"Don't compare your life to others. There's no comparison between the sun and the moon. They shine when it's their time."
2023
This is the year I'm going to make it happen. {I've also been saying this for the past like 5 years}. And I'm referring to my {lack thereof} profitable business.
Do you ever feel like you've tried to fit in your whole life? How about being the best at something? Did you try numerous hobbies, sports, & competitions when you were younger but never quite get the gold medal {or even silver or bronze in that matter}?!
If you've answered yes to any of the above, you're not the only one...and that's not necessarily a bad thing!
Trying something new & failing numerous times gives you more exposure to learning the hard way {as bad as that sounds} rather than just being perfect at one thing.
Sometimes, only we know what we're good at, and only our loved ones endorse or acknowledge that talent.
Have you worked somewhere for so long that you're better at the job than your boss, and are still being told it's not enough? {...Isn't that everywhere though??}
It's easy to stay in a well-paying position when it comfortably pays the bills, but it's impossible to have a healthy work-life balance when you feel like a slave to the job!
So why is there this giant invisible wall blocking our ability to achieve a reward sometimes? We ask ourselves what we're doing wrong all the time, even though there is nothing wrong with what we are doing.
Maybe we procrastinate, maybe we have ADHD, maybe we're perfectionists and are hesitant to reveal our hidden strengths? Maybe all of the above {like me}?
Most of these "failures" are attributed to our psyche; our own conscious & self-doubt getting in the way of our success.
I can say with certainty that throughout my whole life, I've never felt 100% complete. There always seems to be something unfinished, or unfulfilled, like a void. It feels like whenever something good happens to me, something else has to come and cancel it out. Can you relate at all? {Not even one bit?!}
Now, I don't want to sound pessimistic or dampen the tone of this post, because I'm OK explaining this, and am happy to share my life challenges with you. I promise you, it's not that dreadful and gets better!
{Or...does it? hehe}
As an only child, I was raised by my incredibly strong parents, who struggled to conceive for close to a decade before having me in their late 30s. In 1990, that was considered "old" to have a baby.
So yes, I was a miracle child, which is how I got my first name, Hope.
Given the age difference between my parents and I, you can imagine that most of my extended family was also older and gave me special attention. {Most people would call that being spoiled...}.
Unfortunately, my parents lost their parents at a younger age, so I went the majority of my life with only one grandparent. Nevertheless, you'd never know my parents were going through a hard time in life because they always persisted through with a smile and their strong belief in God.
So far you're probably thinking, "What is wrong with this woman? There are so many bigger problems in this world to have grown up with!"
And yes, you're right! There's absolutely nothing wrong with my upbringing and I wouldn't blame my family for anything I'm struggling with to this day, because they're my own perceived problems.
{Is a perceived problem still a problem? ...Yes.}
The last thing I wan't to do here is come off ungrateful, and I don't have any regrets about my life {now}. Could I say that 5, 10, 15, or 20 years ago?
{Probably not}.
So...what does this have to do with anything again?
I'll stop boring you with my life story for now. I just wanted to give you a general overview of my roots, which will eventually make sense as to why I'm writing these posts!
All in all, I'm sure you can relate in a sense where everyone's problems {big or small} matter in terms of our mental health and how we perceive things.
I don't regret most of my life decisions because as a result, they brought me to where I am today. 2023 has turned out much better {to date} than I had expected! I took another unexpected turn in my life {for the better} this spring, and I feel more confident today than ever.
I hope you're able to make a bold but brave decision in your life like I did, so you can adapt into the person you truly see yourself as! Hence, that's what puts the unshaken in The Unshaken Female.
Thanks for reading!
Until next time,
Hope
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