I have been an advocate of putting your inner peace above everything else. However, is achieving it as simple as it sounds? Definitely not! This task could have been simpler if we would not constantly compare ourselves to others. In retrospect, not comparing to others would have been easier if we would not have been spellbound by social media. How do we not get fascinated by the colorful dreams, hopes, and promises being presented on it? How do we not get mesmerized by the illusion of possibilities that it sells so splendidly?

I am not a social media hater. It may sound like it at times but trust me, I am not. I am delighted by the numerous opportunities that it has put forth. I am a passionate blogger and this would not have been possible if there were no social media to be a humble and encouraging audience. As with everything, there are two sides of this remarkable entity, we just need to find where we have to draw a line of being involved in this world. According to me, if I am getting negatively affected, influenced, or discouraged by what others are doing, then this might not be the place for me. If this is the case, then I must distinguish between what motivates me to be happy and what does not. If checking out my friends’ success drives me towards my own path of fulfillment, then it’s wonderful to browse their daily feeds; however, if it makes me lose my self-worth and feel demotivated, then stop it at once.

This practice should not stop at social media only. If talking to certain people makes you lose your own path and makes you feel less valued, then stop torturing yourself. I work in IT industry, where almost everyone talks about packages, switching the company, percentage hike that their XYZ friend is getting, but somehow I do not feel the desire to follow that path. It has nothing to do with them being wrong or me being right; it is simply not what my heart craves at this point in my life. Some people argue that I am losing precious time and might regret in future; therefore, I must prepare to switch. They might be right, but if I am at peace in my current place, then why must I follow the herd? Just because most of them are running in a race, doesn’t mean that I should do. In my opinion, it’s all about finding your own voice and following your heart. We all have a purpose in life, and if we do not take a break and analyze whether we are feeling content, then I doubt that we can ever achieve inner peace.

Sometimes, we have no choice other than to run behind money, but mostly, we are participating in this race to prove to others — and not ourselves — that we can earn a lot and then afford a lot. If this is how you achieve inner peace, then good for you, but if following the predictable path is getting you irritated, then create your own destiny and stop copying every other “big shot” around. They might have the money but you would have inner peace. Failing to do so, I believe, would become a forlorn struggle to achieve inner peace.

This post is in response to the daily post prompt of the day: forlorn.