It was my birthday a few days ago.
I’ll share with you some of the harsh things I’ve noticed, experienced and understood about life in general. Some of you may define them as negative. I’d rather say they are realistic.
And yes, that’s not the most positive post I’ve written. But I think it’s an important one.
Here they are:
1. Years from now you’ll regret the things you never did.
So be open for new things, people, look for opportunities and experience life.
2. Perspective is everything.
If you expect the best, stay inspired, do what you love, live simply, eliminate everything unnecessary, love and are grateful, your life will be a fairy tale.
If you, on the other hand, expect the worst to happen, surround yourself with mediocre and negative people, overanalyze the past events, have regrets, don’t live consciously in the present and spend your time doing things you don’t really enjoy, this same life you’re given will be a nightmare.
So choose the one you want, work on it now and live with the consequences.
3. If people don’t approve your way of thinking, if society doesn’t agree with you, don’t worry.
You’re most probably an individual and have found a way not to be a part of the crowd. That’s praiseworthy.
4. This too shall pass.
You may get your heart broken, you may be hurt, you may feel lonely and have no one to count on, or you may be in an accident, get beaten, robbed or suffer from a disease or depression, you may feel hopeless and lose any point to live… but you must never forget that this will go away.
You can still move on.
Breathe deeply, learn from what happened, accept it and leave the scene stronger than ever. Life goes on. You decide whether or not you’ll move forward too.
5. Don’t let money be a factor to depend on.
Find out how to have a regular income now so that you don’t spend the rest of your life worrying about that.
6. Cherish your good friends.
Most of them will still be by your side 10 years from now. Spend time with them and keep that friendship alive.
7. Break free from your comfort zone.
The only time when you can feel your true potential and powers and live life to the fullest is when you dare to go out of your comfort zone and overcome your fears by doing exactly what you’re afraid of.
8. If you don’t like something, eliminate it from your life.
If you love someone, tell him. If you have an idea, share it and try to make it a reality.
Things are simple. Don’t complicate them by overthinking and eventually doing the wrong thing.
9. Forgive even those who’ve hurt you the most.
This way you won’t have unfinished business and negative energy to carry with you for your whole life.
10. Turn great pain into a great motivator and a reason to succeed.
11. Learn to let go.
If you don’t, all the events, people, thoughts and stuff from your past will be a burden in your future.
12. Happiness is an inner state.
Don’t seek happiness in things, people or stuff from the outer world.
Remember how a poor person can be more contented than a rich one, someone with one good friend can be happier than the one who has many. Even if you go to the most exotic island, have dinner in the most luxurious restaurant, have employees work for you and people to do anything for you, you can still be the most miserable person in the world.
Instead, you should feel the abundance of what you already have. Realize that there’s nothing missing and things can only get better. Look around, be grateful.
Share your joy with others, make peace with yourself and live consciously.
13. Some of the things we spend time doing may be pointless.
Beware of your actions because at some point you can realize you’ve spent years trying to save a relationship that was meant to fail, hours reading a book that is just not for you, months learning a new language you never practiced, decades of having a job you can’t stand and so on.
14. You should always believe in people.
The fact that one person disappointed you doesn’t mean you should doubt every next person that comes in your life.
15. Others are not superior to you.
Authorities, teachers, managers, bosses, friends or more successful people than you – all of them are not superior to you.
They don’t have control over your way of thinking and acting, can’t give you directions in life (even though they try all the time) and even if they do, it’s their version of how life should be. That doesn’t mean it’s the right one.
16. Acceptance is powerful.
The earlier you accept things as they are, realize that everything is possible and truly believe in your abilities, the sooner the universe will answer your calls and help you get what you want.
17. We are all looking for something to take away the pain.
It may be: alcohol, drugs, painkillers, a person, money, hazard, religion, nightlife, sport, career, creating, arts or else.
Your job is to choose one of the last ones and make something beautiful out of it.
18. Nothing will improve if you don’t realize that now everything is perfect just the way it is.
Understand that, appreciate it and then strive for change and improvement.
19. Give and expect nothing in return.
That’s the best investment you can make.
20. Don’t strive for money, the top of a career, fame or luxury.
Once you got it, you’ll be even more miserable.
It’s not a coincidence that rarely rich people are happy and many businessmen and successful leaders have turned to frugal life after seeing the emptiness of the rich one.
21. The sun always rises after a storm.
After sunset there comes the sunrise. After a crisis in the economy, comes a boom.
So whatever life throws at you, stay strong because better times are coming.
22. Going to university and getting a degree doesn’t make you an expert.
Sometimes, when you don’t get the most out of this institution and education – like the right connections, specialized knowledge, practice and student’s life – you’ve most probably wasted the last 4-5 years of your life. And they could have been spent in something more productive.
I don’t say don’t go to college/university. I’m just saying that if it’s not your thing and have many other ideas and personal projects, you should work on them all the time.
>> Check out my book Finding The 1 Thing You Were Born to Do
23. If you’re on your own in life, you’ll often feel lonely and with no support.
Just remember that you’re the only support you’re looking for. Others will try to discourage you, even claim you’re crazy. But all geniuses, successful people, artists, adventurers and those who have a passion and dedicated their time and energy to the things they believe in, felt the same way.
So keep going! You’re on the right track.
24. Time is your most precious possession and the thing you can’t get back.
So make a wise use of it.
25. The sooner you figure out what you want in life, the better.
Think over your purpose, goals, plans, needs and wants now so that you don’t deal with it later and you can have a clear direction and path to follow.
26. The best day of your life can be today if you just decide so.
It can also be another wasted one.
27. Be careful what you put in your mind.
If you learn to ignore the negative thoughts and replace them for positive ones from an earlier age, your life will be good.
28. Focus on your successes.
If you’re paying too much attention to your failures in the past, things won’t get any better.
29. Live life in your own unique way.
Make your own choices and mistakes. Try what you want, study, work and live wherever you want. Many people end up regretting living a life by someone else’s standards. Don’t become one of them.
So Happy Birthday to me and I hope you enjoyed the post. Feel free to add other lessons you’ve learnt through the years. I’d love to hear them.