To All the Unhappy People of the World…

    We all know that feeling when life overwhelms us with problems and it seems as though there is no way out, no brighter future ahead. As for me, this mainly stems from expectations–whether it be personal or external. In her novel A Place For Us, author Fatima Mirza studies this concept through the character Hadia, whom I personally connect with. Hadia faces many struggles due to expectations and can’t live her life the way she desires. Similarly, I have been finding myself wondering about why I stress so much about such miniscule things and I think I have found the answer: expectations. These goals and visions we and others set for ourselves can help us just as they can harm us. It’s good to have certain expectations for yourself, but at the same time, it’s equally as important to ensure that they are realistic. Certain expectations are not and these are the ones that cause us trouble. Everyone has a perfect image of themselves–a platonic conception–but humans are not perfect, so we can’t fulfill everything we desire. When we don’t live up to others’ expectations, it hurts as we feel weak and ashamed. Disappointment engulfs you and you feel stupid for not fulfilling a “simple” role. But even worse is failing at your own expectations. 

They say you are your own best friend, so you must know yourself best. When you can’t accomplish something that you yourself so deeply desire, the disappointment amplifies and can consume you. We start to look around at others and ask ourselves, “Why can’t I be perfect like them? Why can’t I do such a simple task?”, when that same “perfect” person may be thinking the same thing about you but for a different aspect. It’s fine when once in a while, things don’t go as planned because we are all just one out of nearly 8 billion insignificant walking-beings of flesh. Not living up to expectations is not the end of the world and should never be. It’s no secret that the new generation of teens has seen a spike in so-called depression (or as I like to think of it–general unhappiness). Addressing this issue is important as truly living life begins with happiness. So, my goal this year is to find true happiness. To not have regrets and to look back and be proud of what I've accomplished. Through my experiences and lessons I have realized that happiness all starts from within yourself, so it’s up to the individual to choose which expectations to listen to and which to reject. To all the unhappy people in the world, a happier life is awaiting you–you just have to seize it!