Fight. That’s the only thing you need to do. Pandemic, economic crisis, onion, fair hikes, oil prices, you name it. To say we have been riding on a rollercoaster that keeps getting stuck every time we reach the peak is an understatement—we hang by a thread, pun intended. You let go of your grip, you fall.
You stop to hold on tight because your hands are getting tired and are starting to burn, you plummet to the ground. Such is life, I guess. Life is hard; face it. But you know what’s harder? When you fail to recognize that you are not alone. When you fence yourself in, out of shame or out of pride, you lose all the chances you can take to have peace of mind. You lose the leverage to put on a fight. Yes, we know that life is hard, but you don’t have to go through the turmoil of life alone. You never are.
You don’t let fear eat you. You manage it.
When a person is already in deep, it is okay to feel despair. It is okay to feel some fear about the possibilities you may or may not be ready to face yet. In fact, fear is a good sign. Fear tells you and people around you that you still care for a good life. Like everything else, though, fear is something you can manage. How? There is power in knowing what you are going up against. In battles, knowing your opponent gives you a chance to create strategies for moves and countermoves. Easier said than done, but quite honestly, what choice do you have? No one else will fight your battles for you. If you don’t face it now, you are only delaying your agony. So, know the problem, manage it, and fight with all your might. Giving up is never an option.
This calls for adjustments.
Living adult life, we have to accept the reality that we will make mistakes. These mistakes will be painful. You will lose the things you value and are important to you. The first step in accepting the reality that you need to adjust your way of living is knowing your limits. You have to make a conscious decision for yourself, whether you’ll allow such mistakes to happen again or not. You orchestrate your life. You can have as many mistakes as you can. But never forget that you will not have the same chances all the time.
Your luck will eventually run out. Life is not a game where you bet your life in exchange for temporary highs or things that never last. Live within your means, and be responsible enough not to sign up for anything that could drown you into a quicksand. Besides, if you have already experienced hell, would you still want to go through it again? Think hard. Think straight. There’s more to life than chasing down every temporary high.
Don’t forget to look behind you.
Whether your struggles are related to your way of life or life is hard for you, don’t make it any harder by putting additional and unnecessary weight on your back. It’ll break. Sometimes, you only need to look around to see how many people are behind you. Remember them. Remember the face of the people who want nothing but for you to succeed. Keep your circles close but be open to other people who are willing to lend a hand. After all, if life is already hard for you, you are in no position to say no to every bit of genuine help you can get. Cliché as it may seem, no man is an island. Maturity comes when you know when to ask for help. And sometimes, help comes from the most unexpected of people and circumstances.
My friend, be wiser this time. You only have one life to live. You may not see or believe it now, but there are people who are rooting for you. If you can’t convince yourself to fight for yourself, do it for them. Fight for the people who are still fighting to keep you around. In this long and tiring life, that’s more important than anything else. It’s the wealth that will never fade. It’s the wealth that keeps on giving. Live boldly, be tenacious, and fight harder. You are a hydra that grows stronger when cut. Never give up. Life is good, and it’s all worth it.
