Every single person out there is struggling through their own inner battles; whether these are linked to insecurities, or financial challenges, we are all in the same boat. The society of the twenty-first century is not making it easy for people to fit it and be themselves, and despite the limitless tolerance to feminism, gender change, and free love – there are still quiet judgments that can be read between the lines. The social magic powder that is thrown to our eyes, blinding us to believe that we are free is only a subtle distraction for unsettling world.
Although, there is an effort to create curvy barbies and strongly support the movement towards accepting all body types, there is still the cloud of insecurities that shadows women, and men. Am I too skinny? Am I not skinny enough? It goes both ways, the insecurities around physique; and when we rely on the support systems that we have, our families could either be there for us and encourage loving ourselves, or could also shame us. The latter happens, sadly more frequently. There is nothing more hurtful than hearing from your family member that you should change your physique, or personality. At the end of the day, the insecurities don’t just come from looks.
Did I say too much? Have I not said enough? Did I come off too strong? The challenge is in finding personal balance, not the balance that suits the others. The peer-pressure can get tough to handle. Some of us find comfort in the professional area, this is where they succeed and feel most at ease. At work, no one judges how you look like or what you wear; what matters to the colleagues is are you getting your work done or not. There is structure. Structure that helps forget the insecurities for a fraction of the second. Others find comfort in sports, a safe place, where the rest of the world does not exist, and they are on top of their lives.
A personal battle of mine is fighting the “I am not good enough” limiting belief that is a roadblock for both professional and personal success. A seed that had been planted in my childhood, which grew its solid roots in my heart and my mind. A struggle that many aware of it took advantage and turned it against me. My personal development coach has spent hours of work to get me through this, and with a few powerful tools, I am slowly cutting branches of that tree and freeing up space towards more sunshine.
The thing is that when we meet people, we forget that they may be fighting their own inner battles, and that we should be kind to our best ability. The sky is not always clear for all of us, and we all go through some storms. The best we can do is support each other through tough times, so that these inner battles don’t get the best of us. While there is no one size fit all solution for our struggles, I believe that random acts of kindness are the key to a better world.
© Karina Saakyan 2023-07-17