Guest Writer: Wemi Opakunle
I have a friend who constantly complains about her physical appearance. I’ve tried many times to convince her of what I see, which is a beautiful girl with an infectious personality. Every time she brings up a physical shortcoming, I want to shake her and make her see that no one is actually paying attention to those tiny, insignificant details.
I understand that we all have our off days but it becomes a problem for our psyche when everyday is an off day. If you notice that this is the case for you, then it’s time to call your mind to order. Stop the negative thoughts dead in their tracks the moment they begin to creep up on you. The mind is an incredibly powerful engine and it’s amazing how we can create problems that don’t exist just so our minds can have something to chew on.
I remember waking up a few days ago and walking into my bathroom. As I began to prepare for my day, I noticed that there was a bit of a chill in the air. It also seemed quite dreary from where I was standing. I checked the weather and the forecast was a perfect 75 degrees. I peaked out of my bathroom and could see a glimmer of light and the warmth of the sun seeping into my living room. In spite of this evidence in front of me, my mind had already begun to convince me that it would be a cloudy and dreary day based solely on where I was standing. In that moment, I realized how easy it is to become trapped in the prison of the mind.
Life is not perfect, it never will be. There will be times when your current standing offers very little hope. It may feel cold and devoid of promise but what’s important to remember is that those moments are just that –moments. No moment has ever lasted forever and neither will the one you’re going through. Choose to see the positive outside of that moment, recognize the beauty in life’s imperfections and on days when the clouds descend on your mind, don’t forget that right outside, there’s a glimmer of light waiting to embrace you.
Copyright © 2014, by Wemi Opakunle. All rights reserved.