Hello, and welcome to my weekly newsletter! I'm thrilled you were able to be there. Every day I keep my Zap Pad with me and jot down everything I learned this week or thought was interesting. On Mondays, I review my top 5–10 entries and write about them in order to share what I learned. It's what I refer to as "Muse Monday."
You're stronger than you think
We often hear stories of people who perform remarkable feats in times of need, pushing beyond their limits to save loved ones or achieve what they thought was impossible. This leads to the question: what could we accomplish if we applied this same level of determination and urgency to our personal goals? A popular saying goes, "When you want success as badly as you want to breathe, then you will be successful." This sentiment holds true not just for success but for life in general. We can easily get caught up in the distractions and small things in life, losing sight of what truly matters and what we want. The solution to this problem is simple: eliminate the option to give up or lose focus. Take your aspirations seriously, as if they are necessary to your very survival, and you will be amazed by what you can achieve.
Find your why
We often hear people ask, "What is your why or why do you do what you do?" But honestly, it isn't that simple. I believe our whys, just like most things, are in layers. For example, it's like when your kids keep asking you "but why" over and over again to get to the deeper meaning of why things are the way they are. The same can be said for your why. (And yes, I know I'm saying why a lot. I'm sorry.) When you get asked why you do something, there is probably a reason why you do it, and usually the first reason is the most obvious. But if you want to truly discover what you truly want, then keep asking yourself "why"—why is that my why? For example, I write because I want to share my ideas with the world. Why? Because I want people to experience the all-inspiring wonder that is life. And why do I want that? probably because I never had it growing up, and so on and so forth. If you're having trouble figuring out what you really want out of this world and why you want it, then maybe this will help.
Feeling behind in life
I am a month away from turning 20, and honestly, I am not ready for it. I know it's not a big deal, but for a very long time, I have felt like I was running out of time, that I should be somewhere else, that I am not where I need to be, and that I am not living up to my true potential. This could partly be because of social media, but I think maybe it's because I don't like myself and I always have high expectations of myself. But honestly, I have wanted to change that, and I think one thing that has really helped me is realizing that there is no defined path you should be on, and just because you think you should be somewhere doesn't mean anything. It's all in your head, and you are the one who says what is and isn't behind. If you're going through the same thing I'm going through, I hope this helps in some way.
Art is the real you
Like many people, I often look at my art, whether it is poetry, writing, filming, or even music, and think, "Wow, this is a completely different person." I am way more open and spontaneous when expressing myself in creative ways and honestly I have mixed feelings about this. But recently, I have been thinking about this alter ego and why exactly they are so different, and I came to the conclusion that maybe that's the real me. We often put masks on ourselves in the real world because we want people to like us, but when you're expressing yourself through your art, that's the part of you that even you don't get to see, so instead of thinking, "Eww, who is this?" maybe that's the true you, and the real eww is the mask we put on so others will like us.
Competition robs you
I am so competitive—probably the most competitive person I know. I live for competition, and up until this point, I always thought that was a great thing; it meant I would stop at nothing to accomplish my goals. But recently, I had a thought: do I really ever just enjoy the moment? If I were to play a game of pool right now, would I really experience it for the fun it is and the great times I get to spend with friends, or would it all be about competition? Maybe competition isn't that good all the time; maybe there is a time to be competitive and a time to be in the moment. I wonder what it is going to feel like.
Question of the week: Are you a competitive person, and has it ever interfered with a relationship?
Leave a comment and let me know your answer, or just let me know what you thought of this week's Muse Monday. I'm Ace; I hope I have served you well, and thanks for reading.