Trust in the Timing of Your Life

I spent a lot of last year waiting for shit to happen, maybe if I wanted it bad enough + if I “try” hard enough things would just magically fall together.

Well no, that doesn’t happen.

We live in an instant gratification generation where social media is just one big highlight reel sharing life’s most significant moments. But there are so many days you don’t witness, the real life behind-the-scenes, the knitty gritty truth of what it actually takes to do what you love. It’s a seesaw of choices, one second it’s up and the next it’s down, and then you’re crying because you’re eating instant noodles for three days straight in the same sweatpants. Okkkkaaay, maybe that’s just me. But frustrating huh? 

I’m trying to avoid having a quarter life crisis at all costs. I find this to be important because many days I feel I’m at a standstill, my work is stalling, I’m not hustling hard enough, and comparing myself to others (hey! I’m only human). No matter how motivated, driven, or creative you are, there are times where you just feel outright discouraged. Choosing a creative passion is pretty much a death sentence in Asian culture (my mom is still dealing with this, lol). There are so many times I felt unmotivated + uninspired and want to give up. So in efforts to save my own sanity, I want to practice mindfulness, gratitude, and patience. 

Practicing mindfulness will help me diffuse built up tension caused from believing that there has to be a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. This allows me to be in tune with what’s happening in the present rather than rehashing the past + imagining the future. The pressure from being the master of your own fate can be so daunting, I don’t need to master the rest of my life RIGHT NOW…. maybe...just master each day as it comes right? Everything will fall into place, I just need to “trust the process” .. (ok I kind of cringed when I said it, but you know it’s true or why else do people keep telling me this). I’m not saying we shouldn’t take time to appreciate where we come from or how hard we work, but don’t be so focused on what’s coming that you miss what is here. 

When you’re in a rut it’s easy to just sulk your way into more darkness. But don’t! Being discouraged can last for minutes, days, and even months. Adopting gratitude will help you counterbalance that internal frustration. For me, I’m constantly focused on what’s ahead, and wanting/being more can sometimes cause me to lose motivation to keep going. When so much of my work revolves around social media, it’s hard not to slip into a world of social comparison. Instead, I want to view social media as a source of inspiration to fuel my next creative project!

I’ve been making a list of things I want to accomplish this year. A bucket list if you will. I was inspired by my dear friend Daisy when I went to NYC and saw her own bucketlist of things she’s accomplished within the year. On her list were things like: perform in a subway, enter a pageant, and save 50K! I was shocked… amazed… but mostly inspired to set some CRAZY goals of my own and KILL IT. So now when my thoughts get clouded with criticism I can quickly revert to my growing bucket list to refocus my energy. Do things that scare you.. I guarantee that it will be 100% worth it.

In the culture that we live in today, patience wears thin. We expect immediate results for our (sometimes, very minimal) efforts, if not, our brains are automatically wired to disappointment.  By allowing patience to take its rightful course, you learn how to be comfortable in the uncomfortable. Be open-minded to opportunities/ideas that come and let life surprise you. Life’s timing is strangely perfect, things happen as they are supposed to.. not when you want them to. 

If you’re stuck in a rut or feeling staggered in life, I hope this post gives you some clarity.. or just a moment to know that you’re not alone! Most of the time I’m writing these posts for you, but also to remind ME that what I’m feeling is perfectly okay, to be present, and to be 100% real. Good things take time, but great things take work. So let's do this thang! 

Thanks for reading!