Humans are stressed to the max right now.
Our current pandemic has been one of the lowest economic periods since the 2008 Housing crisis and in terms of the pandemic, life-threatening since the 1918 Spanish Flu. However, I find that time and time again, humans can be very resilient and desiring of progress in every aspect. Crowds of people coming together in times of need and having the courage to keep fighting even despite tragedies of this pandemic. We need tools of inspiration, messages of hope, and courage & bravery to rise above these seemingly, relentless obstacles. Reflecting on my own life and my social circles and networks over the past few months, I realize to thrive right at this moment more than ever comes down to three things:
1. Express Yourself - Nothing is more liberating than being able to express yourself, such as in dance, music, arts, sports, etc., just take your pick. We all express ourselves in different and individual ways. I would recommend making sure it is personal, specific, and authentic to you. That is how we connect our souls with others! By choosing a different life or career path based on others will translate to disappointment later down the road because it is not truly what you want in the end.
2. Be Free - This means to be ourselves, whether it is in our relationships, work, creative expression, or how we choose to live our lives. For example, systemic racism can be an imprisonment or being told how to practice our religious/spiritual beliefs, or to how we wear clothes, or even as simple as to how we vote. Practice being free from others, but most importantly, from other people’s thoughts and your own as well! It can be very noisy up there!
3. To Love - Personally, whether you believe in predestined fate or writing your destiny, we just want to love and to be loved. It’s that simple. All of our actions come from our decisions. And all of our decisions come from either one of two places: love or fear. Which would you choose?
“How do you know if you made an authentic choice? After you make it, you have no regrets and second guesses about it. A self-affirming choice thrusts your life forward, not backwards. That is what Thrive Medicine is all about.
Being authentic is essential to thriving. It is the glowing embers of a fire that does not die but is fueled by your willingness to be truthful to who you are and what you stand for. Make a statement. Be skeptical, but also firm in your convictions. You’ll be glad that you did.”
Excerpt From: Colin Zhu, DO. “Thrive Medicine: How to Cultivate Your Desires and Elevate Your Life.” Apple Books.