Over the past week, I was put in a condition where a person that hardly knows me and I know nothing about looked at me from across a desk and dared to speak in a derogatory tone saying to me:

• Do you consider and see yourself as enough?
• Do you see yourself as a successful, accomplished person?
• Do you think the followers you have on social media are something that makes you able to believe you are better than others? 

I knew this was a provocative attack. But I also know that I am way more intelligent than to give in to such narrow-minded questions designed to fuel arguments between narrow mindsets. 

I calmly replied, well, I do feel lucky to be able to live this life. I appreciate that people decided to put their trust in me and love my creativity, values, and reflection on my struggles and energy. I never set to have this many followers or thought it would be possible for me. But, to me, they are just humans that I admire and consider friends most of the time, and I would like to fantasise that they also feel the same about me.

And, being enough is something I look into and evaluate as I do as much as possible to consider myself having done enough for the day. I try to find the answers to all my questions to the best of my ability. And in terms of success and accomplishment, it’s subjective. To answer frankly, I would need to know, in this circumstance, what the measurement of success is specifically.

So he asked, well, what is your measurement of success right now?

I answered, right now: it prioritizes quality over quantity in my fulfilment. 

Looking at me with a smirk, saying, “which means?”

I said well, it means you might be successful, but success without fulfilment is… in my opinion. The ultimate failure. And because I consider fulfilment as my indicator of personal success. I always remind myself and others that the things that fulfil me constantly change and evolve as I grow, but that doesn’t mean I don’t dream or face struggles. 

I try to stay informed and use my time wisely and efficiently to overcome them because my values and ethics are, to me, true. I always loved to learn as much as possible from myself and other humans or from books such as biographies. Then, in every interaction, I ask myself what I could teach or inform others at this moment, expecting to make this day or the future better for me or others.  Like I just did with you, shared the possibility of a lifestyle you never thought possible. But it’s breathing and talking right in front of you and to you.

The annoyingly rude, provocative person ..smiled. 

I hope and wish that you, my friends and  I are constantly reminded that:

1. There’s no way to predict the chain of events that even small efforts can unleash.
2. Little by little, a little tends to become a lot, the same way a piece of domino can provoke a chain reaction.
3. Patience is a virtue. This is worth internalising, as we must understand that results aren’t instantaneous, especially in the case of the chain reactions provoked by small efforts.

So maybe I will remain an outsider to this person and probably many. Yet, slowly and gradually, many would like to choose the bright outdoors with me. And some of these many would be the people like you.

Which I never thank enough.

So, thank you.