What does tomorrow bring?
She opened her closet and pulled out a box stashed with her old drawing supplies. When she opened it, her eyes stared at sketchbooks, pencils and colors, along with her old identity. She made the decision hours ago; she would give her art items away. Drawing had been a past hobby, it was something she did to free her mind and express herself. She hadn't drawn in years; it isn't a part of her anymore. She decided to let it go.
Who can you be?
Yesterday, she was an artist. And today, she's working on a new path. A creative path, a career, an education. Letting go of who she was has helped her see what else she could be.
In life, we may feel attached to a hobby, a dream, even to a person. As creatures of habit, we tend to hold on and have the hardest time letting go. Letting go is part of the growing process. Not necessarily “growing up,” but growing to expand our abilities in who we could be and conjure new strength.
What are you afraid of?
Uncertainty is life's best friend. It comes as a guarantee that in life, nothing is certain. Uncertainty's greatest enemies are hope and resilience. Fear holds you back, but it also helps you succeed. Without fear, you wouldn't have new things to learn, and ultimately, you wouldn't grow. With faith in the future and the ability to adapt through challenges, you will find a better version of yourself.
What is your dream?
The adult years have us struggling to keep up with time. Time constantly and consistently feels fleeting, it is almost unattainable. The idea of time is an illusion that helps us navigate life in an organized, controlled way, which is in itself a bizarre notion, considering how chaotic and ambiguous life is.
Time, uncertainty, and fear keep us from reaching our goals and living the lives we want. It makes dreams seem so far away, that our dreams are just that—dreams. They become an illusion, just as much as time is.
With this in mind, it gives us the chance to find a way to reclaim our lives and mend them the way we want by focusing on what we have now. Look for tomorrow with hope, and live in today, work in today, and feel today. There is no doubt in now because you are in it.
Are you your own villain?
The only obstacle in your story is you. You are standing in your way. You doubt yourself. There is no villain here. You're fighting yourself. Struggling to let go of that doubt, fear, and your past self—a person whom you outgrew—will hurt you. Accept who you were, relinquish it to the past, and live in who you are today.
Can you relinquish and become more?
Yesterday, you were an artist. Today, a psychologist. Last year, you were a painter. Now, you have your exhibit. You can be someone completely different from who you were, or you could be more of who you are. But first, you will have to let go to move on.
- Written by Nora Al-Taha
