You vs. You by Saanvi A.

Every laugh. Every tear. Every question. It all happens for a reason. 

Throughout my life I’ve had many doors, big and small, open to different opportunities, many of which may seem insignificant to others but have changed my life in ways I didn’t know were changeable. 

Even so, I’ve had doors slam in my face. 

In the moment, it felt like the universe was truly against me and everything was crashing down. But only later was it notable that every opportunity taken away was another opportunity saved.

It’s like when a dog is about to eat a piece of chocolate, and the owner runs over from wherever they are to snatch it away from the dog. The dog would be feeling anything but happiness at that moment. If anything the dog is mad at its owner. But only you and I know the owner only did that to save their dog’s life. The dog’s momentary loss prevented life long suffering. 

And maybe a dog story doesn’t convince you, what about Steve Jobs, a human just like you, just like me. The man was fired, then went on and founded other major companies—one which Apple bought and led to Job’s return to Apple. Which resulted in the iPhone. And I know ya’ll can’t survive without your iPhone. 

It’s like John Mayer said, “Someday, everything will make perfect sense. So for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, be strong and keep reminding yourself everything happens for a reason.” 

Everything in the world happens for a reason; know that.

Ego and Pride. The mind’s protectors. 

The second I allowed myself to view my hardships in a different way, I was able to view the future in a brighter light. When I accepted that the universe isn’t always fighting against me but rather with me, it truly did change how I saw everything. 

Mindset is one of humans’ strongest mental influences. And as easy as it is to alter it with our thoughts, in reality it’s hard because our mind is protected by our pride and ego. And our pride and ego are unyielding. 

Think about it, when people comment on your pride or ego it’s usually to say you have a lot of it or you don’t have enough. It’s usually not the latter, but such comments are to accuse you of being stubborn, hard headed, or even narcissistic. All this to say your ego and pride are there to guard you in a way.

They’re the reason you think in certain ways, good or bad. They are also what you have to go through to reach our mindset. So learning when and how to utilize them is key. 

Put aside your ego and pride to allow you to learn, accept your weaknesses in an area, and prepare to grow. And once you feel like you’ve learned and grown, put them right back up. 

Don’t allow others to tell you that what you believe is right is “wrong.” You might’ve heard about this, maybe didn’t, or did but didn’t know the name, but there’s this mindset concept called “Let Them.” This is a theory by Mel Robbins that encourages people to stop trying to control or change other people and instead accept their own actions and choices. 

The idea is for you to stop trying to force another person to meet your expectations and vice versa. And by doing this you allow and accept yourself to be who you are, make your own decision, and reveal your true nature. With this mindset shift you now allow yourself emotional freedom and inner peace, personal growth, self-acceptance, and stronger boundaries. And with all this comes reduced stress and anxiety as well as clarity and authenticity in relationships.

Mindset is extremely malleable; take advantage of that.

A hundred eyes looking at blue doesn’t mean one eye can’t look at purple.

When I realized it felt like other people were holding me down only because they wanted me to be at their level—the level they believed was maximum—I was able to see that my goals were not “too much” and that they are equally as achievable as anyone else’s goal. 

I was able to break away from needing to view the world like everyone else which freed me to watch it through my own eyes. 

I’m sure you guys have heard the story where someone says “I’m going to be a millionaire when I’m older” and everyone in the room laughs at them or tells them it’s impossible…everyone except the millionaire in the room.

This shows how once someone has their idea of maximum effort, they’ll try making it everyone else’s maximum. They want you to view the world like they do. But that’s where you have to realize you don’t have to comply; you have your own world to view. 

In a room full of 100 people, if 99 believe their 50% effort is 100%, that doesn’t mean the single person’s 100% is 200%…it’s still 100% effort.

You don’t have to view the world like everyone else does; understand that.

You just have to trust the slamming doors, use your pride and ego wisely, and accept the room is purple even if everyone insists it’s blue.

You have one life; live it.