It’s funny how we as humans think and function.

We expect so much of the world and environment around us and so little of our individual selves.

When we looking at others, when we looking at systems and processes that don’t involve us, we are quick to pass judgment.

I still haven’t figured out if that is programmed into us or just the way human nature is.

And while we’ve all spent a lot of time trying to combat that external judgment and or ridicule, I’ve found that accepting that you will be misunderstood is a great way to live your life.

Because one day, if you keep at it, you’ll start to figure things out.

One day, if you take action with intent, you’ll see the path more clearly.

One day, if you work hard enough, you’ll get to where you’re going.

One day, if you want it enough, you’ll carve out a path for yourself in this world.

One day, if you stay determined, it’ll all pay off.

One day, if you stay committed, the fruits of your labour will compound.

One day, if you stay consistent the path you’re on will become more apparent to those who once misunderstood you.

I can attest to this personally. Because I too was once misunderstood by those close to me.

In fact I think, even as I type this there are those around me who don’t understand why I live the life I lead. They just accept it as how I’ve chosen to live. But they don’t understand the motivations, the drives, the how’s and the why’s of my life.

And I don’t expect them to understand me.

Because no matter how clearly I communicated, how carefully I choose my words, or how well-intentioned my actions may have been, there were always be instances where my true intentions were misconstrued.

If I did once, I’ve given up on that because I found myself pandering to practices, and paths and into rooms and conversations where I’d be understood.

And in doing so, I only slowed my progress. I took the long way round to figuring out a lot of about myself first and foremost, and the life I wanted to lead.

While being misunderstood was challenging, it is important to recognize that it is also an opportunity and necessary experience for personal growth, discovering your purpose, building a fulfilling life as an individual, and making meaningful contributions to society.

1.Personal Growth:

From my experience, being misunderstood tested my resilience and emotional strength. It forced me to confront my vulnerabilities and forced me to navigate the challenging situations I found myself in. By learning from these experiences, I learned how to trust and back myslef.

2. Finding One’s Purpose and Path :

Being misunderstood forced me to question societal expectations and explore my authentic self. By reflecting on my experiences, values, and passions, I uncovered my true purpose and aligned my actions with my rediscovered core beliefs. By embracing being misunderstood I was able to embrace and forge my own path in life, even and especially if it made absolutely no sense to anyone else.

3. Building a Life as an Individual:

Being misunderstood led me to forge some of the most unlikely of connections with like-minded individuals from various different occupations, different careers, different fields different age groups and even different tax brackets.

And while these connections took a while for me to embrace and capitalise on, Id not be where I am, if it were not for these initial unlikely connections. I can honestly say, many of these unlikely connections propelled me forward in my journey.

These connections challenged me to see the world differently, to abandon some of my belief systems and build new ones. These people challenged my core values, they challenged my way of thinking and thus way of life.

So in the process of explaining myself to myself, in the process of fortifying my core values I built the man that I am today.

4.Contributing to Society:

In essence, after the third step above, after you’ve refined the person you are, the person you want to be and the person you aim to be, you begin to give back to society subconsciously.

So this process in its early stages takes care of itself. All you have to do is be better than you were yesterday in what you do, how you interact, how you carry yourself, and in all that you pursue in life.

As I round this up, let me say this; each person has their own unique set of skills, talents, and experiences.

The acceptance of not being understood enables us share our improved selves with others. By sharing individual perspectives & abilities one can leave behind positive imprints on  personally affected people ,communities & society. 

Being misunderstood is an unavoidable part of human existence. However rather than being disheartened by it a choice can be made to embrace it as a catalyst for personal development. It enables us to discover our life mission & establish a life which aligns with our true selves.

Thereby making contributions of value to society. With resilience, self analysis and authenticity it is possible to make use of these challenges as stepping stones that push us towards a more rewarding & purpose driven way of living.