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I recently had the opportunity to visit Buenos Aires, this past summer of 2022 to attend the South American Business Forum. While I expected to see a vibrant and lively city, as it was described to me in great detail by my patriotic Argentine friends and Spanish Professor, I was instead met with a place that was struggling and seemingly lost in its own despair. The streets were desolate, the buildings were crumbling, and the people seemed to carry with them a weight of sadness and hopelessness.
As I walked through the city, I couldn't help but feel a sense of intense self-judgment and criticism wash over me in a semi-attempt to justify my presence at the forum, as 1 of 100 candidates from thousands globally that applied to the forum. This however coincided with a wave of self critique I was weighing myself down with, as a result of slow business, a lack of abundance and work. But as I attended the forum, met several inspirational people, and reflected on my time in the city, I realized that this harsh self-critique was not only unproductive, but it was also completely unfounded. As with any trip, you look to grasp what the place you visit is all about, how it feels and how it makes you feel in turn. I felt underwhelmed and sad in Buenos Aires at first. I felt sad eating out when I knew people here could barely afford to live. I know that the city and country had been hit hard by a socioeconomic downturn due to corruption and mismanagement, not to mention how disproportionately hit it was with COVID (as many countries were). It was unfair of me to judge Buenos Aires as this sad place, when I would listen to Astor Piazzolla and Facundo Cabral as I walked the streets and saw Tango and Opera and some of the world's very best art. And let's not forget the people of Argentina, who heavily influenced my limited perspective and understanding of the situation. This is where the most unexpected turn came in my perspective. I said to myself "well I am going to give Buenos Aires a free pass, Collect 200$ after GO and we will see eachother another time, at which point I can better judge the place". This realization was a HUGE revelation for me, and it would quickly teach me that self-judgment and criticism are useless when it comes to bettering ourselves and the world around us. Instead of focusing on what is wrong or what we perceive as our failures, we should strive to have hope and faith in the potential for change and growth. This is not about existentialism or being negative or positive. It is about looking at where you are and saying "Okay this is what you have, and you have been through this, and this, and that, and now is not the time to get down on yourself because you are not XYZ...". I realized that in the future, I would return to Buenos Aires with a clearer mind and a more open heart, ready to make a more informed judgement about the famous capital city. And in turn, I realized that I should apply this same mindset to myself and my own journey. Our brain is wired to think about every little detail and possibility, but no matter what we do and how much we think we know everything, it just isn't so. In any given moment, we cannot fully grasp all the details and complexities of a situation. It is important to remember this and to have compassion and understanding, both for ourselves and for others. So, to anyone out there who may be feeling down on themselves or their circumstances, remember that this too shall pass. Have faith in the temporary nature of things and believe in your own ability to grow and improve. You are stronger and more capable than you realize, and it is important to have compassion and understanding for yourself, even when you are struggling or facing difficult circumstances. Instead of judging and criticizing yourself, try to have patience and grace, and remember that you are always on a journey of learning and growth. When the years go by, and you look back on who you were, and how you used to think about things, you will notice how much things have changed, and how you changed too. For the better. What about you, have you had a similar experience when you travelled somewhere? I would love to know, so leave a comment! PS: My Youtube channel series "Amar @ SABF" is a great way to see what went down in Buenos Aires. Until next time, Amar Comments are closed.
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