Funny how we never see ourselves the way others do. You’re there, tangled up in your own thoughts, picking apart every move you’ve made. You’re replaying conversations, doubting your choices, wondering if you’ve done enough, if you are enough. Meanwhile, someone out there is watching you and thinking—how does this person manage it all so effortlessly?
They see the parts you forget to notice. The calm you keep when everything feels chaotic inside. The way you show up, even when you’d rather disappear. The way you somehow make things work, even when you’re not sure you can. To them, you look put-together, focused, strong. To you, it’s just another day of trying to hold it together.
We underestimate how inspiring our ordinary can be. Because from the inside, everything looks messy—half-finished plans, quiet fears, and the constant loop of “what ifs.” But from the outside? It looks like grace. It looks like strength. It looks like someone who’s figured it out.
You’ve probably done that too—looked at someone and thought, I wish I had their confidence, their energy, their clarity. And yet, that same person might be envying your calm, your persistence, your ability to keep going. We’re all busy comparing our behind-the-scenes to someone else’s highlight reel, forgetting that everyone’s just trying to make it through the same maze.
Maybe the trick is to pause the overthinking long enough to see what others already see in you. You don’t have to “do it all.” You just have to do you—the way only you can. The self-doubt won’t vanish overnight, but maybe it can coexist with self-recognition.
So the next time you catch yourself wondering if you’re doing enough, remember: someone out there is already inspired by what you’ve done. They’re looking at your story and finding courage for their own. You may not feel like you’re shining, but to someone else—you’re the light that’s keeping them going.
Kenrick Vaz 