This title could have a couple meanings, but I want to focus on the meaning of being open to receiving opportunity. So many of us, myself included, create a set of expectations for ourselves: "I need to go to X school to be successful", "I need to be married at X age in order to be happy", "I need X career to feel accomplished." I've mentioned many times before on this blog and on my YouTube channel that I had my heart set on doing a PhD in art history...then I was rejected from all the programs I applied to. I felt completely lost, unmotivated, unsure of myself, and overall - really down.
After a couple months of therapy and diving into a new hobby of acting, I began to see that just because my plans didn't work out how I thought they would, didn't mean my life was shit. My life was just on a different path than I had planned, and I had to trust that it was the right one for me. I still trust that, even if my future in terms of my career is in flux at the moment. I know that as long as I change my negative thoughts to positive ones, and trust that whatever is meant for me will come to me—I'll be ok.
It's not always that easy, though. I have days once in awhile when I cry and beat myself up mentally about not being where I "should" be in life. I'll lie in bed and wonder why I'm "behind", and allow myself to feel my way through it. The next day, I already feel better. Positivity is a great motivator, but it's also important to let yourself feel the negative emotions that sometimes creep up on you. If you saw my YouTube video on this topic, you know how important it is to me to let yourself feel across the spectrum; we're human, we're not designed to only feel one portion of emotions. Let yourself have a bad day; allow yourself to cry; write out everything going on in your mind until you've emptied it all out. Then, go to bed, and try again in the morning. There is always the opportunity to start again.
After I've had by bad/crying day, I continuously remind myself of this: I always have the chance to start again; tomorrow is a new day. It helps lift whatever weight is on my shoulders so I can feel sad without feeling like the rest of my life will follow suit. Be open to your emotions and all that they encompass; be proud of the fact that you are a human being who can feel that much, then release it. Cycle through it. Remind yourself of the complexity of the human experience and that we go through seasons just like everyone else.
If there's one thing I want you to take away from this post, it's that you could allow yourself to be more open to your feelings, to whatever path you're on, and to whatever the universe has in store for you. Openness, I'm coming to learn, is a key part to moving forward. When we close ourselves off from our feelings, opportunities, and what the universe is telling us—we get stuck. Stuck in our past, stuck in our negative feelings, stuck with people who make us forget our worth—preventing us from advancing in personal growth and development, all for what?
Feel through whatever it is you're feeling, then open yourself up to what's next. You'd be surprised what could be waiting for you.
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