Following Your Own Path

                                                                          

Success is a broad term that we hear often in life. We like it, we want it, and we strive towards achieving it. From what I’ve observed amongst my generation, many of us chase success via blueprints that have been mapped out by people that have achieved success. I think that’s a good thing. We need that guidance. We would be naive to not take from it, but in that same breath, I think it’s very important for us to find a sweet spot that lies between learning from others/growing, and going down our own life path.

The reason I bring attention to this is because in the past, I’ve found myself getting lost in the achievements of others. I used to constantly compare and base my achievements and their worth on how they relate to others. That becomes very detrimental to our growth because we shift from walking down our own path, and we manoeuvre into someone else’s. 

I read somewhere that comparison is the thief of joy. I can agree…Success means something uniquely special for all of us. It’s a term that’s never going to exist with a singular definition. Being 23, I’ve realised that to thrive and enjoy life, I have to embrace the fact that my lane is my lane for a reason. I’m never going to reject lessons though. I love learning, I love guidance, and I want that to be a part of my life forever, I need it. Regardless, I do have to accept that I’m going to remain in my own lane. 

Every time I’ve followed a trend (I’m not afraid to admit that I’ve followed many) I’ve come out on the other side thinking "that was not authentic to me". I apply that same energy when dealing with my life path. The difference these days is I’m not afraid to embrace the journey. Sometimes our journeys don’t look like others and that scares us, which is okay, it’s natural. I’ve learnt that detaching from others and how they go about their lives as well as how they want me to go about mine, has been a powerful step in terms of growing because it’s allowed me to not be ashamed of my journey. 

Perception is another thief of joy. How does X view me in their reality? What does Y think of me? I’ve had to dedicate a lot of mental energy towards letting go of perception because that was another factor contributing to me comparing myself with others and their journeys. I believe that one of the codes to progressing in life is valuing yourself. So many people view our lives from different angles, but we experience our lives from all angles. We know what we go through, and that makes our path that much more sacred to us and us alone. Staying in your own lane is a beautiful way to embrace that path. 

We're all here living the human experience,  but I’ve noticed that it’s very easy to forget that experience is always going to be individual. Six people can climb a mountain, all will experience that trip completely differently. They’ll get to the top and take a photo at the peak, and each and every one of them will have a story that details what they went through. A different story. The same can be applied to us as humans. We’re all climbing that mountain. The key is to climb knowing that you're going to make it to the top no matter what. In your own way, with support, guidance, and love. The rest will unfold the way it needs to.