A new beginning

“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – (Steve Jobs)

So this year is about to end and a whole new year is about to begin. Fresh starts, clean slates … thanks to the calendar they happen every year. And the good thing is that the world did not end after all. Guess, those Mayans got their Maths way too wrong and here we are … still here. And our reward for surviving another year and the holiday season is a whole new year bringing on the great tradition of New Year’s resolutions. There is something special about new years and new beginnings. Somehow, it is our chance to start over and repair what has been broken, put our past behind us and start over. A chance of a new beginning and a chance to put the problems of last year to bed. Something that changes us. Ideally, it gives us hope. A new way of living and looking at the world. Letting go of old habits, old memories.

For instance, most people have New Year’s resolutions that go like this: Lose weight, quit smoking, drink less alcohol and sayings like “I will this, I will that”. But why do we need a whole new year, fresh starts or new beginnings in order to pull ourselves together and get something done, accomplish something, strive to be greater than we were yesterday? Well, I guess it is a part of the human nature.

But my question to you is are you truly living your life to the fullest? Do you love what you are doing? Are you living your best life?

No matter your answer to the above, your life experience is up to you to create. There is no reason not to settle for anything less than what you can get. I know it is easier said than done, but think about it. You should be living every day to the fullest, filled with passion, joy, thoroughness, and be grateful for the fact that you are alive. Be your best self and live your best life. 

Here is the list of some of the principles I use to live my best life and I hope they will help you as well. Hopefully, as you live in alignment with them, you too will find yourself becoming more conscious, more alive, aware and most importantly you will experience your life on a whole new level, which will bring the biggest source of fulfillment and happiness in your life.

In order to live your life to the fullest, you should live every day on a fresh new start. Don’t be held back by what happened yesterday, the day before, the week before, the year before, and so on.

Be true to who you are and stop trying to please everyone else or be someone else, but be you! After all it is better to be an original version of yourself than an exact duplicate of someone else. Know who you are and what you represent. Be clear of your personal identity.

Stop complaining! A million times, I have come across people, who do nothing but complain. Don’t be like the howling dog that is always howling and never doing anything. Stop complaining about your problems and work on them instead. If you don’t like the way thing are, change them, change yourself and your life.

Be active rather than passive. Stop waiting for something to happen or for others around you to do something, but take action and do it yourself instead.

Rather than think “what if”, think “next time”. In any situation, don’t think about things you cannot change, rather focus on the things you can action upon. Go out there and create your own opportunities.

Focus on WHAT vs. HOW. Namely, focus on what you want first, before you think about how to do it. Anything is possible, as long as you set your mind, heart and soul to it. Stop sleepwalking through your life. Your life is something to be experienced and not coasted through.

Be more risk-inclined. Don’t be afraid to take risks. The more your risk, the more free you are. The bigger your risks the bigger your return. Remember, only the person who risks is truly free.

Laugh more - Let loose and have fun. Sing at the top of you lungs even if you sound like a cat being strangled. Dance in the rain. Run barefoot and feel the ground underneath you feet. Release of your self-imposed shackles and be free. Laugh more. Smile and have fun. 

Find enjoyment in the little moments. For instance, snuggling under warm covers on a rainy day. Enjoying ice cream on a hot day. A kiss, a hug from your loved ones. Being with your friends, your family. A simple walk in the park. Quiet, alone time. Watching the sunrise and sunset. Soak all these little moments of life. Because they are what make up your life. So remember and live in the moment. Be present. The only time you are living is in this moment.

Embrace and express gratitude. Now to my favorite part. Gratefulness is my main value. I’m grateful for almost everything and so should you. Namely, be grateful for everything you have today and be grateful for everyone in your life. Let the people, who have touched you, who love you and you love know how grateful you are toward them. You will be surprised what a little act like this can do. After all, if you don’t tell them, they may never know.

Try new things in life-travel around the world. Get out of your comfort zone and try something different, something you’d normally not do. Everything from small to bigger things. You set your own limits. Go out, travel and explore the world. Learn about new cultures, set sail into the sea. Go backpacking, get on a road trip and visit as many places on earth as possible. Quit sticking to routines and comfort zones even though they can be nice at times. Get out there in life and live the life of your dreams.

Last but not least: love the life you live, live the life you love.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to you ALL! May your 2013 be as fantastic and awesome as you wish it.