Daily interaction with people brings us closer to new ideas, opinions and realizations. We constantly meet new faces that understand our concerns and share our enthusiasm, but also faces that underestimate and discourage us, considering our dreams and goals utopian. Therefore, we seek to be surrounded by friendly people who propel and support us, keeping away the people who we believe will hurt us with their pessimism and envy. However, who can actually assist us in achieving our goals and who will hurt us? Have you ever wondered who’s your best friend and who’s your worst enemy?
I’m absolutely sure that right now, you’re thinking about various people with whom you share beautiful moments, and others, from whom you keep a distance so that they won’t hurt you, trying to distinguish who’s your friend and who’s your enemy. Surprisingly, though, your best friend and your worst enemy is yourself. No one can encourage or hurt you more than yourself. One thought is enough to start doubting your goals and expectations. A thought that could refer to past mistakes and failures or future pessimistic speculations. Conflicts, arguments and disputes come to life before your eyes overwhelming your mind with questions.
So what do you do? You give in to the innumerable thoughts that follow on from the first one, making you unable to keep up with them. You get lost in unfulfilled dreams and beautiful nostalgic moments believing that there will be no similar ones in the future. You anguish about lost opportunities and abandoned goals. So, in order to be relieved from your chaotic thoughts, you make up excuses: “It’s not the right time”, “I’m unlucky…”, “Maybe some other time in the future” and then come the promises. You keep promising that you will try, you will change, you will face challenges and any other obstacle lurking in the near future. Yet, you keep getting stuck at “will,” allowing yourself for the umpteenth time to feel overwhelmed by fears and worries. Your inner self, as a strict and ruthless judge, lets your weaknesses parade in front of you, once again, further undermining your confidence and will for change.
How do you oppose the problems holding you back, then? How do you free yourself from the “chains” of the past, holding you captive? How do you surpass yourself? The answer is simple, the confrontation though, isn’t. Arm yourself with patience and courage, dare to dream again and aim for the top. Pursue the accomplishment of the dreams and goals on which you gave up. This time, however, accept any negative thoughts, the pain and disappointment that may follow. If you fail, try again until you make it, until you succeed. Do not allow yourself to use the excuse of “at least I tried,” protecting, once again, your ego from the responsibility of realizing your aspirations.
So what are you waiting for? History is full of examples of people who, despite adversities and undermining attempts, managed to climb up the ladder. By trusting their strengths and capabilities, guided by their confidence and determination, they faced every challenge, achieving goals that had been described as impossible by many. In other words, they allied with themselves. So, start putting theory into practice and befriend yourself, because according to Oscar Wilde “to love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance!”.
Photography by Simeon Maniatis, Theoni Gesiou