To Those Of You Finding Yourselves,

Throughout your life, you will encounter new ways of thinking, new approaches to the world, and new ideas. Some you will reject outright, some you may mull over, and some you will absorb as your own. You will learn more about what you like, what you want, and what you believe in. You will create new goals and build new dreams.

And I promise you, every step of the way, there will be people who challenge you on these discoveries.

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They will make you doubt every step you take forward. They will challenge you on the goals you want to achieve and the ideas you believe in. These will be the people you love, the people who love you, and the people you respect. This will be one of the hardest obstacles to overcome in discovering yourself and where you fit into this world.

Just remember, they’re challenging you BECAUSE they love you. They’re not trying to stop you from growing, they’re trying to steer your back to the way they think is best.

But just because they love you, doesn’t mean they’re always right.

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They may say things like, “All these new people and events are brainwashing you.” and “Haha, you’re actually buying into these ideas?” While they say it out of love, it hurts and it is damaging. Because by saying these things, they have instantly disregarded the possibility of you achieving the things you want in life and the credibility of your beliefs.

The process of figuring out what type of life you want and how you are going to achieve it is a journey. Throughout this journey, there will be no shortage of obstacles, both internal and external. It’s difficult to decide when to listen to the people around you and when to shut out the noise. They’re concerns make you question yourself and the decisions you make. While challenging your thoughts will improve them, sometimes it’s okay to close yourself off from the voices and listen to your own.

Opinions from the people you love are worthwhile because they love you. But ultimately, you are the only one who knows your journey and the one to live with the consequences of your actions. So trust your gut and stick with what you believe. This doesn’t mean that your beliefs can’t change, but don’t feel obligated to follow others’ advice or question something you know just because the advice is coming from someone you love.

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