Why count on 2018 to be better when you should look at making each day count and make each day better. Who defines years and puts a start and stop to things? Life exists only of moments, so if you make the moment matter, it all matters. Don’t see things in years but in everyday, start today.
What a great past few months it’s been; fulfilling, satisfying, humbling – I’m truly blessed, thankful and mostly, content with all the great experiences, lessons and success won or lost; still a success.
10 Key lessons I have learned over these past few months and will continue to adopt to leading a fulfilled life:
- Having gratitude
“The secret of happiness is to count your blessings while others are adding up their troubles.” ~William Penn. Did you know that gratitude has been scientifically proven to strengthen your immune system and make you happier and more optimistic. Try to replace complaints with gratitude; I replace it with thoughts of what I am thankful for.
- Living a simple life
We put all the pressures on ourselves, we follow social norms too often and are not true to who we are. We focus on possessions and not experiences. Focus less on things and more on moments. Track your time. Ive been paying more attention to how much time I am spending on doing things that add no value. Life is about choices. Making the choice to live life in a simpler way is something that can be done.
- Adaptability
Change is fluid. The need for adaptability has never been greater than it is now. To adapt you must be open to change, which means you must have the will, emotional tolerance, mental fortitude, spiritual guidance to not only face uncertainty but smack it in the face and press on. Adaptable people see opportunity where others see failure. My view, ‘To adapt is to grow’.
- Patience
Good things come to those who wait but not to those who wait to late…I have learned to sabr (an Arabic word for patience). Having patience means being able to wait calmly in the face of frustration or adversity – we have the opportunity to practice it; remove emotion and goodness will prevail. Patience involves waiting out life’s hardships without frustration or despair.
- Determination
See your life and future as totally within your control. There’s a quote often credited to Ignatius: “Pray as if the Almighty will take care of all; act as if all is up to you.” (Cool quote.) Set your mind to something make it happen – for me, personal development, work life integration, moving to a new city, a healthier lifestyle; all thanks to the Almighty but the decisions and efforts leading up to it is the way in which it has been driven; by me. Through determination and focus.
- Focus
Focus on the things that matter. Learn to ignore the things you have no control over. Mental strength is like muscle strength, no one has an unlimited supply. So why waste your power on things you can’t control? Focus on things you can control. I have been more focused on my personal development, being able to write more has allowed me the mental agility and focus needed for many things.
- Impress yourself
Don’t focus on others, only yourself, do what makes you happy. No one likes you for your possessions, your title, or your accomplishments. Genuine relationships make you happier, and you’ll only form genuine relationships when you stop trying to impress others and start trying to just be yourself. And you’ll have a lot more mental energy to spend on the people who really do matter in your life. True story.
- Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one’s attention to experiences occurring in the present moment. Whenever you bring awareness to what you’re directly experiencing via your senses, or to your state of mind via your thoughts and emotions, you’re being mindful. Balance in one’s life is key and doing more yoga and focusing on my practice has allowed me this.
- Work hard; play hard
The point is, you don’t have to just focus on the ‘thing’ you’re doing, but why you are doing it, how you doing it and with who you doing it with. Work hard but don’t forget to spoil yourself and enjoy the efforts and fruits of your labour – if you need to have a change of scenery, go on a short break, that’s what keeps me sane, short trips away allows me to see the difference between breathing and living.
10. Relationships
The above has all been possible through the most important relationships I have; one with the Almighty, and the other with my best friend and pillar of strength, my husband. I thank him for his tenacity, authenticity, inner strength and for being true to himself, he has inspired me to take many risks and make many hard decisions.
What an absolute blast its been – ‘When life beckons, let go and hold on…….make each day count’.