Navigating Our LifeBoats

We often scroll through social media and see others living seemingly perfect lives. They are taking vacations, winning awards, building homes or starting businesses. They appear to have it all together, and it can make us feel like we’re falling short, and that we need to catch up and have what they have.

This image we see is never the full picture. Life doesn’t work that way. Just because someone’s boat is bigger doesn’t mean their journey is smoother. The tides will always change, and they’re beyond anyone’s control. We can’t control the waves or what life throws our way. Some days, the waters are calm; other days, they’re turbulent. This happens to everyone—rich, poor, black, white, gay, straight, immigrant, native. It doesn’t matter. Waves will strike our boats, and storms will threaten to steer us off course, regardless of our status in society.

This is why we need to stop comparing ourselves to those who seem to have more. Sometimes, those on sailboats, gliding through calm waters, are more in tune with themselves than those on cruise ships. 

When we try to emulate others or chase after what they have, we run the risk of losing ourselves.

No matter what boat you're in, stay focused on your own journey. Follow your own compass. Be the best sailor or captain you can be by navigating your seas with humility. Remember that the waves will always change. Knowing how to adjust your sails will help to stay you on course.

Originally Published- June 2021