Quarter Life Crisis: Reflections and Realizations From Being In Your Twenties

When you reach a certain point in your life, you end up reflecting and wondering where you are and where you want to go. If you think everything is crappy and feel like you're going nowhere, chances are it's not true. If you have independence, income, talents, drive, and a support system, you're doing a lot better than you think. If you have a college degree, you're definitely doing better than you think. If you're young, you don't have to have all your shit together. If you feel like other people who are younger than you are finding success faster than you, you have to realize how different their life and journey are than yours. It’s impossible to replicate someone else’s situation and need to accept your own circumstances. As long as you’re making and recognizing forward progress, you’re on the path to success. Everyone finds themselves, lands ideal opportunities, and realizes their dreams at a different pace. It’s ok if your success comes a little bit later than someone else. Just make sure to keep trying, keep adventuring, and continue being willing to accept a possible chance of failure. At times, you may feel lost and have no idea which direction to proceed in at the crossroad. It's ok to question where you are. It's ok to question your faith and where to place it, especially if your parents forced religion down your throat. It's ok to be uncertain of where you want your career path to go. It's ok to fail and fall on your ass as long as you maintain an awareness and refuse to give up. And it's definitely ok to be single and focus on yourself. If you want to change the world and have an idea of how to do it, keep believing in your idea and working on your idea and it will come to life. Patience and resilience are the answer. But be careful, because even superheroes have limits! Just don't be afraid to live and use your heart and intuition as your guide! Make sure you share the love, too!

Open Mic Nite Performance Of "Stop Doubting Yourself"

This handy little poem is basically me advocating for people to stop doubting themselves.



I deviated a bit from the original script due to working on getting more comfortable not having a paper with me, but the original words of wisdom are here: http://dbzmaron.blogspot.com/2014/07/stop-doubting-yourself.html



This was taken at Wicker Mic in Wicker Park, Chicago on 8-29-14!



Enjoy!

Stop Doubting Yourself

Here is me telling me and the rest of the awesome universe to stop freeking doubting themselves and putting themselves down. It's not healthy and not in your toolbox for happiness either... Here are my words of wisdom on this subject:

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Dear beautiful universe,

Why... oh why must you doubt yourself like most of the general population? In a world where the norm says that confidence is key, it also appears that much of the norm also lacks said key aspect, but why?

Have you been bullied before? Have you been mistreated a ton? Or even cheated on, defeated, or stomped on? Figuratively to the last part of course... Is your support system diminishing? Can you even not count on your family for anything? If you've said yes to any of those, you may have been in a world of hurt at some point in your life... unfortunately, all of that garbage can lead to feelings of unworthiness and thinking you're someone less than who you really are and what you're truly capable of accomplishing.

If other people telling you that you can't do this and you can't do that and xyz the list can go on, don't listen to them. Yeah, that's easier said than done... been there, done that several times, but one big thing I say is that if you genuinely do suck at something, you'll know and be 100% sure. As much as other people's opinions don't matter, receiving positive enforcement always gives a glimmer of hope and then some. If it's your friends that are causing you to doubt yourself, then nab a group of friends who embrace you and give those jerkfaces that you're currently chilling with a "third finger salute"! Don't let people suck the life out of you... because only YOU are in control... not those GOONS!

If your family is doing that, same rules from above apply! No really, they do... except give them the finger on the inside and just prance away into the distant light...

It breaks my heart to see tons of people holding themselves back... from other people’s words too... and of course I'm guilty of doing the same thing plenty of times... but not only does it hurt, it's also a deep hole to dig yourself out of... and I am currently in the process of climbing my rear end out of that same hole...

If you realize how much you're depriving yourself of the list of first amendment rights, you'll realize how much you're truly damaging yourself... You need to be more aware of the fact that we're free to paint out own designs as we please to an extent, some restrictions apply... because you can make anything you want out of a bunch of dimes...! So if you're doubting yourself, stop it! Right now! You can snap yourself onto a positive track whenever you acquire that strong hunger for change and bettering yourself! Positive reinforcement always helps too to an extent!

Stop misguiding yourself and just tell yourself "I AM a good person", "I CAN do this", and "look how SUCCESSFUL I am" because you're generally capable of a lot more than you think. Find those who can feed you words of wisdom and give you a giant hug afterwards. Find those who support your every move, no matter how silly. Find those who can tell you that you made a mistake and encourage you to carry on.

You can do it, you can do it, you can do it, you can do it, you can do it... x infinite! Words are power, power is yours, the choices are infinite, and aim your goals higher than you think you can achieve... Keep reinforcing positivity in your life and the words "I can do it", no matter how out there and large your ambitions are and you'll be hugging the moon in no time!

With unlimited amounts of love,
Rebs McDuxler :)