No two journeys are the same

Note that, as you improve, you may be tempted to demand the same from other people. Refrain from that urge. Instead, keep the standard you develop for yourself personal.

Natta, Matthew Van. The Beginner’s Guide to Stoicism: Tools for Emotional Resilience and Positivity (p. 64). Althea Press. Kindle Edition.

It’s tempting to expect others to act like us, grow like us, and think like us. We think things like, I realize the value of exercise; why don’t they? Or, I see the value in not losing touch; why don’t they? But then, as soon as those thoughts come up, we have to recognize there was a time when we didn’t prioritize exercise, and there was a time when we spent our time selfishly as well.

Every person is on a different journey of living and discovery. Some people realize important things early on, and some of us come to those realizations much later. As I reflect on my life, I can see how, early in my life, I never hesitated to ask friends for help, but I often neglected to offer them my help. I wish I had been more helpful, but my journey led me to this realization later, and that’s ok.

We cannot expect people to follow our path; they have their own path. And, just as we need encouragement to walk our path, we must also encourage them to walk theirs.

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