2019 was to... say the least, not the best year for me. In fact, it was the year I felt most disconnected with myself - who I am, what I loved, what I was passionate about. I simply didn't feel like me. But it was also the year that I heard these words from a very good friend of mine and have always remembered them since...
Life gets so much better once you start not giving a f*ck.
That's right - not to care about what other people think, the unreasonable expectations laid out for you, societal pressures, everything. Because once you dismiss all the unnecessary noise, all that's left is to focus inward, on what matters most - and hey, news flash, that's you.
I wish I could tell you that I 100% practice that mindset but truth is, there are days that I give into the pressures of Instagram; that I get into my head too much on what other people might think; that I overly worry on external factors. Like many things, it's obviously easier said than done but once you have that taste of not focusing all your energy on that and instead yourself, it's like magic. It's as if a weight was lifted off your chest, the light of the tunnel suddenly appears, the rainbow glistens after a storm... you get my drift.
So I'm here to tell you that no, it doesn't matter what your parents will think (yes, even you fellow Asians), it doesn't matter what society dictates of you and it doesn't matter what Instagram shows you. The only thing that matters is you, and how you want to live your life. Because as cliché as it sounds, we only get one life so why waste it on anything else but yourself?
Like I said, 2019 was a terrible year for me. But it was also the year I got my mental health in check and gave it the priority it deserves. And as I'm still battling through it, there's no doubt that these words have really helped me reframe my thoughts and emotions. I'm hoping it does the same for you too.
(If you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm here. It's a tough world out there, no need to spend it alone.)
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