For every living person, there is only one true equalizer. There will come a day when you will meet your maker. It doesn’t matter if you’re white, black, yellow, rich, poor, happy, or sad. Everyone will die one day. That is the sad and hard reality.
So, now that we all agree on our inevitable outcome, we have to start looking at the present. We can’t change the past; we can only reflect on it. We can’t predict the future; we can only make predictions. Some predictions are rational, but in reality, most predictions will be based on sentiment. The only thing that we have control of is what we do in this moment.
The big question is: what will you do now so that future you is in a happy state of mind? If you’re happy with where you are now, what can you do now to keep this happy streak going? If you’re not satisfied with how things are, what can you do now to break the chain and make change possible?
There will always be outside forces that will pull you away from your path to happiness. Some things, such as the death of someone you love, are out of your power. Other things, such as caring too much about what other people think about you, are something that live in your head and you can train to resist.
In any case, there will always be a balance between you and the outside world. As we live in society and surround ourselves with people, the balancing act between being egotistic and unselfish is one that you will have to learn for yourself. As you grow older and add more experiences to your life, the balancing act will change. It’s something that keeps evolving.
You will always need people around you. You are part of a society, a culture. In that culture, you will have to find your own way. If you feel your current culture is not part of what makes you happy, you will have to explore outside of said culture and search for places and people that better suit your personality. But remember, no place will be perfect. People have their wants and needs. Sometimes they align with yours. Oftentimes, your needs will not align, as people will always be selfish.
In conclusion, you will have to pave your own path through life. You are the only person that you spend 24 hours a day with. So, make sure that you know for yourself how you want to spend those 24 hours. Surround yourself with people who’s values overlap with your values. Don’t mix yourself with the opinions of others and actions that you can’t control. Focus only on what is in your reach. If you do so, you can at least look back with a smile and a feeling of fulfilment on the day you die.