This year presents many decision points for me as an individual. For starters, 2016 was a crucible to me in many ways. The climate of my life last year allowed me to let off steam and let go of pent up emotions about how frustrating some human beings can be. I wonder how some people find fulfilment in making misers out of the people who work for them. I like diversity and my colleagues can attest to how incredibly tolerant I am of people. So, my distaste towards people people whose ego and myopia are shot through the roof is justified.
I became more honest with myself and expressed with more courage the things I want for myself. At the end of the day, my interior life is that which I can control. And who I am towards others, how I regard other people, and add value to them are mere byproducts of the kind of care and value I assign to myself. Here are 5 recent discoveries I have come across and try to remind myself everyday:
- I am small. There’s only so much I can do in a day. And I don’t have to be all the persons I dream of becoming. Maybe I can make them happen, but I am not required to. I know I am the girl with many gifts. I am surprised how I am able to survive conversations with people of different backgrounds. Well, to be honest it’s a lot of work trying to familiarize with myself with major breakthroughs in art, science, and engineering. But to learn that one is small leads one to humility. And humility fosters focus and direction. Knowing that you can’t do everything allows you to focus your attention to things you know you can do excellently and gives you the reason to recognize other people’s strength as well. It keeps you from being envious of what other people’s accomplishments and lets you celebrate your contributions no matter how small, because you know that you’ve given ample time and effort to tasks assigned to you. You are no rockstar — even if you are, sometimes — helps you to understand that team effort is essential to any success. No man is an island. Every breakthrough may have been attributed to the leadership of one or two people. But all breakthroughs require a village to pull off. Disillusioned and arrogant is he who thinks otherwise.
- I am brave. My 12-year old self is a far cry to my 26-year old self. I used to be reckless, innocent and unstoppable. I say yes even before I appraise the magnitude of the work I am taking on. Nothing I ever did failed, and it was never my instinct to calculate or fall prey to exactitude. I was always ready for battle, and there was nothing in my consciousness which I felt impossible or unreachable. Everything could be done, it was all a matter of getting started and powering through. Among the things I had to rekindle to regain the courage of my 12-year old self is the attitude of bouncing back from committing mistakes. I make mistakes a lot more often now, and try to be at home in my own skin even when I am freaking embarrassed. In this manner, I become more accepting of other people’s mistakes as well, even though it’s a lot of work, I must say. But the openness to such circumstances allow me to welcome the discomfort and remain vulnerable enough to learn new things and be more forgiving of myself and others. You have to trust that your soul is strong enough to overcome shame, and kind enough to let you try again until you get it right.
- I am hardworking. I have never given up on anything in my life. I may have mastered the art of postponement and delaying gratification, but quitting is not natural to me. One of the things I validated recently is that I am challenge driven. I am not motivated by the idea of finishing things for the sake of ticking off an item on my to-do list. I like to prove negative people wrong, and this is one of my best motivators. Tell me I couldn’t do it and I’ll show you otherwise. What stirs the procrastinator in me are low level tasks. I know and I’m being honest with you. I am not an employee, but an entrepreneur. I don’t like to sell companies or products worth shelving, because no matter how hard I try, I cannot dissociate myself from my work. My work is my autobiography, so I care a lot about aesthetics and excellence a lot because that is also how I perceive my humanity.
- I care about the human person too much. This is a spin-off from a book on Peter Drucker. This is why I advocate lifelong learning, education, reading books, investing in the stock market, wellness, prioritizing fun in the workplace, building communities, and rekindling relationships at home and at work. All institutions are built to protect and nurture life. Governments are established to enhance our quality of life; its agencies are funded to make cities and rural areas more liveable. Universities take it upon themselves to conduct researches in various fields to improve human life and our understanding of who we are and where we might be, how we might survive future challenges, and how we have survived throughout Earth’s lifetime. This is why, to me, it is no-brainer that some world leaders are antithetical to this axiom, and which invalidates their efficacy as supposed beacons of truth and hope. I think that the human mind is capable of so much more; if only every person on this planet is given equal opportunities to reach his or her full potential and solve problems in ways only he or she can, to contribute towards collective progress and meaningful, shared existence of all living creatures — if all of us helped in expanding the pie — then we shall realize that the gifts of the Earth is enough for all. There shall be no need to hoard or to pile up riches for one family or country. The world is designed to sustain every life form that dwells in it.
- I am a giver. I am happiest when I am able to learn something new or whenever someone insists on helping me. Ask me about my day, and I can tell you about how tired and well spent I am because I was honest enought to reach out and offer help. My life is oriented toward the direction of giving. A life well lived is a life well spent.
