How to Start Living Your Best Life
John Lennon once said that “when we are afraid, we pull back from life. “ If I would have to state the most significant mistake that a person can make, I would argue that it’s the fear of making one. The top five regrets of dying were stated in a revealing article, posted to Huffington Post in 2013. A palliative nurse recorded the most claimed regrets and collected them into a book. The first of the regrets was a heart-breaking statement: “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”
Those who master up the courage have a shot at living something truly special. Without ever stepping out of the bubble, how can one learn to see? Before I started writing this post, a question arose in my mind. Why am I the fortunate one who gets to travel for a living?
I’m not on the road because of my thundering wit with words, whopping knowledge of paraphrasing nor because of my capacity to capture Kodak moments. I’m traveling mainly because I had the courage to pursue my peace sign-shaped, rainbow colored and sometimes even unicorn jazzed-up dreams, taking little Bambi steps on my offbeat trail of life. Just because one is off the map, it doesn’t mean that she or he is lost. In addition, even the most courageous ones feel afraid, stuck, and from time to time misread the stars.
I still want to wake up from an unfamiliar apartment, visit Alaska, sit on a bench and wonder where I’m going next, remind myself where I have already entered. Feel alive. I want to skate the floating mini ramp in the middle of Lake Tahoe, and be the person who inspires others to leave. I want to climb into the highest cherry blossom tree in Kyoto, and surf countless perfectly curling waves in San Diego. My dreams might not be easy-to-digest or execute, but because of their complex requirements, I wake up with a hunting instinct pumping in my veins instead of staying comfortably numb in an eternal sleep.
But how can one become Miss Amazeballs? Firstly, be OK with sucking at something in the beginning. Don’t compare your starting point to someone else’s halfway. Don’t be too brainy. It’s a lot easier to be dauntless if you don’t know everything. Be a fan of the cool chicks, and get pumped on some power lady tunes. Surround yourself with people who inspire and support the progress of becoming the superlative version of yourself. Trust your instincts and hunches. Your heart might play tricks and your brain might want to take another turn, but your gut is always right. Release your inner mermaid; avoid shallow living, and nourish your thirst for experiences. The courageous may not live eternally, but the careful kinds don’t live at all. Kill your normality, hassle with confidence, and be the one that can’t be tamed. Be a square peg in a round hole, and stand out. And lastly, smile. Positivity is the founding stone of courage. There might be crappy days, but those don’t make a lousy life. The ones that learn to flash their teeth in the pouring rain are the ones that the sun keeps rewarding.
Text, Photos Rita
