So as you guys may or may not know, I'm on holiday at the moment. What's great about being on holiday is that it gives you plenty of time to think about where you have been and where you want to be. Since I've been in Mexico, I've been doing a lot of reflecting. I believe that reflection is super important, because at the end of the day, all we really want is to be happy right? So these are some of the things that I've been thinking about this holiday. Bare with me, as I feel like this post is going to be more of a diary entry than anything else.
Success
So my one brother is a scuba diver instructor and the other one is partner at Accenture- very different careers but they are both doing what they love, thus, they both view themselves as being successful. So my older brother gave me a super helpful tip today, he said "Define success. Once you've figured out what you want in life, ensure that every move you make after that gets you closer to your goal." With that being said, he wasn't very pleased to hear about my ideas regarding teaching English in Thailand (shrug, you can't make everyone happy).
Not caring what others think
Most people say that they don't care about what others think about them. However, these people are probably lying. There are very few people who are able to adopt this type of mindset. However, these holidays I've been thinking about what I want. This is important because, if you think about it, Sarah might not like what you are doing, but is Sarah going to be in your life forever? No. Screw Sarah. Sarah can do what she wants, and you should be able to do what you want.
Learning compassion
With this being said, not caring about what others think doesn't give you a free ticket to act recklessly and irresponsibly. It is important to treat others with respect and compassion, what I've been working on these holidays is listening. I'm one of those people who love to tell stories, so I often talk too much and don't listen enough. However, next time you have a chat with someone, just try to listen and understand.
Bring exercise into your daily routine
This is basic science. Running releases endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Also, people are goal orientated and running is a great way of setting goals for yourself. So, instead of waking up at 9 every morning, wake up at 8 and go for a jog. I do this religiously and trust me, it takes all of the bad energy away.
Get off Facebook and get into nature
So I'm incredibly close to deleting my Facebook and Instagram account. Unfortunately, in events management, doing searches on social media is a big part of the job. But the thing is, it makes me doubt myself. I see all of these people doing such amazing things with their lives... However, people only post the good stuff, none of the bad, result: everybody just ends up competing who has the better life. From now on, I'm going to spend less time on social media and I'm going to make sure that I do something adventurous once a day. Whether its a run in the park, a walk on the beach or a camping weekend.
The importance of being alone
As boring as it sounds, spending time by yourself is super important. Achieving goals by yourself is important. Being young and single is important. You need to discover who you are and what you want. You need to figure out what you stand for, what you believe in and who you want to be, without the influence of somebody else.
The importance of love
With this being said, loving somebody is one of the most amazing, if not the most amazing feelings in the entire World. If you find someone who you love and who loves you, don't run away after your first fight. I've been thinking about this a lot these holidays, and I've realized that love is something which is worth fighting for. With that being said, I can't wait to get back to Cape Town and spend some quality time with the one I love.
Chanel your energy into something creative
I once read an article which described how remedial creativity is. Me? I enjoy blogging on Steemit, decorating and cooking. I love looking through different types of fashion magazines, interior decorating magazines, anything that keeps me up to date with trends and gets my creative juices flowing.
Change your environment and do something peaceful
Prayer, mediation, yoga. It may sound very "peace love happiness", but it's important for a strong and peaceful mind. Also, if you're feeling a bit frustrated, why not try and change your environment? Whether it's going to family for the weekend, or moving to a different city. A change of environment is healthy. I'm thinking about moving next year. Why not? Change is good.
Thanks Pinterest for all the pictures.