Many times, we catch ourselves feeling frustrated with where we are in our lives. Social media, TV, or perhaps even our friends’ lives showcase what the “Perfect Life” should look like. We aim to see how we can measure up to it – and sometimes, we can feel we have fallen short.
“No one has a perfect life. Everybody has something that he wishes was not the way it is.” – Stan Lee
Consequently we need to ask ourselves – how do we define “The Perfect Life”?
Reflecting on my own timeline, I remember having the dream of starting my own business, perhaps traveling a bit and making an impact in the lives of others through various means. Slowly but surely other “dreams” creeps in, such as financial independence, owning property and maybe even some others which are still resting beneath the surface, waiting to be revealed. This challenges me to ask, “Are these actually my dreams?” or “do I feel the pressure to achieve these because of someone else’s definition of ‘The Perfect Life'”?
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Society, through social media, our friends or movies, will always draft a different kind of picture of how the perfect life ‘should’ look.
Furthermore, according to society, by reaching the following, our lives will be close to perfect (or at least “quite sorted out”):
- Having a lot of money
- Owning property or properties
- Having a high-end lifestyle
- Owning fancy cars
- Going on frequent international holidays
- Having a successful career or business
- Being a social media influencer
- Having a lot of friends
- Earning early retirement
And this is just to name a few!
What is important to note is that if you don’t have your own definition and pursuit of “The Perfect Life”, society will determine it for you. You will catch yourself chasing dreams that are not your own – and which will not bring the fulfilment in life you seek.
So, are you currently pursuing your own dreams or the dreams of others?
This is a question I need to ask myself on a regular basis. Reflecting on my own dreams, I realise that I can summarise them into 2 sections – wanting to have purpose and wanting to grow continuously.
- Purpose – this I experience through my family relationships, as well as my career and business. I have a clear sense of belonging and I know I can make a difference within each sphere. Here I then have an opportunity to intentionally invest in lives other than my own.
- Growth – I want to show growth in my character, skill sets and relationships. I’ve always been ambitious to reach more and see change in things over time.
In addition, reaching your dreams can also be found in the immeasurable.
Society dictates that “reaching your dreams” is measured in achievement and the owning of things. These are all things that are measurable.
However, oftentimes we don’t realise that we are already living our dreams and are close to our own definition of “The Perfect Life”. As they often say, “It’s about the journey, not the destination.” Therefore, we often miss out on appreciating how far we have come, how close we are to actually achieving our authentic dreams, because we are too caught up in the pursuit of what society deems ‘desirable’.
Photo credit: Unsplash
In closing, I am leaving you with some important take-home statements:
- Your JOY is important. Treasure it and embrace the most in every day throughout the journey of pursuing your dreams. Joy can be found in little things in our everyday lives.
- You have come further than you know. Even though it might feel that you have a long way still to go in reaching your dreams, remember that you’ve covered some distance already – and it’s often more than we think!
- You are capable of more than you realise. Dig a bit deeper, try a little harder, and endure a bit longer. The finish line is closer than you think. Giving up is not an option!
- Everything is temporary. Nothing lasts forever – neither the good nor the not-so-good times. Don’t waste time by wishing it away. There is a lot to be thankful for and to enjoy during the hard times as well.
So in the spirit of sharing – Leave us some tips and stories from your own journey!
- What are your current dreams?
- How are you making progress in pursuing them?
- And what are your “why’s” for wanting to achieve them?
Our encouragement today – keep on dreaming and keep on pursuing!
