Today I turned 29 years old. 🥳
So I decided to compile the top life lessons I’ve learned throughout my 29 years of existence on this planet.📍
Unleash potential with intentional defaults ⏰
Most of the time, we do the same stuff we’ve always done. After some point, it turns our defaults and governs our behaviour. Later on, as it becomes an unintentional habit, we may not enjoy what we do. So, setting up new “defaults” can be pretty powerful and colourful. For instance;
Trust your intuition 🎯
When something feels off, it is. Be in or be out. Let your yes be yes, or your no be no. Be 100% in the relationship, in the job, in your travels, and your decisions. We all have that little voice inside us telling us what we should do; don’t be afraid to listen to it.
Lower the bar 📉
People like to procrastinate and delay tasks. Sometimes procrastination becomes a habit that we cannot get rid of. The main reason is setting up high standards and being a perfectionist. Over the years, I have understood that whatever we try to achieve, there is always a higher version. Catching the perfect condition, momentum, or even timing is not simply possible because perfect of perfect will always exist.
So, when you find yourself unable to start, that’s the moment to lower the bar. If your goal is to read 100 pages daily, it will not work. Instead, give yourself 1 or 2 hours of reading; once you are focused, you’ll get your desired performance.
Keep a book on your table 📚
Reading is essential because it improves your focus, memory, empathy, and communication skills. It reduces stress, improves mental health and helps you live happily while learning new things to help you succeed in your career or relationship. We consume information daily and obtain knowledge about ourselves and the world within certain limits. Our goal always is to break these limits and learn more to understand everything better and extend our general outlook.
Keeping a book on your table always will remind and motivate you to read. Nowadays, I’m reading “History day by day” by Peter Furtado. I keep this book always on my table, next to my laptop. When I need a break from work, I take it and try to read a few pages. I’m not saying I’m reading all day, but having a book on my table indeed reminds me to build a reading habit.
Planning ≠ doing 🗓️
Planning and executing differ significantly from each other. And it’s crucial to understand this. You can have a well-defined plan for managing something; however, things may not go well and fail you to achieve it. Or vice-versa. Imagine you plan to go to the gym and not having a plan. You’d just do a few random exercises and scroll on your phone because making a new plan is already late and requires much effort.
This is also connected to the expectation, but make a proper plan that works for you. Learn yourself, your habits, consistency, interests and most importantly, the priorities that define you.
Consistency leads to Quality ☘️
This is probably not new to most of you, but it’s worth mentioning again: consistency leads to quality along with quantity. For instance:
I’m running a blog website and page on social media platforms. I remember during the first period of my activities, I quit soon because I didn’t get enough (expected) engagement. But after a few years, I decided to revisit my hobbies again. As a result, I have a useful and well-engaged website and social media platforms. To get good at something, just show up consistently without worrying about the outcome.
Take the social initiative 🗞️
This is one of the essential pieces of life advice as I try to apply every day. Always take the initiative in social situations. I genuinely like to organize events, lead discussions, try to help people to overcome their difficulties, invite friends over a weekend meetup and so on. There is always the vulnerability of getting rejected because you open yourself up. However, I love to be asked to hang out or to help people. In fact, whenever I’ve taken the initiative, I’ve always felt its amazing effects, especially I feel amazing when I receive positive feedback.
Exercise three times a week at least 🏋🏻
This is simple. If you want to reduce stress, prevent ageing, and keep yourself healthy, you should have a fitness habit. I play football once a week, go to the gym at least three times, and plan to swim on Sundays. Since I started to do sports, my stress level has reduced, and I feel more energetic, alive, and eager to move forward.
Don’t compare yourself with others 🛠️
Your integrity is the thread of your existence. Live according to YOUR values, no one else’s and do what you know in your heart is right. Don’t let the judgement of others stop you from speaking out or doing what you need to do.
Journey before destination 🏝️
My very last piece of advice is to always focus on a journey before the destination. There can be no voyage without some destination, so you must have one. However, it’s usually best to pick a goal and then forget about it in favour of concentrating on the journey. Enjoy the moment as it is. You’ll learn and experience a lot during the journey. And who knows, the journey’s outcome may change your destination towards a better one.
I’d like to finish this blog article with one famous sentence from one of my favourite shows: Whatever you do in this life, it’s not legendary unless YOUR FRIENDS are there to see it. You’re not alone on your journey. Your family and friends will always be there to support and love you, no matter what happens. Appreciate your friends and family.