It’s often said you can’t love another unless you love yourself first,
Being kind to others be child’s play while an inside job requires hard work,
Expectations, everybody’s got ‘em, ain’t no crime not to live up to ‘em,
We’re only human, we win and we falter, fuck ‘em if they’re blind to your genuine efforts,
No two people are the same, differences extend to capabilities, save for rarities and extreme anomalies,
Gifts and natural talents, everybody’s got ‘em, for some immediately apparent, others may search far and wide for it,
But there has to be a balance, hence the existence of weaknesses,
Folks be mad-flexing on the surface, ain’t nobody buyin’ it, behind the scenes secrets heavily guarded,
With dedication they can be corrected, life’s about perpetual growth and learning,
You’ll stumble and fall, too, but you gotta trust the process,
It’s an exercise in futility, tying self-worth to what you can and can’t do,
Why let mistakes and failures totally consume you?
Setbacks are a pain, that much is understandable, but will you take steps towards redemption or chip away and crumble?
Realize, too, there’s always someone better in some aspects, but that don’t mean you’re useless and pathetic,
They may have a greater aptitude for it or perhaps a greater level of experience,
You won’t always have the answers but no shame in admitting temporary ignorance,
And you may dominate in other areas, rout the competition with your abilities,
They’ll look up to you like their idol, yet you’re hung up on perceived deficiencies,
Meanwhile you’re neglecting what you’re blessed with, gotta nurture ‘em or lose ‘em,
What you take for granted you’ll part ways with, don’t let your assets become your losses,
Continue to learn and grow, become a jack of many trades,
Master the ones that matter, but missteps need not end in shame,
You must be brave enough to own ‘em, only then will you be forgiven, then make a conscious effort never to repeat ‘em,
Perfection’s an illusion, to master all things, literally, is an impossibility,
If the key to your self-esteem is their approval, that’s some next-level insanity,
Reclaim your self-worth from the hands of others, they don’t deserve such power,
You’re limited edition, never forget it, fuck ‘em and their expectations,
Twenty four hours in a day, each one nudging you towards the end,
They’re gone forever once elapsed, will you waste ‘em warring with yourself?
Throw off the shackles they’ve placed upon you and the ones self-inflicted,
Live a life that makes you proud first and foremost, only then will you be truly living.