A Reminder to Look Back

Dear friends, 

We all have those long days. Today may be one of those days that just drag on and on. At the end of the day, you may get somewhat stuttered by who you see in the mirror. Eye bags are as visible as the dark circles are. Dull looking skin from dehydration and lack of sleep. You don't remember the last time you dressed up. Long before you knew it, you started this habit of dressing for comfort, and most of the time it's for the wrong reason: you stop caring. The person in the mirror looks different, because there is no time to take care of yourself anymore.

When you think it cannot get any worse, you settle in bed scrolling through social media just to see the glamorous lives one after another. You try to not fool yourselves by looking at influencers who you think might put on a show, so you check out your friends’ updates. You see your best friend's transformative fitness journey or your cousin's offer letter from a big four. 

All of these seem to weave together into a reminder of how not glamorous your life is and how not impressive your profile is. You constantly compare yourself to others, because they seem to have everything together when all you have is treading from one day to another. 

"Comparison is a thief of joy."

Why is it so easy for you to start comparing yourself?

Because you tend to leave your story to the side. You forgot how hard your past self worked to get where you were today. You forgot that you spent day in and day out teaching yourself what school doesn't. You forgot that your eyes were sparkled with passion when you decided that you wanted to pursue this career and all the planning you made to make it become true. 

Let this be a reminder that you are enough. While looking forward, try to take time to look back. Then you will realize how much it took to be where you are today.

Love,

Linh Nguyen