From Dreams to Reality: Embracing Uncertainties to Self-Discovery

• Life is a test, and tests are never meant to be easy.
• These self-made idols in our lives are nothing but merely imperfect human beings.
• Embracing uncertainties is the key to self discovery.
• What matters the most is that ‘lost part of ourselves’, that we seek for our whole lives.

In our voyage from dreams to reality, we often ‘’lose a precious part of ourselves’’, a fragment we spend our lives searching for. Let’s embark on a quest to rediscover that lost part of us while navigating the twisted routes of life’s journey.

The Journey from Dreams to Reality 

While strolling down a street near my home, a scene caught my eye; a quiet timid girl munching on her jubjub jelly completely lost in her fairytale world. I couldn’t help but keep staring at her, my gaze lingering, refracting my childhood in her radiant, captivating eyes.

A flood of memories rushed back when I remembered myself; a silent, charismatic child playing with my fellow doll, drowned in my very own fictional world. That world, where everything seemed so perfect and complete, nothing could be so hurtful to break my heart.

Little did I know, that this cruel world is waiting for me outside, entirely different from my fairytale world. Everyone grows up with sparkling dreams in their eyes; yet only a few of them shoot for the stars. The people of small towns often carry the burden of big dreams. As an ordinary girl from a small town, I carried extraordinary dreams in my eyes and walked barefoot to achieve them. 

“Shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”  – Les Brown

But in the pursuit of dreams, we often miss our real strength; inner peace and contentment.

Breaking of Idols

The journey towards our dreams is fraught with numerous obstacles and rough paths. We may encounter uncertain disappointments and incidents that shatter our hearts into fragments. We’ll shed tears through nights, questioning ourselves and doubting our destiny. But let me assure you, this marks merely the inception of our extraordinary future.

The very first stones in our way to dreams are thrown by none other than our own loved ones. They could be our first heroes, standing in our paths, or the perfectionist idols; we have been following always. That aura of perfection in our lives starts to fade, slowly and silently, cleansing the clouded delusions from our eyes. The mystery of human beings for being perfectly imperfect unravel before us leaving us wounded and broken.

We, as human beings, are designed to yearn for perfection throughout our lives. We often forget that life is inherently imperfect, and those whom we treat as idols of perfection are nothing but merely imperfect human beings. We fail to realise that these embodiments of perfection—our ‘self-made idols’—may also disagree with us at some point. They might break our hearts, and leave us alone in our times of greatest need. This happens as we expect this perfection from the most imperfect creation of God: ‘humans.’

This is when the reality of this imperfect world becomes clear, and we shatter those ‘self-made idols’ with our own hands.

Acceptance of Reality

When the dirt from our eyes is washed away, we rub them and begin to see the world clearly. That’s when we realise the only person who always has our back is ‘us.’ This journey is ours; others may walk with us, but no one will walk through it for us. No Godot would be coming to save us; the only Godot who can change our life is ‘us.‘

We might stick in our so-called fairy tale world and cry for weeks. But, when we begin to seek the hidden light in everything that happens, we no longer complain about anything. This is where the light enters us. “We may stumble and fall, but shall rise again.’’ 

From Certainty to Uncertainty 

Embracing uncertainties is an art of growth, and those who are insightful transform these uncertainties into opportunities. The strength drawn from the tears and betrayals is far more effective than that derived from a mere existence. 

These uncertainties are destined to carve a passage leading us to our ultimate destiny. We just need to embrace them with open arms.  As we embrace them, fresh opportunities will unfurl before us, presenting a clear path to traverse. Those who hold onto belief will slowly, but surely, ascend among the stars, and remember, the stars radiate far brighter than the moon.

My journey, much like yours, transitioning from certainties to uncertainties, is so commendable that it feels like a dream. Often, these uncertainties guide us to remarkable destinations. The destinations may differ from our original dreams, yet the fulfilment we acquire while moving down the path will return that missing piece of ours.

We might even encounter an incredible partner on our journey; Girl Power Talk. The partner who’ll believe in your strengths when no one else would, and make you feel valued when you’d doubt yourself. Its enriched culture, filled with warmth and kindness, erased all the tiredness and pains from my journey.

Self Discovery

Somewhere on the path of uncertainties and acceptance, we eventually discover our true selves. We learn to clap for ourselves. We no longer need anyone behind us, as we have got our own back. The peace in our smile is enough to tell our story to the world. 

“What is more important?” asked Big Panda, “the journey or the destination?”; “The company,” said Tiny Dragon.

The company that we need the most is none other than our own company. We just need to accept ourselves the way we are. When we learn to admire ourselves for being ‘us’; nothing else could ever stop us from soaring across the world.

In the end, what matters the most is that lost part of ourselves that we seek for our entire lives. That gets lost in our own broken self. The only way to find that missing piece of ours is to recognize ourselves truly by accepting our every scar and every fear. As Muniba Mazari said, ‘’When you accept yourself, the way you are, the world recognizes you’’. Your strengths unveil and your tears give you the courage to see across your fairy tale world.

This journey of self discovery, from dreams to reality, is a tale of embracing uncertainties and finding the scars within. And as we embrace ourselves, we not only soar towards our dreams but also find the missing strengths within us.