Everybody is entitled to their opinions. Yes, that’s true. But does that mean they can dictate how you should lead your life? That’s absurd.
Living in a society, we do have a structured path that’s drawn right in front of us. And, to be honest, that is not a bad thing. It forces us to get back on track whenever we feel lost and are struggling to find ourselves in our journey through life. The typical concept is to graduate, get a job, get married, have kids, and buy a house. Maybe it doesn’t stop at that! We also have a defined period within which we are expected to accomplish all of these. And if we want to divulge this path, damn! You have become an outlier! You are bound to answer all the questions and pressure that “society” will put on you. And this “society” isn’t anybody who doesn’t know who we are. It only includes our friends, school/college mates, family, extended family, colleagues, etc. They may also raise these questions out of concern. That could be valid! After all, education, graduation, employment, and marriage are all important aspects of our lives.
Problems arise when the answers to these questions don’t fall under the list of things society has approved. That’s when the judgement begins, and this problematic view is the very reason that made me choose this topic! Life does get tougher without them. It is not possible to have perfectly reasonable explanations for every question you are posed. As long as you figure out the answers to the questions that you have for yourself, nothing matters. You cannot convince everybody and live the life they’d want for you, even if it’s the best thing for you. Sometimes, it is not about having the best in life, it is about creating the best of what “you” dream of in “your” life.
When a person asks you what you do for a living, that’s a normal question. Agreed. And when one replies that he/she is an artist/aspiring media person or if they are figuring out what to take up in their life, that’s not normal? Shouldn’t that be accepted without any judgement too?
When you are asked, “When are you going to get married?” and you reply whenever you are ready or whenever you meet the right person, even if by then you are 30, that’s not okay. Of course, there are biological factors that are to be considered, but isn’t that the individual’s decision?
Somewhere down the lane, we get pulled into it too! Completing a professional course just because the career of our choice is not considered good enough, adopting an extravagant lifestyle beyond our capacity just to get accepted as wealthy, dressing a certain way even if we want to dress differently because we’ll be judged based on our outfit, not having a shot at the person we like because we know it’ll cause chaos in the family, having kids when we know we are not ready, just to shut the big mouths around you, etc. By being people pleasers, we lose even the little things in life, don’t we?
At the end of the day, this is your life. You care about it much more than the people around you do. If we decide to let others opinion determine what we are going to do with our lives, when would we even live the life we want? It is easy to get carried away with what others expect of us, but living the life we want is the life that needs courage, and that’s what truly matters. Sure, it isn’t easy, and it will be more messy than the well-figured-out path the world has planned for you. Despite that, if you can live the life that you want, the way you want, then that’s a life worth having!
Isn’t respect for all individuals, irrespective of their profession, caste, creed, sex, or economic status, a universal thing that the education system advocates? Isn’t the first thing we ever taught in grade 1 that there’s no caste — one for all, all for one? Yet they remain mere exam material and don’t apply to the real world? Religious beliefs may differ, and every individual may have their own belief system, but to discriminate against or force that upon others is definitely not okay.
This definitely isn’t a change that could happen within a short span. But if the conversations between us individuals can be non-judgmental, then the small world around us would be a better place to live in.
About the Author
Mathurabargavee is working as a data engineer at Fractal Analytics. However, beyond the realm of data, she is passionate about exploring the intricacies of human experiences. In her writing, she delves into profound topics such as the conflict between mind and body, the quest for self-love, and the pervasive social stigmas we encounter in life. By shedding light on these often-overlooked issues, she aims to ignite meaningful conversations and inspire positive change.
Her mission is to empower individuals to embrace their inner journey, fostering greater self-awareness and acceptance along the way. Together, let's courageously navigate the complexities of the mind and body, fostering compassion every step of the way.