It’s all in the journey, not the destination

As the years roll by, I, as well as countless others, face the toughest and most surreal challenges of what every person in their twenties will eventually have to face. Since when did paying the electricity bill become an obligation for me? Watching my tongue; when was I supposed to give a single care about the way I presented myself to the world? But as time passes, we learn and we adapt. We begin to see things for what they are. I don’t know anyone who has looked back on their lives and say they haven’t changed one bit. Change is inevitable. We’ll be faced with many obstacles, but for the better or worse it is up to our own integrities in carving our paths. Let’s enjoy every second of growing up. Relish the fact that you can make your own trips to the supermarket now. Indulge in the satisfaction of staying in on the weeknights just to prepare for the day ahead. We only have so much time in our lifetime, so let’s start living for what is in front of us today.

"It takes only 7 seconds to determine another person’s physical attractiveness."

THE SOCIAL MEDIA CRUX.

I’m posting this because I feel that a handful of us need to make some changes in our lives. Whether you want to take my words to heart, that is up to you. I just want to share my observation in hopes of confirming some of your thoughts!

We all know deep down inside, whether we choose to admit it or not, that social media has a direct influence on our self esteem. As social networking has enabled us to express our thoughts and connect with one another through the click of a mouse, we have also allowed ourselves to become way too reliant upon the approval of others. For avid users, it has gotten to the point where your mood could simply drop because you didn’t “get enough likes.” I’ve heard it so many times that it’s become acceptable to think in such a self-deprecating way. Since when did a simple pixelated number begin to put a damper on our integrities, along with the way we view ourselves? All for what.. Maintaining a fake image..? With the help of photoshop, filters, angles, etc, things have gotten so superficial to the point where no one even knows what’s real anymore. There have been recent studies that jealousy and depression is linked to the use of social media outlets, especially Instagram. Even the people who always get a ton of likes are constantly needing approval from others because they’re so reliant on the approval of others. In a way, it’s almost like a drug.

I am also guilty of indulging in this madness at a certain point in the past. I’ve always tried my best not to care about the things I post because I want to express my true thoughts and intentions, but there are times when I have given in. I’m tired of living up to a fake persona that I have to continuously uphold, in order to sustain an ego fathered by it. I’ve noticed this in the majority of my friends, people of all kinds from different areas. Who doesn’t use at least one form of social media nowadays?
Everyone deserves the right to be confident and happy. Don’t let social media take that liberty away from you. We don’t necessarily have to stop using it, we just have to be real with the content we’re putting out or reduce the time we’re spending on these sites. We all need to be aware of this unspoken, ongoing epidemic. These are issues I’ve noticed ever since the beginning, and I’m ashamed that I’ve never voiced my opinion about the subject until now.

My initial reaction to my brother coming out of the closet.

When my youngest brother came out and revealed to everyone that he was gay, it was a bittersweet moment for me. I was delighted and proud that he had pulled out the courage to confront his demons and be true to himself. However, on other end of the stick, I was sad. I didn’t want to witness him going about his whole life being surrounded by the overwhelming hate, twisted judgement, and bullet-piercing words that could possibly be too much for him to handle. But the more I think about it, the more I come to see that being born gay is a test for him. It could either make or break him, and I’m beginning to realize that he IS capable of surmounting the obstacles presented to him and staying true to himself. Do you blame me for feeling this way? I guess worrying is just an inevitable part of the being the oldest brother.