Five Lessons from “Yes, life sucks.”

- Taken from Google because whoever uploaded it was too kind to keep this shared as free as a bird -

It’s been a while since the last time I posted something on Medium. Honestly, there are a lot on my mind now and I just realized that I’ve been running away for far too long. Things have been going south since last December and I just can’t seem to handle myself and create an opportunity instead of waiting for one to come.

I am writing this while knowing how I’m not in the best version of myself and regretting every lousy decision I made in these past few months. I have been staying in my comfort zone for quite a while now. And I am absolutely not proud of that. So, let me just cut to the chase here: what have I learned from being unemployed, worrying about my Master’s tuition fee and getting distracted from doing meaningful stuff for months?

1. Life sucks, and/but there’s still so much more to come. No one has ever said that life will be easy. Well, for those who were born loaded, it’s like they come to the game with a cheat. Nonetheless, I believe that everyone has their own life problems no matter how different the scales and coping mechanisms are. Plus, people have their own capacity and ability to process life issues differently. Life sucks because, at some point, you must admit that you cannot control it. You can feel totally helpless although you still have some financial resources, for example. Or maybe, sometimes, our standard of happiness is just too vague and confined in lavish preferences driven by bloodsucking capitalists. Life sucks, but isn’t that what makes life interesting, dynamic and worth to venture?
2. Accept every twirl and turn. Because acceptance is the key. You can make as many plans as you want, expect as little as you can, but at the end of the day, life can always surprise you with what seems like an unsolvable crossword puzzle and a brutal fight. It is either to fight yourself or the toxic yet alluring environment you’ve been living in. So, all we can do is always keep our mind and heart open to changes, accept the moment we have to get a different angle and see with another perspective. Figure things out from scratch while we are deconstructing and reconstructing ourselves to build a stronger fort and cozier home inside.
3. Love the journey. Don’t overthink the end. Just walk it first. You may end up having a rip-roaring tale or heartbreaking late-night phone calls with your best friend or a stranger you meet from online dating apps. You may end up becoming a successful negotiator, businessman/women or diplomat, working from one local mission to international missions, or being content simply by having your loved ones by your side to sit on the porch together every evening. Whatever the end will be, face the present and be open to anything that may come ahead. Keep doing the best that you can while walking the path that may lead you to life-changing self-realizations. Don’t stress over something too much, especially something that’s out of your control and way far ahead of you. However, it is also strongly advised not to let yourself drift away living like a zombie with no vision and keen motivation. Realize the good things in life and every chance you have, every risk you take. Walk and enjoy the view. Keep in mind that everyone has their own pace and battle, but don’t use it as self-justification for every selfish destructive act you do. One thing for sure, remember: overthinking kills you.
4. One or two good things come, but don’t get drowned in them. I think it’s many people’s tendency to get lost in something good. We hope to stay as comfortable and as long as we can until the good thing expires, yet it turns out, we have no preparation to move on. Here, we’re clearly not ready for another battle. It’s our fault for not carefully planning on expanding the good thing. Let alone being ready to revive our spirit after the good thing’s gone. This can be frustrating. In this case, it is highly possible that it’s our fault for making this life sucks.
5. Appreciate every little thing in life and find gratitude in challenges. Seek for blessings in disguise. Not only the good things, but also the bad ones. Apprehending a blessing behind a mess takes time. It requires acceptance and understanding. Sometimes, even extra mental and emotional efforts to reflect upon ourselves or the circumstances and wise up. But in time, you’ll grow marvelously out of it.

Life sucks, so get used to it. Create your own adventure. Allow things to happen. Allow life to happen. Have faith.