So, another year coming to an end. As always, I did not realize a bit how time just flew by. My son has grown a year older from that tiny white rat that he looked like when he was born, he has learned few number tables, few more soccer tricks etc. My husband, in between working out and not-working-out has ended up gaining some more weight. My sister decided to tie the knot and thinks will be happier for the rest of her life, folks back home think they have a healthier life with more sugar testing machines at home.
I have grown from what I was(not in terms of age only) to a bigger person. I have come out of rotten negativity. Learned to respect myself, and most importantly, loving myself a little more (the wrinkles haven’t made me fall out of love for sure).
Time will go by like this, year after year with a blink of an eyelid. What you are left with always is an opportunity to sit in a corner with a hot cup of coffee looking at a big projector playing your life. Oh, Facebook does an awesome job of showing you the memories too. Yes, that’s what it is. Amidst all these time-flying moments, there is a lesson or two learned here and there, if you look carefully.
When you look back, your life experiences are treasures for you to grow old. But some people are lucky enough to learn good things the easy way and not necessarily suffer to learn and that is for people like me wanting and loving to share things like this way. So here you go.
1. Do Not Let Them Say You Are Not Good
Pardon my French, but bullshit! I say, do not let them say you are not good. You are what you are because each one of us is a born superstar. Nothing more. Nothing less. SUPERSTARS!
You might not be good at what you have just done and it could be just that. That might not be that one thing which brings out the best in you, maybe you need to learn a little more or maybe, just a bad day. But, my friend, you are good. Believe in the superstar in you and keep moving.
2. Fail But Grow
Fail early, learn, get up – repeat. Somebody wise mentioned about TGIF – Thank God I failed. Well, so true.
Let not the learning stop. Let not the failure finish you. Let not the rock bottom knock you down. We fail, we learn, we grow. When you stop being a student for life that is when life stops bestowing you with beautiful experiences.
3. Take Feedback And Introspect
Everybody has something to say. Something to offer. There will be very few within that lot who would care to give valuable and negative feedback – basically your critic. You would be lucky if you have that “Two and a half men” who would show you your real self, criticise you and contribute towards your growth. Introspect the critic, accept it and work on it. Everyday.
4. Value Life And Go Beyond Social Media
I am probably about to lose one of my closest friends to a terrible life sucking disease – Cancer. He’s fighting still with pain but very strongly. A few months back, he was hospitalized for a surgery in my part of the town. Later Facebook told me that he is recovering because he was vacationing with his family. I failed to see beyond those pictures. I failed to get time to pick up the call to ask how it went, what happened. It was important for me to know he was in good health and his family recovered from the surgery turmoil which can take anyone down.
Pick up the phone and call. Don’t message HBD on their birthdays(least you can do is write a complete Happy Birthday), go visit them or do a video chat. Make time, give them your time. They will value it because when you are on your death bed, you might not want to look at the selfies you posted on Facebook but the memories you created with your loved ones.
5. Keep Quiet When You Are Fuming
Oh, that’s an art! In years, I have learned that craft so well. I would fume and puke out acidic words which I would realize later, I didn’t even mean to say.
Take deep breaths, keep quiet and if that does not help, walk away. Do that, practice it (even if you feel like throwing a cup of coffee on his/her face) and you would keep the ones who mean something to you in your life.
Books can only make you intelligent but the multi-colored life experiences will make you a wise soul. Love yourself. Respect yourself. Applaud yourself because you are lucky enough to be breathing. Live!
image: source