Sometimes great advice just lands on your computer screen. That’s what happened when we clicked on an old article from our friends at Refinery29. Thirty-three year old Thimali was dropping gems that we had to share with you. We love everything she has to say below about failure and living in the grey.
Look fear in the eye, and outsmart it. I wish I’d made this my number-one priority in my 20s. You can and should get advice from friends and strangers on how they do it, but your fears are your own, so the antidote will probably be your own, too. Dig deep and be brave. I know now that it’s impossible to be good at anything if you avoid challenges and never fail. A failure that gets its ass back up off the floor and tries again will not only be better prepared, but will always have the crowd on its feet in raucous applause.
You can’t avoid the bad shit. It will always find its way to you somehow.
Have fun learning about yourself, because “winning” is not growth. Not a sexy-looking résumé, not good hair and flawless skin, nor keeping to the same path as your parents. To be accomplished or successful is to be as honest with yourself as you can humanly manage. Getting to know all your flaws and all your attributes alike and accepting it all. From that point on, anything is possible.
If you don’t know what you want to do with your life yet, do everything you love and do it hard. One of those things will surface as more important than the others. If after you’ve put in time, love, and energy, it still doesn’t feel right, you can always always change your mind.
Remember, fear can be defeated and risk makes life remarkable. Live in the grey!