You Don't Always See In Yourself What Others See In You
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You Don't Always See In Yourself What Others See In You

A fresh perspective.

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You Don't Always See In Yourself What Others See In You
Gina Brennan

As I do not often disclose my most personal experiences when writing articles that I know will be shared on a social platform, I decided to step out of my comfort zone because I truly thought that this was something that needed to be recognized. Not only did it comfort me in ways I simply cannot describe, but it moved me so deeply that I can only hope these words can be taken to heart by anyone who reads this. Yes, these ideas were directed at me, but the more I began to think about it, the sooner I realized that they can relate to anyone. I truly hope that, if you are taking time out of your day to read this, you receive the same message that I did. To the person that spoke these kind words to me, I thank you more than you could imagine. My gratitude is fully extended to you, and I will carry this conversation with me for years to come.

Life is hard. Quite the understatement one might say, though it is nothing but truth in its entirety. In the past, I have spoken about reflection-about finding a deeper sense of yourself, about an acknowledgment of your virtues and values, about taking time to be mindful of how you move through the days of your life. I have spoken about beauty-about the ideals society forces upon people to look a certain way, to act a certain way, and most importantly, to fake behavior in a certain light. As human beings, we try endlessly to live up to these standards. We attempt to portray the most perfect notions of ourselves to the outside world, only sharing the surface values that we assume will gain us popularity or recognition. Eventually, each of us reaches a point where we simply get too tired to continue to act in this manner. It may be the aftermath of a challenge we experience that inspires us to become more real, or it may be that we just wake up one day, ready to look beyond a life of superficiality and truly discover what lies ahead of us.

For me, that day came knocking on my door earlier this week. I found myself lost in a whirlwind of an overwhelming lifestyle. Between the pressures of both my school and personal life, I began to feel as though I had reached a point where I was not sure what I needed to tackle first. In the past, I have sat and reflected. I have made lists and organized agendas. There was a time where Post-It notes became my best friend in order to ensure I would not forget to attend or complete something. This time, though, I had enough. After thinking I would never come out of my struggles unscathed, I am finding it to be just the opposite. As the chronic complainer that I am, I turn to my friends for advice in every area of life. They know that I am indecisive, impatient, and impulsive. They do their best to guide me in every way and support me no matter my decisions. I can only hope to be half as much of the friend to them as they are to me. This week, though, I have found a new spark inside myself. Due to the encouragement from an old friend with a very fresh perspective, my drive was set into motion.

This past week of my life was rather challenging. I began to feel as though my walls were closing in, and I was beginning to suffocate. While facing my stressors head on, I found myself in the midst of a conversation with this friend. They thought they knew enough about me, but clearly, they did not. I began to open up to this person in ways I never thought I would, and what I found, I did not expect. When I checked my phone to open a message which I assumed would contain a text along the lines of, “I am here if you need anything,” I was pleasantly surprised to find it contained more than I could have ever asked for. My friend, who I have found to be knowledgeable on numerous levels, reminded me that I needed to stop being my own harshest critic. They told me that, in order to become the best person that I can truly be, I must keep my goals and ambition at the forefront of my mind. I was reminded that success is key, whether it be working to better my career of being a journalist, or simply spending more time with those who lift me up. This friend told me that, in order to obtain true happiness, there is only one thing I must focus on changing-myself.

There are times where I take the advice of others with a grain of salt. I am a strong-willed person and tend to follow my own guidelines before those that anyone else suggests that I set for myself. Yet, this was the moment where words truly struck a chord. As a result of this conversation, I have learned that it is incredibly positive to open up to different people. You obtain new perspectives, new truths, and a new willingness to move forward. Life becomes deeper than self-reflection and self-acceptance. You learn that you do not always see in ourselves what others see in you, and often times those thoughts can be exactly what one needs in order to break the boundaries of a self-serving bias. I will heed this advice going forward in all that I do, and I can only hope that others will as well.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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