannot enjoy life. Learn to let go that feeling of self-pity and loath. And when I say let ‘no one’ overpower, I also mean the negative elements inside you. To make this possible, you gotta come to an actualization by understanding your worth and all things that you can put on your metaphorical table. Capitalize on your strong points and compress any weaknesses. Use your strengths to conquer the worst and very best of challenges. Don’t shy away from climbing steepest and most dangerous mountains on your journey. The more difficult the terrain, the more rewarding it will be. So don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Be fierce and ruthless with your approach. You’re worth more than a negative person or an exam gone bad or toxicity in general. Get to know every bit of yourself. Fall in love with those parts. You don’t need to turn narcissistic but self-love and self-motivation is a key to fulfillment and happiness. Stay confident but stay humble. Be kind to those who are kind to you.

Coming to the most important part, do what makes you happy. Do what you love doing. Never compromise on that. If you like to sing then make it a point to sing everyday. If you like to paint then doodle atleast a thing or two everybody. If you like to take photographs, take pictures of anything and everything without any hesitation or boudations. If you like to write, then pour yout thoughts on a piece of paper and let your words resonate. Don’t lose touch with things you love or things that make you happy in general. Practise everyday and hone yout respective skills in the domain of your choice. Use that domain to specialize and therefore concentrate on your well-being and future aspirations.

Keep yourself occupied with things that make you feel elated. Listen to songs, hum along or dance to the beat. Go crazy if you wish to but don’t let any inhibitions to contrict you in it’s wake. Believe me when you’re happy and self-sufficient, your brain automatically wires itself to a more positive environment. At the same time, surround yourself with people who matter. Be it friends, family, acquaintances or someone special. Choose your company wisely. Be with those who exude positivity and appreciation towards you. Be with those whose world revolves around you. Be with those who’ll be one phone call/text message away when you need them.

Be with those who make you feel good about yourself and not like a total loser. Keep those people close who matter. Keep those people who won’t give up on you if the situations turn sordid. Give up on people who gave up on you but don’t give up on people who were there through the most tumultuous phase of your life. Let them know once in a while what they mean to you. Be thankful to them for putting up with your shit and sticking with you through that storm. Go a step further for ‘someone’ who is the most special part of your life. Let nothing stop you from appreciating these people. Let nothing stop you from being friends with them. Let nothing change you the way you are.
Your self-respect, your self-esteem and dignity matters. Your existence matters. You mean something for everyone. Don’t take away yourself from them. Compromise where necessary but don’t compromise if it changes you in any way. Keep your held high and keep walking with your sword and armor.

There. So these are some mantras that I had to impart for you. To put a smile on your face and to make you happy. Things might look rough right now and you might feel miserable but don’t let anything take a toll on your sanity. This is your journey. And you’re responsible for the road you pave for yourself. It’s a hard knock life and it is excruciatingly long too. But if you’re willing to hike through the rugged roads, you’ll eventually come across a more conducive and cozy terrain. You’ll encounter swamps but you’ll also find hidden oasises. Make the best use of everything at your disposal. Attain self-realization and work hard towards a successful future. As someone once rightly said “this too will pass”. On that note, ask yourself again the question I posed at the beginning of this blog. Would you rather fight the storm or give in to it? If you choose the latter, I think the purpose of this blog is fullfilled.

(P.S: I dedicate this blog to someone who has helped me realize my importance and self-worth. Thankyou. You know who you are. <3)