Lately, I’ve been feeling really down and depressed, but a simple thought ended up changing everything for me. I had to share it because it might help others too.
One day, while I was out walking, I was worrying about Wildmind’s financial struggles. We don’t have enough sponsors to cover our costs, and our bank balance was alarming me.
It feels disheartening to do something you believe is valuable and not see it supported. In my lowest moments, I start to wonder if what I’m doing really matters, which leads to questions about my own worth.
These were the depressing thoughts running through my head during my walk, making me feel quite low. Then, suddenly, a thought popped into my mind: “You’re a warrior.”
I don’t usually think of myself that way, but as soon as I heard that word in my mind, I felt a burst of energy and confidence.
Instead of whining about my issues, I thought, I should be a warrior and face them head-on. This led me to reflect on my ancestors, who have fought so hard for survival.
When my dad was nine, his father died in an accident. He started working at a young age to support his family. My grandmother was orphaned at 15 and got a job at 16 to rescue her brother from an orphanage, becoming his parent. She worked so hard that by 70, she looked like she was in her nineties. Her parents led hard lives and passed away young due to common infectious diseases.
Her grandfather was a ship’s cook on a cargo vessel that caught fire, leaving him stranded in Mozambique. Prior generations were farm laborers or servants with tough lives, but they managed to survive long enough to have surviving children.
Comparatively, my life is much more comfortable and carefree. I really have no reason to complain. Instead, I should draw inspiration from my ancestors.
We’re all descendants of survivors and fighters. I’ve decided to emulate them by not letting self-doubt defeat me. I know what I do is valuable and that I matter. I just have to remind myself that financial challenges are battles to be faced and won. Not that I’m aiming to conquer anyone, but I approach these difficulties like a warrior going into battle.
As the Buddha is said to have declared on the eve of his enlightenment, “It is better to die fighting than to live as one vanquished.”
So, if you’re doubting yourself, feeling despair, or considering giving up, remember who you are. You are a survivor, descending from a long line of fighters. Draw inspiration from your past as you face the future. Be a warrior.
If you’re inspired to support Wildmind’s mission to teach meditation and want to learn about its benefits, click here to learn more about Wildmind’s Meditation Initiative.
Remember, we all have warrior instincts within us. Self-doubt and setbacks are part of the human experience, but recognizing and overcoming them is the key. Be on the lookout for those negative thoughts and don’t let them take root. Everyone experiences moments of doubt, but with the mindset of a warrior, you can rise above.
Thank you all for your continued support and kind words. I will keep striving and fighting this battle, and I hope you do too.