Last week was my 25th anniversary. For me celebrating my birthday is a big thing but sometimes I get a bit melancholic.
This year, I had an awful day so I asked myself what could I possibly celebrate. It took me a few days to realise that was the perfect moment to celebrate and welcome The New Me.
My one and only New Year’s resolution was to find my happiness and devote myself more to what makes me feel alive. In the last few months I spent my time trying to find a new meaning in life and understand what’s my new definition of success.
I’ve realized how much I’ve changed since I was eighteen – so young and so naive. I’ve discovered that the grown ups world is not what I thought would be. When I realise the world we live in sometimes I think that we are the most violent and awful species on earth.
But then, comes the good part, the beautiful side of life and human existence. I believe in the small things that make us happy, like a child who smiles, the smell of a flower, the kindness of a friend, a mother who protects her child and the great feeling of helping others.
I’ve asked myself what I’ve learned from life, what I’ve done for the others and, most important, what I gave back to life compared with what life offered me.
The truth is, I don’t know much now and that’s okay. But I certainly realised some important facts about who I am and what defines me.
Here are some of the most useful things I’ve realised over the years:
- Happiness is a choice and comes from within. Everything you need in order to be happy and find your purpose in life is already there. Take care of your soul and understand who you are.
- Love. There are many types of love we feel during a lifetime and it’s very important to learn how to make the difference. There is healthy love and bad love. Don’t stay in unhealthy relationships and understand where love comes from and what makes it grow.
- Family. There is nothing more important than that.
- Friendship. Never forget to take care of a great friendship. Be a good friend and always give back to the people who are close to you, especially during the dark night periods.
- Time. Our most limited and priceless resource that we’ll never get back once is wasted.
- Work. Don’t work for the others, work for yourself. Stay in the right environment, work on the stuff you like, surround yourself with people smarter than you and never stop learning. When you feel like there is nothing to take or give back, is time to move on!
- Money. It’s not only about how much money we make but also how much money we spend. Don’t ever expect to buy happiness!
- Timing is more important than I ever thought. I think we all go through stages in life and it’s better to get what we want when we are really ready for it. …
- Failure. There is no such thing. There is the winning game and the learning curve. Look at life from different perspectives and don’t be afraid to walk on your own path.
- Nature. Practice the art of giving and receiving. If you take something from nature, be grateful and show respect. Don’t be just another human. Be responsible and don’t forget to avoid waste of any type, to recycle, to plant trees and every time when you drink or use water, don’t be greedy.
- Health. It’s not enough to take care of our bodies; we also need to take care of our mind and soul.
- Accept more and judge less.
- Don’t let others define you. We are unique and special. Build a strong personality and know yourself. We are like seeds that need to find the right soil to grow. Make sure that in every important stage of your life, you find yours!
- Be kind. Help, give more to the others and don’t expect something back.
- Don’t be afraid to walk alone. We all need support, self-confidence and people around to help us. But there are moments in life when everything we need is the courage to step out and be on our own. The only person available to rely on is you and you need to be strong and ready for whatever happens.
- Be you. Don’t be a product of a sick society. Choose the life you want to live and write your own story.
- Dare to dream, fail, learn, and fall, to give up and then try again. Dare to do what hasn’t been done yet and step into the unknown.
- Challenge yourself. From trying new stuff and experimenting with life, to solving the problems you hate the most. Don’t run because you are scared. Live a conscious life and meet all of your fears.
- Success. There is always a big price we pay in order to achieve success. How can we make sure that what we value at 30s we’ll not hate at 50’s?
- Attitude. Sometimes is easy, sometimes is hard. But there is nothing right or wrong. Is just the way you build the reality around you and the way you choose to look at life – positive and confident or scared and hopeless.