You cannot force someone to like you. Some will, and some won't. It’s a truth as old as time, yet it doesn’t make it any easier to accept. I remind myself of this every day, trying to internalise the idea that not everyone will see me in the way I hope they will. But despite this daily reminder, I still find myself struggling to fully embrace the notion of "et es wot et es"—it is what it is.
It’s ironic, isn’t it? To know something so well, to repeat it to yourself like a mantra, and yet still feel that tug of resistance deep inside. We often tell ourselves to let go, to release the need for control, but the heart and mind don’t always cooperate. The need for validation, for acceptance, is a powerful force, one that’s difficult to quiet.
The reality is, it’s hard to cope with things that are outside of your control. The idea that you can't make someone like you, that you can't shape every outcome to your liking, is a tough pill to swallow. It goes against that innate desire to influence, to mold the world around you in a way that makes sense, that feels safe.
But here’s the thing: through all the struggles, the moments of doubt, and the days when I felt like giving up, I’ve found some clarity. Not in knowing all the answers, but in accepting that I don’t need to have them all. There’s a strange kind of peace that comes from letting go, from embracing the uncertainty rather than fighting against it.
This blog, in many ways, is a reflection of that journey. Writing it helped me sort through my thoughts, to find a bit of calm amidst the chaos of overthinking. My hope is that it offers you the same clarity it brought me—a reminder that it’s okay not to know everything, that sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is to simply let things be.
So here’s everything I know about not knowing everything:
- You cannot force someone to like you. Some will, and some won't—and that's okay.
- Acceptance isn't about giving up; it's about recognising what you can and cannot control.
- The more you try to control every outcome, the more resistance you’ll face within yourself.
- If it's meant to be, it will be.
Learning to live with uncertainty, to embrace the unknown, is a process—a journey that doesn't have a clear endpoint. But with time, patience, and a little self-compassion, it becomes easier to let go. It becomes easier to trust that whatever is meant to be will find its way into your life, in its own time, and in its own way.
Remember: Sometimes, the most profound understanding comes not from knowing all the answers, but from finding peace in the absence of them.