As a child, time felt like it crawled. Days stretched endlessly, and the world seemed to turn uncontrollably. I longed to grow up, to break free from the limitations of childhood. I wanted life to rush by so I could escape the monotony and dive into a world of excitement. 

I pictured adulthood as an endless adventure—fast cars, lavish parties, exotic travels, and complete freedom. I imagined days filled with thrilling experiences, surrounded by friends and family, doing whatever I pleased. 

Life, in my mind, was waiting for me just beyond the horizon of school, money, and restrictions. I believed that growing up meant limitless opportunities, a world where I could do anything without consequence. 

I thought that once I had my own money, my own choices, and my own freedom, life would truly begin. But reality, as it turns out, had a different lesson in store. 

The Truth About Freedom. 

I failed to realise as a child that I already had freedom. The kind of freedom that allowed me to dream without limitations, to explore without fear, and to live without the weight of responsibility. But back then, I couldn’t see it. I only saw what I couldn’t do. 

Then adulthood arrived, and with it, a different kind of reality. Yes, I had choices. Yes, I had freedom—but it was conditional. The world didn’t open its doors wide and welcome me with abundance. Instead, it placed responsibilities on my shoulders: bills to pay, jobs to keep, and obligations to fulfil. 

When you have kids, that responsibility deepens. It’s not just about keeping yourself afloat; it’s about making sure they have what they need. The dreams of endless partying and adventure give way to grocery lists, electricity bills, and work shifts that leave you too exhausted to celebrate even when you can afford to. 

The irony is painful—when you’re young, you want to grow up for freedom, but when you’re grown, you realise that freedom was never what you thought it was. 

The Cycle of Wealth and Struggle 

 It’s easy to believe that if you work hard enough, you’ll get ahead. That if you chase success with enough determination, you’ll break through the barriers. 

But the world doesn’t work like that for most of us. Wages go up? So does the cost of living. That pay raise that seemed like a breakthrough? Within months, it’s swallowed by rising expenses. Food prices creep higher, fuel costs surge and rent or mortgage becomes an ever-growing weight on your back. Who benefits really? Not the working class. 

The system is built to keep the rich getting richer while the rest of us fight to stay above water. Banks raise interest rates, debts pile up, and the gap between the wealthy and the struggling grows wider. It’s not an accident. It’s a cycle. You can work twice as hard and barely move forward while someone born into money can make a single investment and watch their wealth multiply. Even revolutionary ideas, the ones that could change everything, are often stolen by those with the means to make them a reality. So where does that leave us? 

The Power of Choice 

If you can’t break the system, do you just give up? No. 

You chase your dreams anyway. You push against the rules, carve your own path, and refuse to let the world dictate your worth. You might not win, but at least you’ll have tried. At least you’ll have lived with purpose instead of just existing. Because life isn’t about waiting for fairness. It’s about making the most of what you have, no matter how little that might be.  

The Game of Life—And the Unfair Teams We Play On 

Think back to school. Remember when teams were picked for sports? The strongest, most popular kids always chose their friends first. The ones with the best skills, the best looks, the most confidence. The rest of us? We were picked last. That’s life in a nutshell. The ones with the advantage keep picking each other, leaving the rest to scramble for what’s left. It’s the hierarchy of popularity, of money, of power. It’s the unspoken rule of society. 

Maybe, one day, someone with real power will see the value in evening out the playing field. Maybe one day, leadership will come from those who’ve lived through the struggle, who know what it’s like to fight for survival instead of being born into privilege. Maybe. But until then, we make the most of what we have. 

The Real Meaning of Living 

For all its unfairness, for all its struggle, life is still ours to live. Yes, we wish for more. Yes, we dream of better. But even with little, we find joy. We make memories. We laugh, love, and fight through the obstacles because that’s what real people do. 

Time, once so slow, now moves at a terrifying speed. Blink, and another year is gone. Blink again, and you’re five years older. It doesn’t wait for us, and in the end, we take nothing with us. 

The only thing that remains is what we leave behind. So, what do you leave behind? 

Mindset is Everything 

Some days, everything feels like a battle. Some mornings, you wake up with doubt, sadness, and negativity. It’s easy to slip into that spiral, to ask, why is life like this? Why can’t things go my way? And the truth is, those thoughts are natural. They are real. They are part of being human. But the way you wake up can define your day. If you wake up expecting a terrible day, chances are, that is exactly what you will get. If you wake up determined to fight through, you stand a better chance of making it out okay. Not every day will be good, but every day is an opportunity.  

The Unfinished Bucket List 

No one ever does everything they want in life. No matter how much you chase, there is always more. The more you have, the more you want. So, what do you do? You chase anyway. You live life on your terms. You take the struggles, the challenges, the brick walls in your way, and you push through. You either climb over them or knock them down. Because at the end of the road, you will ask yourself: Did I do enough? Did I live my life to the fullest? And if you tried—really tried—then that is all that matters. 

What Are You Going to Do? 

A while ago, while driving with my son, I saw a question on the back of a car. It was simple. “WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?” Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not when it’s convenient. What are you going to do with your life? Are you going to waste it trying to please everyone else? Are you going to keep living on autopilot? Or are you going to take control and live it the way you want? For too long, I’ve lived by other people’s expectations. I’ve done what was expected, followed paths designed by others, and waited for my turn. But when does it go in my favour? The answer? When I decide it does. 

Your Story Is Still Being Written 

Every five years, something happens that changes your life. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s devastating, but either way, it reshapes you. You grow. You learn. You change. At five, you stop being a toddler. At ten, you start forming who you are. At fifteen, you face your first real choices. At twenty, adulthood knocks. At thirty, life speeds up. At forty, you wonder where time went. And at every step, you evolve. So, what do you do? You embrace it. You live day by day, fight through the struggles, and keep pushing forward. You don’t give up. You don’t waste time. You make it count. Because this is your life. No one else’s. 

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