Ever since my last year of college, I’ve made it a habit to look back at my life at least several times in a year and write down important things I’ve learned. I think about all my experiences and take note of which ones I’ve learned from the most and which lessons I can take with me as I move on with my life.
2012 has been a big year for me. It’s brought in a lot of change and challenges that could have pushed me to become a better person or demoralized me into giving in to all the pressure. In my assessment, I’d like to think that I’ve tried to seize the day with every obstacle I’ve faced. On that note, I think now is a good time to summarize everything I’ve learned thus far.
Personally, I think these are lessons that I can share to anyone of any age. Some of these, I wish I had known when I was younger actually while some of them I wish older people would be more open to. Of course, it’s no use dwelling in the past so I might as well look to the future and share what I’ve learned, hoping that others don’t make my mistakes.
1. Never stop learning. I believe that the moment we stop wanting to learn, is the moment we fail to make the most out of our lives. In anything that we do, there is no satisfaction in claiming that you are the best and there is nothing left to accomplish. Real fulfillment comes from appreciating the work you put in to continually push yourself and seek greater heights.
In my case, acting, hosting and writing are my crafts right now. The moment I tell myself that I am a good enough artist is the moment I will begin to fail. That is a pitfall I would never want to be in. Thinking that I am enough means that I will relax while others continue to work. Eventually that will lead to failure. As a result, I’m fully determined to continue learning and working on my crafts because it is in that kind of work that I see and feel my success and improvement. I’ll admit that it isn’t a walk in the park. Pushing yourself is difficult and exhausting but if things were easy, then life wouldn’t be as exciting now, would it?
2. Keep an open mind. Expand your mind and widen your perspective in life. There are so many things to explore in this world and so many opportunities to grab. Each one could be a great experience but you’ll never know until you try it out.
In my experience, I’ll admit that as I graduated from college, I had a very narrow perspective of the world. I always played things safe and stuck to my strengths. I was a math-person so I logically leaned towards entering the banking industry. But, little did I know that I would have the time of my life with the arts! From there, my work also opened me up to different kinds of personalities and people from all walks of life and it really helped me appreciate what I have now.
3. Stay motivated, inspired and confident. This is one of the harder lessons to keep in mind. Motivation can be swayed by emotion and negative vibes can really hinder us from staying motivated. A good example is when a person gets praised endlessly for a job well-done but one really bad comment can take all that confidence and send it crumbling down. It’s a reality that most of us have to face. It’s easy to accept good feedback but all it takes is a little negativity to take everything away. What people forget however is that we can always prepare ourselves for those moments.
If we can continue learning and keep an open mind, then it is possible to bounce back from negativity fairly quickly. We have to build confidence that comes from within because it is much stronger than the confidence you build from external feedback. In other words, you work hard to believe in yourself and your capabilities to shield you from any negative forces around you. An important note is I also don’t believe in being impervious to negativity. It is important to feel the pressure around you because it keeps us grounded.
All in all, we should build our confidence within ourselves but we should also look to use that to bounce back during down times and quickly look for inspiration to motivate us.
4. Never burn your bridges. No man is an island! We are social beings and this world is more connected than ever. In effect, there has never been any harm in asking for help. Some people fail to let go of their egos and block people from entering their lives. Eventually, they miss out on what they have to offer and what can be learned from them
From my experience, life cannot be fully fulfilled unless it is enjoyed with other people. A tip is to enjoy the people around you. Regardless of who they are or where they are from, if you can open up yourself to sincerely trying to appreciate their presence, everything will be easier. Also, there is no use in destroying relationships. If someone wrongs you, then just accept it and move on. If you are on the other end, then accept your mistake and the consequences and again, move on. Remember, that people will always be a part of your life so limiting the people you can be around is just like limiting yourself.
5. Enjoy life. This is simple. In anything you do, allow yourself to enjoy. No matter how difficult things can get, if you can find joy in the activity, it becomes a little bit easier to do. Besides, trying to live a full life isn’t meant to depress you. Enjoy life whenever you can because it won’t last forever.
If you want to share your own lessons, you can e-mail me at mikael.daez@yahoo.com. Tweet me @mikaeldaez. Or leave a comment on www.mikaeldaez.com.