Symbols can play an essential part in someone’s life because they are a means to help people express themselves. For example, the beach is one of my favorite places globally, so dolphins and water, in general, symbolizes peace, joy, relaxation, and happiness. If somebody were to ask me how I would define myself, I might use the symbolism from dolphins or water to explain who I am. The most significant part about symbols is that it can remind you of something you enjoy, motivate you, or prompt you to think of a loved one. People underestimate symbols; however, it is a fundamental element of everyone’s life. If you utilize these symbols accurately, it can help maintain strength, determination, and resilience in times of need. In this blog, I will be giving examples of some symbols that are very meaningful to me and continue to motivate me each day.
As I mentioned previously, dolphins have been a symbol for me ever since I was a kid. Since I was born in Sydney, Australia, I lived five minutes away from a beach and have been swimming since I was a baby with my mother. Swimming represents the beach’s serenity and beauty, the various swimming competitions I participated in with my friends, experiences with friends and family at the beach, and my past/hometown. My family always calls me a dolphin because I regularly swim as if I lived in the water. My grandma and I shared this passion, which prompted her to give me a necklace with a shark tooth in the shape of a dolphin. The necklace not only reminds me of my favorite place in the world but reminds me of the close connections I have with family. Whenever I see a dolphin, especially when I wear the necklace, I am reminded of happy memories with family and the beach, motivating me to want to see that again, so I work as hard as possible to accomplish my goal.
The next symbol I have is somewhat recent, but I have two rings. The one I want to focus on is my ring that is silver with a golden dragon. Fairytales and fantasies are my favorite reading, video games, movie, and television genre, so seeing this ring reminds me of all the enjoyment of digital entertainment. On top of reminding me of my preferred entertainment, dragons are incredibly strong, resilient creatures. Seeing an image of a dragon motivates me to be as strong as possible, both physically and mentally. It feels as if it motivates me to be my best self, which enhances my determination and resilience. As someone with muscular dystrophy, it is vital to me because one day, I hope a cure or better treatment continues to develop so I can participate in sports and work out normally. While this may be incredibly hopeful, the hope for an even better future in which I have the freedom to do anything makes me want to see if that reality becomes true.
The final symbol I want to discuss is the yin yang symbol, which I have on my computer’s login screen and used to have on my computer. The ying-yang symbol comes from an ancient Chinese philosophy where opposite forces are seen as interconnected and counterbalancing. This symbol represents several things for me, which explains why it is so critical in my life. First, philosophy and history are my favorite areas to study, so seeing this symbol reminds me of my passion in the philosophical and religious fields. Second, the symbol speaks of two things requiring balance. My journey to improve my balance is tied with this symbol, along with my knowledge of how necessary it is to balance physical and mental health. Third, the colors white and black are said to represent good and evil. It is vital to understand that everybody has some amount of evil or good. You should never see somebody as one over the other, so the color scheme represents my want to be friends with everybody no matter their history. I believe that anybody can change even in a short amount of time. I have made many mistakes in my life, but I keep trying to grow to ensure that I become a better individual with my experiences.
As you can see, by manipulating symbols to benefit you, you can repeatedly motivate yourself, remind yourself of your passions and happiness. I gave examples of my top three symbols; however, your symbols do not have to be remotely similar. Your symbol could be a favorite restaurant that holds a place in your heart or a country in which you went on a holiday. There are so many symbols out there, and I encourage you to find three that are most meaningful for you and hold them close to you. Seeing these symbols daily is critical for my functionality and enhances my productivity to an unprecedented degree. Hopefully, after reading this blog, you think more about these symbols and remind yourself of all the good things that occurred in your life.
