We’ve all heard the saying, "It’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon." But sometimes, it feels like I’m running that marathon in thick mud while everyone else got the memo about the shortcut.
Every time I hear my alarm in the morning, I mumble to it, “Just five more minutes.” But what I genuinely mean is, “Give me five more years to achieve that dream.” We’ve all been there - staring at our ceiling, wondering if those glow-in-the-dark stars are a representation of our distant dreams. (Or maybe that’s just me and my '90s bedroom decor.)
When I scroll through my social media feed, it often feels like everyone else has their life set to 2x speed. Sarah just got promoted. Jake’s starting his own business. And Priya? She's busy traveling the world, one Instagram story at a time. Meanwhile, I celebrate small victories like making a two-minute instant noodle in one minute and fifty-eight seconds.
The envy can be real. Why does it feel like I'm a snail in a world of cheetahs? Sure, snails carry their homes on their backs and are always ready to party anywhere, but that's not the point.
Impatience creeps in frequently. Those nights when I'm wide awake at 2 a.m., contemplating if dreams have an expiration date or if ambition comes with a snooze button. Can I just fast forward to the part where everything falls into place?
But then, there’s that tiny optimistic voice (sounds suspiciously like my mom) reminding me, "It’s your journey. You set the pace." True, I might be a bit behind in life’s seemingly endless race, where everyone appears to have jet-fueled shoes. But maybe, just maybe, the scenic route I’m on is filled with lessons and sights the shortcut lacks.
So, I put on my running shoes (the ones that have seen more grocery aisles than tracks), ready to face another day. I've come to appreciate that envy and impatience are just the cheerleaders on the sideline, pushing me to do better.
And to all my fellow snails out there, remember this: We might be slow, but our determination is as sticky as our trails. We’ll get there, and when we do, the victory will be even sweeter. After all, dreams don’t have a timeline, and my glow-in-the-dark stars? They still shine the brightest in the darkest hours.
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