Few months
ago on a cold and chilly day in December I was having my morning coffee,
browsing on the internet and thinking about my life. That time, I was not happy
at all: I did not like my job; I felt useless and thought that no one appreciated
me or my efforts. I did not have much free time, however I spent my days off solely
with things I had to do but did not enjoy the least, such as grocery shopping,
cleaning and doing other household chores. I felt guilty and missed my “previous
life” when I felt good, was able to find the time for exercising my creative
skills, doing regular workout and meeting friends who really inspired me.
After I moved to a new country
and faced some challenges and unexpected difficulties, I started to lose my
interest in my own passions. I felt isolated and simply being
stuck into a life that was not exactly the one that I could relate to myself at
all. I made a list of
things that I was not happy with that time and another one including everything
that I am grateful for, my small and big successes from the present and the
past. I only needed two slips of paper and a pen. Yet, the mental work that I
did became the base of my motivation to finally initiate some serious changes
in my lifestyle. I would really recommend doing a little self-analysis to
anyone who feels that things are not going quite right in their career and/or
private lives. Although recognizing that you need to change is only the first
step of a long, exhausting and risky journey, it is the main and most powerful
trigger that will keep you going through the process.I made a list of
things that I was not happy with that time and another one including everything
that I am grateful for, my small and big successes from the present and the
past. I only needed two slips of paper and a pen. Yet, the mental work that I
did became the base of my motivation to finally initiate some serious changes
in my lifestyle. I would really recommend doing a little self-analysis to
anyone who feels that things are not going quite right in their career and/or
private lives. Although recognizing that you need to change is only the first
step of a long, exhausting and risky journey, it is the main and most powerful
trigger that will keep you going through the process.
Now, I would
like to share the Four Secrets that
I encountered at the beginning of my journey towards discovering my real passions:
Experimenting
Regardless what changes you want to
invite into your life, you will take risks and decisions that might result in
failure. As soon as you step outside of your comfort-zone, you will feel
vulnerable and think that “everyone else is doing better than you”. Either you
enroll yourself to a course in photography or take up yoga; you will be a
beginner in the first times. Starting a change involves making
mistakes of which most of us feel ashamed and humiliated. Remember that if you are afraid of adventures and do not dare
to experiment, you will never find your true passion, thus you will never experience real happiness and could not live a wholesome life.
Asking for Help
Everyone has been a beginner
many-many times in their lives and they always will be from time-to time. No
one thinks that it is ridiculous that you cannot do 60 minutes hardcore workout
every day or that you should feel ashamed for not knowing how to take a good
picture. Others with more experience have good intentions and are happy to give
support for those in need. Believing in yourself is the most important thing regarding
your happiness but trust in others is also essential. Instead of isolating
yourself into perfectionism and self-pride, be social and brave enough to ask
for help. Do not feel ashamed of your temporary incompetence or limited
results! As your yoga-pals or the other members of the photo-class were once
beginners as well, they still remember the challenges of the early days and are
looking forward to help you. Accept your limitations but aim for improvement!
If you feel overwhelmed, do not be afraid to talk about your problems and turn
to other people; they are ready to support you.
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| picture: Pinterest |
Dare to Fail!
While discovering your special talents
and developing your skills, it is inevitable to make mistakes or take decisions
that sometimes lead to unfavorable outcomes. Accept your failures and be objective! See, analyze
and learn from your faults but do not waste too much time with self-doubt and feeling guilty because of having said something wrong, eaten something
sugary or skipping your exercise. There are no good or bad decisions, things
are not black or white in life. Taking risks might feel unpleasant from time to
time but you will not be able to succeed without acknowledging both your
failures and successes.
Be Adaptable!
Lifestyle change not only requires
planning and organization, but patience and flexibility as well. It is
essential to have a strategy in order to convert your old, harmful habits into
beneficial ones, but from time-to-time you might need to revise your plan. As
you and your general circumstances change, you will have different aims or
expectations. If you realize that training in a gym makes you feel
uncomfortable, try exercising at home or in the park. As soon as the 15-minutes exercise proves to be to easy for you, do 30 minutes workout every other day! Similarly, if you do not
enjoy the journalism course, because you don’t like to read aloud your articles
in public, then start a blog and practice writing on your own in the comfort of
your home. Whatever new habit you try to employ, make sure that you enjoy the process and be adaptable; planning and organisaton
is good but you might want to stop for a minute sometimes and see the results. Ask yourself how do you
really feel and add new or remove undesirable elements. The main thing is to feel good!
Thanks to the Four Secrets, I have a healthy approach
to difficulties in my life and feel being totally in charge for my own happiness.
