‘It is what it is’: My current life status
We use the phrase “It is what it is” to convey some sort of acceptance, particularly in instances where we are powerless to alter the present situation.
Have you ever felt disappointment when something didn’t turn out the way you had hoped? Or because you are unable to change the circumstances, you get upset? or has your interest waned? Because I do—always.
I used to be frequently disappointed and frustrated over circumstances that were beyond my control. In situations that I did not wish to occur. It seems like fate has planned for me to feel this way. As I grew older, I simply became accustomed to it. I’m used to simply accepting what comes my way. Particularly, when it comes to circumstances over which I am aware that I have no control. And I now live by this as my life mantra.
“It is what it is”
A quick history of this expression. The phrase “It is what it is,” as reported by the New York Times, first appeared in a 1949 essay by J.E. Lawrence called The Nebraska State Journal. Lawrence popularized the phrase to express the challenges of living on the Nebraska frontier. Well, I don’t think we have to dig into this.
But in the lens of our personal lives, some of us have used this phrase frequently, whether at work, at home, in school, or at any moment in our life. Typically, we use this phrase to convey some sort of acceptance, particularly in instances where we are powerless to alter the present situation. But in reality, we make use of this phrase because we have no other option. In the face of some events and circumstances , we are forced to acknowledge our helplessness. Do you realize, though, that following this adage has its ups and downs?
“It is what it is” as a positive mindset
Living by this mantra has been really helpful for me. First of all, recognizing reality and the fact that some things are beyond our control can be a useful coping mechanism in challenging circumstances. I find it helpful to move on from the things I can’t alter right away and focus on those that I can. Because of this, I am not stagnant in life and I can move forward. In addition, I used this to help me remain composed and rooted in the face of unforeseen difficulties.
This mindset does not always have this impact on me, though. I might have initially thought it was a positive thing, but now I don’t. I’ve now come to the realization that it’s hard to get used to this life mantra. That living by this adage is tough simply because I’ve grown accustomed to it.
The challenge of living by the saying “It is what it is”
While this concept can be a good coping approach to what I’m going through personally, living by it is never simple. I’m getting used to simply accepting things without even trying. Because what was in my mind, “Why should I try when I’ll just end up disappointed?” or “what happened has happened, there is nothing I can do“. I am aware that this is how my mindset is becoming as I face different challenges in life. This is my current lift status, just accepting the events in my life, just like the lyrics from one of the songs of Air Supply, “Come what may” and “Que sera sera”, as the Spaniards would say.
Well, I may be thinking in this way because I’m beginning to lose hope. I no longer have faith that great things will come into my life and have a pessimistic outlook about it. I hate to say that it has a bad impact on me to the extent that I no longer feel enthused with what my future could look like.
