365 days project 2. Day 32. The lessons of a 28 year old

 

   Today I'm 28. Another wonderful year has passed! So many memories, so many wonderful, unforgettable experiences! I'm thankful for each and every one of them! :)

   Last year on my 27th birthday I wrote a post called "The lessons of a 27 year old" (here: http://tinyurl.com/h76q97l). Today I wrote another one on the same topic but without previously reading the last one. Then I compared them to see what has changed in this past year. Interestingly enough, some lessons stayed the same, proof that I strongly believe in them and that I still need to work on those. I'm learning every day, just like you. 

   My personal life goal is to reach wisdom that I can use in order to make the world a better place. So I'm starting small. Here are this year's (28) life lessons:

1. You create your everyday life with your own thoughts. So have positive thoughts in order to attract happy situations! Fear and anger are not useful at all.

2. Parts of you will change along the years but you won't change completely. Take it like this: you are a catterpillar transforming into a butterfly. Good change, right?

3. Your habits will get in the way of some changes you want to make but don't let them hold you back! Plan, plan, plan and take it slow. Rome wasn't built in a day.
4. You will achieve all your dreams if you reaaaally believe in them and constantly keep thinking about them.
5. Do good and it will come back multiplied. But don't do it for the outcome, do it because you can and because the world needs it!
6. Don't take your loved ones for granted! Say I love you, thank you and ask for forgiveness when it is the case.
7. You have to learn from your mistakes. Not just say you will but actually do it. 
8. Have a personal project - hobby related- and stick to it in your free time. It will make your days brighter.
9. Believe that the Universe answers to your questions or prayers when you need it the most. Just keep your eyes open to receive the message.
10. Love: truly. deeply. madly. Like a child. Everything and anything.
11. Forgive. Don't hold grudges.
12. Don't take it personally when someone criticises something you've done. Most of the times they just have a bad day and you're in their way.
13. Take time to relax. Go sit down on a bench, close your eyes and listen the world around you.
14. Solutions. Think of them in the critical moments. Take deep breaths and think of what you can do instead of becoming a headless chicken.

15. Be flexible. If things don't go exactly according to your plan change the plan.

16. Read. As much as you can. Anything you like. Find time: at night. in the morning before work, on the bus, in the park or anywhere else. 
17. Find happiness in the small things.
18. Count your blessings every day!
19. Society will pressure you into doing a lot of things you might not be ready for. Don't listen. Do them at your own pace. A child is a huge responsibility and you have to be mentally ready for it, so have one when you feel prepared.
20. Eat regularly. Make plans in the weekend for the following week. Cook at home instead of eating out a lot and don't be afraid to try new recipes. There are a ton of recipes out there!
21. Make your dear ones happy by surprising them with little things they like.
22. People will judge no matter what you do. Don't mind them. Do your thing. They'll forget eventually anyway.
23. Spirituality is good and helpful. And remember: tolerance is the key.
24. Some friends will drive you nuts sometimes but still love them and remember why you are friends in the first place. Nevertheless, if they bring you down more than lift you up then move along. They aren't the ones you need.
25. Exercise. If you do it in the morning before going to work you will feel full of energy later on.
26. Accept yourself and love yourself first and then the others will accept and love you too.
27. Go out once in a while like you used to in your early 20s. It will do you good.
28. Make the difference between urgent and important and be careful how you divide your time.

365 days project 2. Day 31. When the old becomes new

   Today I was looking for some shoes all around town. I took my time to walk from one shop to another and I looked around at the old buildings, the peaceful pedestrian streets and the beauty of Cluj surrounding me everywhere. 

   I always saw my city as the coziest home I could have. It had everything I needed. My school, my university, my family and friends, places to go out and a parks, art and culture. But after a while you get so used to a place you don't see its attractions the same way a traveller sees them.
   Today I looked at Cluj from a different perspective. After having travelled a bit in the past years I realized that my city is not as random as I thought after living here for my whole life. I began to understand why everybody who came to Cluj fell in love with the city. It's not huge, it doesn't have as many attractions as Sibiu or Sighisoara, but it has its own unique charm that you will discover if you walk around the city at your own pace, watching the people passing by, feeling their mood and the whole vibe of the town. Cluj really is wonderful! It has that "je ne sais quoi" that makes you want to stay more, explore more, fall in love more. It creates stories that deserve to told to kids and grandkids. It's unique, cozy... the perfect place to call home (aside from Venice ;) )!

365 days project 2: Day 30. Habits die hard

   I know. I've been talking about change so much lately. About wanting to change and needing a change and why change is good. I even told you change doesn't happen in a day, but I forgot how it actually feels when you have a habit ingrained deep inside you that comes out when you least expect. 

   I loooove calm people. I see them every morning when I go to work. Those people who walk slowly no matter where they go like they're floating on the pavement and they take their time to breathe in the surroundings. Those people who speak slooowly and they make you feel understood and cared for. I want to be like them. I always did. But my personality is not helping me a lot.

   I want to be calmer, more carefree and all that, but sometimes I forget that wanting something is not exactly the same as doing it. When you want to change a bad habit you first have to go to war with yourself and keep fighting and fighting until your new behavior prevails. You have to consciously remind yourself why you need this change and why reacting like before is bad, take deep breaths and work on it a lot. Every single day for a month. Then and only then your new behavior is going to become a habit. Most of us fail after day one. We have too many sweet reasons to fall back into the old habit and there we are again. Back at square one. And man that hurts a lot when you decide you'll be more careful next time. And still, if you trust yourself and know you CAN do more things than you think you can, you'll climb Mount Everest. Don't you wanna see how the world looks like from up there? Oh, I know, I would :)

365 days project 2: Day 29. It's a brand new day

   Good morning, sunshine! It's a brand new day today! Another day in your own paradise! Yep, you heard me right! You're drawing, painting and crafting your life with your own hands. You're either making it a heaven or a hell. You're literally Doing It Yourself. Have you thought about it lately?

   Go out on the balcony this morning, sit down and just listen. Listen to the world buzzing around you and make a plan. Can you envision yourself having an amazing day? Then it's going to be an amazing day! 

   Count your blessings! You're healthy, you're still here, you've been through ups and downs and now you're wiser than you were 10 years ago. Look up to the sky and thank God and the Universe for your life. For being still alive. 

   Have an amazing day, my friend! I know you will! Do you? :)

365 days project 2: Day 28. Wait for it

   Today was the perfect example to learn that rushing doesn't solve things faster. 

   We forget to read the instructions. Many times we just jump into doing something without thinking that we might not know how to. And in the end we reach the same conclusion: 'Man, I should have read the instructions!' 

   Did this happen to you before? Fixing something, making a project, learning for an exam, doing something new that you want to get done as soon as possible. Rush, rush, rush! Sigh... Will we ever learn how to stop?

365 days project 2: Day 27. Expect the unexpected

   Today was the perfect spring day: warm, full of blossoming trees, delicious spring scent in the air, bees and butterflies around, green grass, colors everywhere. The perfect heaven picture! :) Nothing unexpected until now, right? But I had reasons to be surprised today.

   When you know someone for 13 years you think you pretty much know everything there is about them. The beauty of it though is when one day you find out something completely new, a detail that you somehow missed all along these years. And you let yourself be surprised. You learnt one more thing about your friend. Live and learn, right?

   The other unexpected thing is related to a movie the whole internet said it was bad. I went to the cinema because I wanted to spend some time with friends but my expectations were very low. I won't lie to you. It wasn't the best movie I've ever seen, but it wasn't for sure... BAD! I actually liked it! 

   Interesting, huh? How everyday life keeps sending us unexpected gifts. We just have to receive them with open arms. And so I did :)

365 days project 2: Day 26. Blood, sweat and tears

   When you want to create art, average is not an option. At least in my eyes. That's why you have to give 110% and lose yourself completely while creating. But all this is very painful. And worth it, still. At first we practice a lot until it gets in our blood and it turns into a habit. Then and only then creating art releases the dormant talent within us. 

   Today this process drained me but I don't want to give up. I go on knowing that after a lot of practice the final product will look so wonderful everybody will smile in awe when seeing it. And that makes me happy. Practice, practice, practice! :)