I sometimes struggle with two things – dwelling on the past a bit too much and wondering if I’m cool enough for my friends.

After reading the Futatsume Debut arc in Akane-banashi, I started to feel a little different about my struggles. Especially after seeing the following scenes in Chapters 96 and 97 of the manga.

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The initial premise of the series involved Akane Arakawa’s father, Shinta Arakara, being expelled from the rakugo scene. He ends up being a regular salesman, but is moving forward. That’s the most important thing. It’s okay if you feel like you can’t move on from bad stuff that happened. But definitely take steps to go forward. They don’t have to be big ones as long as you do it.

Plus I feel like we tend to overvalue super-bad experiences involving other people especially if we’re on the receiving end of them. We think that life as we know it is over. But you know what, those experiences tend to help us grow and learn. They also make you more resilient than you think.

Life situations changing dramatically doesn’t mean it will turn out bad. They can go in either direction, but I like to think that we got this somehow. I’ve always felt that I couldn’t move forward from certain experiences, but here I am enjoying life for what it’s worth still.

The scene featuring Akane and her friends is relatable. I do believe that we get anxious over how we truly fit in with others in the world. We want people to like us, but we’re afraid to show our vulnerabilities. Sometimes, we are a bit much. Akane is the definition of someone who can be a bit much. I know I act like her at times. It’s okay though. Akane’s friends are telling her that she’s already enough. That’s because Akane is so comfortable in her own skin that she should just be herself during rakugo.

Sometimes, being ourselves can drive other people away. But it definitely attracts other people who will genuinely appreciate you. As I said earlier, it goes both ways. I continue to learn this as I continue to meet new people in my life.

And if you’re going to be moving forward while being more natural, definitely do it with a smile. That’s what will make you look really cool and take on life’s challenges.