Hello everyone!
There have been a lot that’s going on…both personally as well as professionally. And as we are at a time, which is almost the close of a decade, and I thought that it was the best time to do a bit of reflection. I had celebrated my 26th birthday yesterday and very interestingly, I grabbed a pen and paper and noted down all the lessons that I learnt so far on my time being here. And I must say that I was flattered by the amount of learnings that I had encountered in this short period of time.
More so, I must admit that I have been doing a lot of journaling and self-reflection to get in touch with my inner voice a lot more.
I won’t get into the nitty gritty details, but I do feel like today is as good a time as any to take a little snapshot of myself. A moment, frozen in time, as I turn 26. I know that I will likely change my mind about many of the things that I write here.
But for now, let’s dive straight in 😊
1. Gratitude is a true weapon – Trust me when I say this, even when things were going haywire in my life, there wasn’t an inkling of hope to what lied ahead of me. Even though I couldn’t see the whole picture, I envisioned a life where I am happy and started being thankful for all the small things that I possessed in my life. This tiny shift in my mindset really did make one hell of a difference. I am not saying that I started seeing things overnight, but eventually, everything started falling into place.
2. Morning pages can rule your mood – I have stressed a lot more times on my blog posts as well as other social media handles, about the amazing tactics of journaling.
Thanks to YouTube, I have learnt and inculcated this amazing art that can make an everlasting impact in one’s life. The point is not to beat yourself up in practicing it. But rather, to be brutally honest with yourself sans filters
3. Health is the biggest form of wealth – I must admit that I learnt this lesson the hard way. I overworked myself to the point where my body was giving me all the red flags, but I kept on ignoring it and just whiz past it. Soon my body couldn’t handle the pressure and I started losing my health in a way that I never wanted it to be. It’s when you’re completely sick, do you realize the sanctity of your health. Your body is your home and its you who needs to take care of it.
4. Eating healthy is non-negotiable - As young adults, there is so much out there that we need to conquer. Eating right should never taken be lightly. In all fairness, food is all that can give us the much-needed boost of metabolism and energy.
5. Your job does not define you - “I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as making a ‘life.’” ~Maya Angelou
It took me a long time to realize that my work didn’t have to define me. All that mattered was that I could pay my bills, which was the only reason for doing this. You need to realize that works serves as a wand to your purpose and that alone that doesn’t encompass your whole self. Remind yourself why you are here, why you are doing this job, and what you are getting out of it. Remember there is a reason for it, and that reason is to pay the bills, the rent, or buy food, and that’s it. You are a planner, an achiever, and you are courageous enough to do what has to be done to make sure your dreams happen.
6. Cut off all toxic ties - Out of all the habits that I have inculcated, this one is my favorite. Don’t get me wrong here. It took me 3 to 4 years to completely understand the importance of mental health and the art of letting go of certain people from our lives. I can honestly admit that, be it friends or family, whoever has made me feel low, made me drain my energy or even made feel unworthy and guilty, I have ruthlessly cut them off my life. This took me a while because, initially, I was skeptical in doing this step, because I felt, I would need them in times of help. But later I realized, I was well off without them. There are many occasions in which I have deleted or even blocked certain contacts from my social network and personal handle and trust me guys, every time I did that, there was one voice inside me that said “ That’s my girl!”. And that was my heart appreciating me in taking one small step towards my peace of mind.
7. Overworking ain’t gonna serve you right - There's no doubt that technology has simplified the way we carry out our day-to-day routines. Computers help us do things faster, emails and text messages let us always be in touch, and the internet makes it easy to find the answer to any question with just a quick Google search. But working overtime has become the norm for most people. And now that multiple offices have embraced remote work, the lines between the end of the work day and the start of personal time can get even blurrier. This can be stopped only when you realize that you are easily replaceable and that you need to pay attention to your life more than your job.
8. Your body isn’t a productivity tool – Lets admit this. Our life has gone for a complete toss, ever since the onset of this pandemic. Wherever you turn, you find people making the best use of this opportunity, showcasing their skills, starting a side hustle or even launching their own online business. While all this is quite inspiring for most of us to get started, there has been a flip side to this story. It’s just that, we need to understand that most of our lifestyles are different and let’s face it, not everyone has the luxury to make the most use of this time. With that being said, we shouldn’t force ourselves to be productive 24*7 which can only harm us in the longer run.
9. Death is inevitable – It is when someone whom you love dearly passes away do you understand the concept of life. Life is a gift and for sure tomorrow is not promised at all. You have got just today and make sure that you tell someone how much you love them (be it friends, partner or family). That’s because you never know when the last conversation might be
10. Seeking validation is just cringe - It is reasonable for anyone to want their ideas, choices, achievements, or opinions validated by those around them. Validation is part of being interdependent and relying on the feedback and encouragement of others around us. Even very independent people still need validation in some aspects of their life; however, they are also able to accept their own self-validation if they do not get it from someone else. The problem arises when self-validation is not possible or is not valued. In other words, if an individual puts the opinion, approval, or recognition of someone else over their own feelings, they will need that external, other person's validation on an ongoing basis which in turn can be internally damaging.
11. What others talk about you is none of your business - What someone thinks of you is not only none of your business but it's simply their opinion from their perspective. Just like what you think about them is your opinion about them all seen through your own lens. Everybody has their own preferences in life. Hence, the only aspect that we can control is not to be a people pleaser.
12. Financial independence augments your momentum in life – Working for close to 5 years, I can honestly admit that financial independence is paramount. You are single or married or about to get married, all this shouldn’t come in your way of having a strong financial plan. If you are single, either by choice or by circumstance, you need to create a master plan that provides a sense of direction of how to steer your finances.
13. Spending some time alone is divine - Seeking solitude can be quite fulfilling and healthy. In today's constantly connected world, finding solitude has become a lost art. We tend to equate a desire for solitude with people who are lonely, sad, or in depression. But I can guarantee you from my own experience, that spending some time alone allows you to reboot your brain and unwind.
14.You are the only one who can save you - Sometimes nobody really understands how crushed we are on the inside. We are just lost souls wandering around the earth trying to make sense of how to fill out the blank books handed to us. It is not always that everything is going to be like in the movie. There will be painful seasons, miserable ones. But we must be harder again and again. And that is why only YOU can save YOURSELF.
15. Don’t force yourself to be someone you’re not - We all have been/are there at a point, wherein we feel that we are showing ourselves to be someone who is way different than what we are. In this way, not only are we feeling guilty, but we lose our authenticity slowly at this point.
16. Material things doesn’t guarantee happiness - The pursuit and purchase of physical possessions will never fully satisfy our desire for happiness. It may result in temporary joy for some, but the happiness found in buying a new item rarely lasts longer than a few days. In the end, they begin to fade and it does not quench our desire for contentment
17. You need to stand up for yourself - Sometimes it seems easier to go with the flow to avoid potential conflict. But the truth is that letting people walk all over you can increase feelings of stress and anxiety, and it might eventually lessen your feelings of self-worth and play to your insecurities. Standing up for yourself is simply having confidence in the authenticity of your feelings and the validity of your worth. So, stand up straight and speak up when it matters. You'll find yourself feeling a little braver each time you do.
18. It is impossible to pour from an empty cup - One cannot pour from an empty cup. Taking the time to replenish your energy with a small, personal self-care ritual can act as a reminder that you count too. It’s not just enough to survive anything. In order to grow in life, you need to learn and thrive.
19. Breakups are a wake-up call - Breakups are indeed a wake up call. This could mean that you’re dropping the ball in the relationship and you’re no longer the person that he or she fell in love with. It could also be a sign that this person is not the one you’re supposed to be with. Though it is easier said than done, one can’t eventually come out of it all of a sudden. But it can happen only as days progresses.
20.Forgiveness is empowering - To withhold forgiveness keeps alive emotions of hurt, anger and blame which discolor your perception of life. To forgive, avoid ruminating on thoughts of being wronged. Rather, trust the power of forgiveness to heal the hurt and pain. By holding on to pain and resentment, you suffer because the sorrow is intensified to keep it alive.
21. Everything is temporary - When we really think about it, the only thing truly permanent in this life is change. Everything is temporary, Emotions, thoughts, people and scenery. Do not get attached, just flow with it. What this tells all of us is that NOW is the time. Because right now is temporary.
22. Your success won’t look like someone else’s - Success is open to many interpretations. For some it means a high-paying career. Others might define success as having money and owning stuff. Others may base their success off how much they can produce. Some just want happiness and health. The point is how you define success in your own terms.
23. Be accountable for your own actions - Self accountability is not just a mindset, it is also a skill set that can be learned. It requires us to be fully responsible for our own actions rather than pointing fingers at someone else.
24. Family is all that matters - When we are faced with a crisis, uncertainty clouds our judgement. When the life of one that we love dearly is threatened, we automatically turn to God, pleading for his grace and mercy to be with us. We realize that our family is everything we have. There is nothing more important or sacred than the love we have for one another.
25. Inspire yourself - Sometimes we all lose inspiration to achieve goals, succeed in our everyday lives and work, and think creatively. Whether you are an artist that wants to produce more creative work; a person with a specific goal in work, education, or fitness; or simply someone who wants to regain enthusiasm for life, learn to get back in touch with the well of inspiration present in all of us. Instead of impressing another, turn the chairs around to yourself
26. Disconnection is essential - Disconnecting yourself is one of the keys to happiness. Life demands too much from us. Escaping for a while allows us to take that weight off our shoulders and slow down our pace
So, here are my 26 life lessons that I have learned from my time on this planet
Hope this gives you some amazing takeaways
Happy reading!
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