If You Think You’ve Lost Something, Think Again

Summary

The article discusses a positive perspective on loss, suggesting that it often leads to personal growth and better opportunities.

Abstract

The author of the article reflects on a quote that emphasizes transition over loss, suggesting that what may seem like a loss is often replaced by something better. The piece encourages readers to shift their mindset from focusing on negatives to embracing change as an opportunity for personal development. The author shares their own experience of losing their job and creative outlets due to the pandemic, which led to a period of introspection and self-improvement. This transition allowed them to reconnect with themselves, start a personal growth community, and discover new passions such as writing. The article concludes by advocating for the courage to navigate through transitions, viewing them not as losses but as steps towards a brighter future.

Opinions

The author believes that every loss can be seen as a transition to something better, advocating for a mindset shift towards more constructive thinking patterns.
They acknowledge the ease of dwelling on negatives and blaming external circumstances but argue that reframing loss as transition is more beneficial.
The author admits to experiencing burnout and realizing the importance of self-care and internal validation over constant external approval.
They suggest that the pandemic, despite causing loss, has provided them with valuable insights into their own wellbeing and the opportunity to cultivate new interests and passions.
The article promotes the idea of embracing uncertainty and the process of self-reinvention as a response to life's challenges.

You Are Transitioning Towards Something Better

“The best thing about life is that everything I’ve ever lost, has been replaced with something better. I never lack, I just transition.” — Unknown source

I came across this quote while scrolling my positive feed Instagram (using social media for the better) and it hit me deeply. It’s so easy to think of all that we’ve lost especially in the past year. With a simple reframing, the situation totally shifts and paves the way for more constructive thinking patterns.

It’s way too easy to focus on the negatives and dwell in them. Easy to blame, point fingers and feel frustrated at any uncomfortable situation that life throws at us. But as I took a step out and reframe any loss as a ‘transition’, I realised what’s on the other side is so much better and brighter than I thought.

We all have experienced some sort of loss and grief of our past ‘normal’ lives. As an arts enthusiast and creative, I really miss going to live events and concerts, working on creative projects and bouncing ideas off artists, collaborating with others to create new work. But time after time, it became evident to me that I was going through unhealthy cycles of burnout and demanded too much from myself.

I was always rushing to different things, tasks, projects, events, always chasing for the next big thing that I forgot how to simply BE and listen to myself.

The past year allowed me to take a hard look at myself and wellbeing and self-improvement became the cornerstone of my journey. I discovered deep fundamental issues with my ways of being, and my constant need to seek external approval to feel like ‘I’ve made it’.

Yes, I’ve lost my job, my stability, my income, the life I worked hard to build up as a young graduate, along with creative showcases that all got cancelled when COVID hit, but I’m beginning to realise what I’ve gained is so much more important and precious. It’s a mindset shift, it’s working on myself, it’s knowing who I am and my value. It’s really and truly learning to believe in myself and the potential I have. I reconnected with myself, and even started a personal growth community. Best of all, I cultivated and developed new passions such as writing.

I could easily focus on my lack of stable income, and whine about the abrupt changes I had to go through in order to maintain my relationship across the continents. Yes, it was challenging, and I’ve lost some things but I realise more and more it’s about constantly reinventing myself and staying on track with who I want to be. It’s giving myself the courage to fumble a bit while in transition. And this quote so beautifully says it, it’s never a loss, but you are simply in transition. Embrace it today.