"WE GROW THROUGH WEAKNESS" BY BAIS, CHLOE ANNE T.
When I was younger, I often compared my achievements to those of others. I would catch myself thinking, “Why can they do it better than me?” or, “How can I be better than them?” I believed that success was a competition—that in order to feel proud of myself, I had to be ahead of someone else. This mindset, though common, left me feeling insecure, and sometimes lost. It seemed like no matter how hard I tried, someone was always doing better.
As I grew older, I began to reflect more deeply on these thoughts. Through my own life experiences, and conversations with mentors and loved ones. I slowly realized a truth I hadn’t fully understood before; everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. We are not meant to be the same, and that’s what makes us beautifully human. Just because someone excels in one area doesn’t mean I am less capable. Likewise, there are things I can do that others may find challenging—and that is perfectly okay.
This realization marked a turning point in my personal growth. I began to view myself with more compassion and respect. It was a moment of transcendence, where I moved beyond the basic desire to be the best, and instead focused on becoming the best version of myself. I learned that life is not a race, but a journey. And each person is walking at their own pace, facing different battles, and overcoming unique challenges.
In the beginning, I saw everything from a limited perspective. I allowed emotions such as jealousy, doubt, and insecurity to cloud my thinking. But when I started looking at the bigger picture—recognizing that everyone has their own story, their own struggles, and their own pace—I began to understand things more clearly. This more holistic point of view helped me become more grateful for my own journey, more patient with my progress, and more supportive of others.
There were also moments when I believed things that turned out to be only opinions. For example, I once thought that people who got better grades or more awards were more valuable or successful than me. But I later realized that these were just ideas influenced by pressure and expectations. By looking for what’s really true instead of just what others say or believe, I discovered that success and value come in many forms, not just through achievements. What truly matters is growing, learning, and being true to who you are.
Now, I see my experience differently. It taught me to stop comparing myself to others and start focusing on my own path. I’ve learned that understanding myself and my experiences better helps me become more accepting, wiser, and at peace. That, to me, is what real growth looks like—not winning over others, but becoming more human and more kind, both to myself and to others.