Recently, I received good news that has the potential to reshape my future. I felt elated with a flood of emotions where I found myself crying happy tears and even shaking! My toes moved involuntarily, I simultaneously felt cold and hot, my glasses became moist and smudged with thumbprints, and my body became stiff. One could say I had a “happy panic attack.” The tears I cried upon receiving the news were not only happy tears, but they were tears of relief. I waited for over two months for the news, yet the journey to this outcome took three years of dedicated hard work. Although I will not disclose the specifics of my news directly in this blog, I will explore how the experience of receiving good news changes one’s perspective on life.
Elation
Receiving the long-awaited news you are yearning for can evoke a mix of emotions. The tick-tock on the clock can cause anxiety. You might desire to know the anticipated news right this instant, yet you might feel worried about the potential outcome. Questions like, “What if it is not the result I hoped for?” can arise; at the same time, you want to remain hopeful and not pessimistic. However, when you finally receive the news and it is exactly what you wanted, you get a sudden surge of elation that you feel in your body. It brightens your life!
The news I eagerly awaited for a long time was something I felt pessimistic about. Although I am such a hopeful person, various aspects were working against me, leading me to believe that I would not receive the desired outcome. For example, I felt that my documents did not fulfill the requirements; however, I put in so much effort to ensure their completeness. When I finally received what I wished for, my body itself manifested a severe reaction layered with emotions.
Relief
The hard work you invest to achieve your goals will always pay off, and even if it happens now or later down the road. When you focus on an objective you crave, you might find yourself sacrificing various aspects of your life such as sleep and social life. The sacrifices you make can shape how you perceive the news you get. Regardless of the outcome, you will feel relief knowing that your dedicated effort will illuminate your future whether it is now or in the future.
Upon receiving the news I desired, I felt a sense of relief mixed with happiness. I felt predominantly happy with a sprinkle of relief. As I read the outcome of my news, all I thought about was not the news itself, but all the hard work I did in the past three years to reach my goal. I knew my dedication will never be in vain no matter the outcome. If the outcome was the opposite of what I wanted, I would have continued my diligent efforts to enhance my capabilities. Those capabilities could include strengthening my resilience to navigate challenges and expand on my skills. It is always important to continue pursuing your goals even when faced with obstacles along the way.
Gratitude
After you receive the outcome you wanted and you feel both joy and relief, the sense of gratitude begins to show itself. Gratitude does not only apply to the journey you went through to attain your goal, but also to the friends and family who witnessed your struggle and supported you physically and emotionally through your journey.
The person that I am most thankful for throughout my journey is my mother. She came to check on me to see if I submitted my assignment, and I said “Yes mama. I submitted it.” My mother stood beside me, as I closed the million tabs I had on my laptop. One of the running tabs was the website where I should be receiving the news. Out of curiosity, I reloaded the tab because I was informed that the news should be out in three days. However, I saw a new notification, and it was the news sent three days early! At that moment, my mother held my hand, and together we opened the notification. I instantly began crying in her arms and repeating, “I did it!” My mother saw the challenges I endured during my journey in the past three years, and I am forever thankful for her presence as I opened the notification that will reshape my future.
Optimism
When you achieve your long-awaited aspirations, it boosts your sense of confidence and optimism. The confidence you have in your own abilities instills a sense of assurance, making you work as hard as you did to pursue more of your future goals. Optimism motivates the individual to keep working hard to achieve their endeavors and cross them off on their bucket list one by one. Remaining hopeful rather than pessimistic instills positivity in your life and genuine love for your goals. I have been eagerly waiting for over two months to get that notification that I opened with my mother. In April 2024, I will receive another similar notification that will reshape my future. The success of my current endeavor boosted my confidence, knowing that if I continue with the same persistent effort and dedication, the news in April will be good too. Despite the three years it took to finally reach the anticipated news, I will remain optimistic for my future endeavors!
