Lost in translation

In a world where social media dominates, society has become more disconnected and lonelier than ever. What was once intended to connect people has created division, confusion, reclusiveness, fake happiness, and a bunch of lost individuals.

I asked a few people online, "Are you truly happy?" Their responses were truthful due to the fact that it was incognito, and I should say it broke my heart to know that so many people are so hopeless.

I remember a time where I felt anxiety overpowering my life and the journey I embarked on to change that. A road to self-discovery that lasted years to overcome so many fears and finally to find real freedom – freedom from my insecurities and many other emotions I can’t put into simple words. I think it’s safe to say most people only feel whole when taking the time to learn one's purpose and gain the knowledge of what self-worth means truly, thoughout life we learn about the currency of time and energy, as well as the answer to the big question: What makes me truly happy?

We spend so much time trying to please others that never find time to ask ourselves, "What makes me feel complete?" We waste so much time trying to fit in that we completely forget to shine in our own light, being left in complete darkness. We lose ourselves in the process!

How can we ever make anyone else happy when we don’t know happiness ourselves? How can we expect the world to practice kindness when we no longer know nor understand the meaning of it? The world constantly evolves, and it will never stop changing; we, on the other hand, choose to be primal. We'd rather submerge ourselves into whatever nonsense the internet feeds us to escape reality. The reality is, we have lost our sense of living. We just exist, but we don’t really live. We'd rather live through other people’s versions of life rather than face the fact that those people we follow are just as unhappy as we are. In the end, it’s all a vicious circle of idiocracy by choice.

We'd rather point fingers at everyone else and put blame on the world when the only ones responsible for our actions and consequences are each one of us individually. Of course, it’s easy to call everyone else out on their shortcomings but damn the world if it’s done onto us… the hypocrisy is insane. Doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results is the mere definition of insanity.

Why?

Have you taken the time to look in the mirror and ask yourself, "Am I truly happy?" What can I do to change the things I don’t like about myself? If your answer is no, let me tell you my experience.

No matter what I was chasing in life, how much money I made, no matter how many dreams came true or where I went in the world, whether it was between my four walls or beautiful Tulum, Mexico, I always felt empty. I had it all yet nothing at the same time. Something was always missing. No matter what I did, I had instant gratification but at the end of the day, that feeling always came back to hunt me.

It took me years to realize that true happiness can happen only when I decided to sit with myself and take a look at the problem: Me! The reason I wasn’t happy was me. I allowed everyone to take advantage of me in many ways. I always put others before myself for the wrong reasons, never took the time to ask myself what could make me feel truly accomplished, never gave myself the time to set goals because I was so wrapped up in what others needed. I was completely lost and miserable. This was my idea of being selfless, something I knew made me happy but why wasn’t I happy?

I put myself through hell and back. From awful relationships, succubus friendships to pointless jobs, and the list goes on. I became everything I hated in other people, the worst version of myself. These people I gave all my energy to, who wanted nothing good for me, drained my life, stripped me of my energy, and brought out the worst in me.

One day it hit me! What the heck am I doing with my life? Is this what life is meant to be for me? I always knew deep down that I was strong, but somehow I felt weak. I took a look around me, saw myself from the outside, and said to myself, "Oh heck! This is not what I want." I started asking all the right questions. Why am I here in this very moment? Why do I allow this person in my life? What do they add to my life? And all of a sudden, I said NO for the first time in years. It felt amazing!!! Then I tried it again, and wow, it felt incredible. I started realizing that we may have one life to live, but look at how many days we are given in this one life. We have so many chances to make things right! Why waste it away on things that simply don’t matter?

I learned that not everyone deserves my time and energy. I began to understand - it’s okay to say no. It’s good to be selfish when protecting one’s sanity. We have to know when it’s necessary to put ourselves first and when its important to be selfless. As time passed, I slowly started to be patient with myself. I began prioritizing the discovery of my passions. I started to set tangible goals for myself and carefully practiced values I learned when I was young. The most important thing of all, I remembered to practice "me time." I got to know myself, love myself, respect myself, and gave myself a lot of patience to heal. The hardest thing to do, was to forgive myself for allowing others to do as they pleased with me. I discoverd different anger management techniques that worked for me. My favorites were journaling and breathing exercises.

I wrote at least 50 letters to myself and others just so that I could watch the paper burn with every word I wrote in those white pages. It felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. Each time, I forgave someone in the process. They never knew it, but the peace I felt when my soul let all that hurt they caused go was incredible. Of course, they will never know because I didn’t do it for them. I did it for me! When you practice forgiveness, it does not mean you need to bring these folks back into your life. It means you can rise from the ashes and allow new beginnings just like a phoenix.  The breathing techniques connected me with my surroundings in a special way. I felt my feet touch the ground. I could feel the wind hitting my face and hear every little noise around me. Smell the aromas of every tree near me. I was free of all the mind chatter that clutter my head 24/7.

It helped me let go of all the nonsense that created so much anxiety and helped me push forward. I realized it’s possible to have a future as long as you live in the present. Living in the moment is key. The past can teach you a lot if you understand that its only purpose is to push you forward and be better than those mistakes made. Think of it as "what not to be."

Trust, it’s a lot of work, therefore, I understand why most people choose the easy way out - good ol' denial. We are designed to constantly learn and evolve, but there is a reason why humans only use about 3% of their brains. I mean, 1% now that our lives revolve around social media. We condone all the nonsense instead of standing for what’s right. We co-sign stupidity so we don’t have to face how stupid we can be ourselves. We have become entitled because apparently, no one has the cojones anymore to tell the truth or accept it. 

Let's face it - our mental health has gone to waste. Our values are in the gutter, and we are simply numb. Everything is about how we can get money while putting in the least amount of effort. It’s easier to tell the crazy it’s cool that they are crazy and make some money while at they're at it than actually do something about the problem as a community. The truth is if there was a sense of community with no hidden agenda, people wouldn’t feel as empty as they do.

Think about that!

Look, I am no expert but to put it into simple words, loving yourself is like being your own best friend. You know how protective and awesome you are with someone who is special to you? How you appreciate the awesome things about them, even the little victories. Do that, but for you. When life gets tough, be kind to yourself just like you would to a friend going through a rough patch.

Respect yourself by setting boundaries. It's okay to say "no" when something doesn't feel right. Think of it as taking care of yourself and standing up for what you believe in.

Think about what really matters to you – those are your values. Let them be your guide in making decisions. Being true to yourself and what you believe in adds a lot of meaning to your life.

And social media? It's cool, but don't forget the real world. Spend time with people face-to-face, enjoy moments without filters, and don't forget to have some alone time. It’s not as scary as it may feel now. It's in those moments that you can discover what makes you happy and set goals for yourself.

This world is full of people, and most of them feel lonely. So remember, you’re not alone. You are not the only one feeling like this.

Learn to be happy with yourself so you can be proud of the legacy you leave behind when you die.

So, in a nutshell, love yourself, set boundaries, stick to your values, and enjoy life beyond the screen.

Love you!

D.