Category: Reflection

The most rewarding part of life is definitely gaining awareness and the constant shift in your perspective.

Awareness of one’s self, as well as awareness of things around you, are a key part of life. Just knowing, understanding, and appreciating various aspects of life vastly improves the quality of your life.

The second related part of this concept is the ongoing development of the world and yourself which results in varied perspectives you have gained over the years. As you change, the world seems totally different than before.

I find this phenomenon of seeing things differently to be one of the most satisfying parts of life. The change in thought, attitude, and beliefs you have is serene. This gets me excited and motivated to constantly reinvent myself as well as continually question my existing notions of what I think is the right thought or way of doing things.

Imagine a rock and water flowing over it, under it, beside it, carrying it, and so many other ways water adapts. I never want a rock or challenge to keep me stuck in my ways, I want to flow around it with ease. Gaining awareness is knowing that there may be rocks of different sizes along my path. Changing my perspective is realizing there will be many ways to flow over and around these various rocks.

Knowing what I want is only half the challenge. Working backwards helps me fulfil my goals.

It is such a simple concept and yet difficult to implement in daily life. Understanding where I want to be in the next 5 years in terms of my health means I have to start developing healthy habits today. Planning and creating a vision for where I want to be is essential. However, it is the daily tasks I do each week that will get me there.

I find that all these small investments I make in my life to improve one area of my life all become interrelated as time progresses. Here are the simple steps I follow to work backwards:

1. Think and plan on what I want to become for a future date
2. Break down the steps on what I need to do in manageable chunks
3. Be aware of new information/trends
4. Reflect and change the plan or stay the course
5. Review the steps and alter as necessary
6. Follow the steps until the goal is completed

There is a large commitment required to follow the small steps as each one builds on the other and it is often easy to ignore them. When new information arrives it can be easy to abandon everything. When what you are working towards is challenged or no longer relevant, that is the most important time to get a hold of yourself.

This saying I read a few years ago resonates with me today, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there”. Now, I realize not only do I have to know what road I am travelling on but also to look ahead for roadblocks and always have alternative directions for my planned destination.

There are many thoughts racing through our mind every day. Too often we just zig zag from one thought to the other. There are a few moments in the day where we have no thoughts and just focus on the present. I cherish these moments dearly.

For me, these zero mind moments happen when you are totally immersed in an activity such as swimming. My mind is empty and I am simply focused on the motions of the activity. Previously, I embarked on a practice of being calmer which has yielded great benefits. I now feel serene and have a greater satisfaction in life. I feel combining all of this with having more “zero mind” moments I can live with greater intention.

What a concept it is to think about nothing at all. You are present and nothing else. You are so involved in the task such as driving on a scenic road that you are there in that moment and only there, not lost in your thoughts. I remember getting inspired by this concept from a show that elevated my passion for cars. When you see a great musician play an instrument or you see a great sporting moment, you feel that wonder, clarity, and sense of being one with humanity. I want to experience more of these moments.

Acceptance and enjoyment is what I strive for.

Sooner or later I was bound to realize there is never enough, just constant flow. As life progresses from one stage to the next, when do you take a moment to look around and take this moment in?

Who defines if you made it or not? What if the bar keeps moving forward, how much are you willing to give up to be on the edge?

Books, travel, and life experiences have taught me that this is it. My emotions and reactions are all I have in this world of constant change.

In this fast paced world of updates, connections, and notifications I have found peace. Everything is the same but I have changed, my perspective has shifted to contentment.

A deep satisfaction in myself and life. Filled with gratitude and optimism, I feel calm and relaxed. I have faith everything will work out and I trust the process.

Just a few years ago, I would never have had these thoughts or this zen attitude. It’s a blessing and I am excited to have embraced it.

This feeling of serenity is what I cherish the most, I feel free and liberated. Being humble, kind, and calm are my guiding principles.

What a feeling it is to accept yourself and enjoy your own company. Observing your own thoughts and reflecting on them gets easier. The ease of swimming in your lane and not comparing with others. The satisfaction in knowing there is enough for everybody. Realizing that by knowing all this you already made it in life…

The transient nature of life is the catalyst for change.

I’ve heard the saying that most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten.

Opportunities are everywhere. I never realized how much you can change over a short period of time and how the world around you is changing rapidly.

The only question is are you at the front of the pack embracing change or waiting for everyone to change. I remember hearing this quote: “the best way to predict the future is to create it.”

I get deeply inspired when I see a rocket take off, defying gravity and going into the unknown. Makes me think, what is my take off? What can I do to think big and go for it?

The only thing that matters is how willing you are to step up and take action. Ultimately you are responsible for your take off.

How do you celebrate your life?

Life and our time are so precious. That classic expression of having sand slip through your hands rings true. When do you take the time to reflect and recognize where you have come from and where you are going?

Deep reflection is one of the deepest joys I have in life. Those long walks in the evening, travelling on a plane, getting lost in the moment, and taking the time to really gain clarity in your thoughts is gratifying.

A pivotal moment for me and a time for reflection is when I hit 100,000 km on my car a few weeks ago. Each one of those kilometres is me living the dream and planning more. I can remember the time when I literally had a faint dream of wanting a car, going on road trips across the country, driving for pleasure on curvy roads, and driving on the track. From dream to reality and so much more, life moves fast. I am deeply excited for the next 100K and the journeys I go on.

Celebration to me is an acknowledgement of what was done and where I want to go.  There are certain preset milestones laid out for us in life to follow:

school > high school > university > marriage > retirement

There are milestones everywhere for us to follow. I advocate setting up your own milestones! It has been a slow transition but I can feel myself become my own individual person not conformed to any set ideal. I value my independent thinking and using the scientific method to approach challenges.

I celebrate life as and when I see fit. Milestones are for me to create and follow. I appreciate the freedom of the possibility of living life on your own terms.  Each time I reflect and grow as an individual, I gain a greater understanding of the blessings in my life and my desire to make the most of them.

 

It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. I only understood this in the last couple of years.

I find it fascinating that when you set a daunting goal, you don’t always know which exact path you will take in getting there. Often times the goal itself evolves,  so really you are always in the middle of something. Even when you eventually complete the goal, the path you took getting there was unlike what you ever thought it would be.

Everyone is forced to adapt whether they like it or not, each week there are different challenges. All you can control is how you react to them. This concept of always in the middle of something is largely what takes up most of your time so why not enjoy it.

The process is all embracing, it can consume if you let it or it can liberate you. The best part is you have a choice. 

It’s been quite a journey going through my undergraduate studies. Fall 2017 marks my last semester and I will start a new chapter of my life.

Transitioning from high school into the university experience and now adulthood has been transformational, to say the least. I could have never imagined the person I am today just a few years ago.

After traveling to numerous countries, studying at different universities, working in different countries, and reading many books, the concept of school has vastly shifted.

School to me is not something you have to go to get an education. Learning comes from everywhere and anywhere. Formal education is as vital as self-education. A healthy mixture of formal school, work experience, reading, and travel are the key ingredients to set you up for your future.

The most important lesson I learned in these years is having perspective. Analyzing things from different views and understanding the impact. Once you open up yourself to these other views, suddenly you feel immersed and motivated to solve the issue.

I am excited to see my future self become the person of my dreams just as I imagined myself only a few years ago. One thing is for sure, I will always be back in school, that is the school of life. I am deeply passionate about my growth and continuous improvement.

Be awestruck more often. 

I definitely enjoy when this happens. It totally shifts your mental state and brings you to an attitude of gratitude. 

Too often we get stuck in a daily routine and our thoughts are focused on just the day to day. As soon as you break that routine, amazing things start to happen. It’s almost as if you become more alive and ready to take action in your life. 

Inspiration can come from a thing, place, and an experience. That’s where the beauty of a vacation comes in, you get to experience all three while feeling rejuvenated. 

After that initial spark you can always think back to the time where you previously got inspired. It’s building a mental collection of awestruck moments. The more the merrier. 

Each day we are constantly battling with distractions. Whether it be our phone, advertisements, an event in our life, the news among many others. It takes deliberate focus to be present for the task at hand. 

From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep, there are thousands of thoughts we experience. If you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, those thoughts of stress and anger get reflected throughout your day. 

Our thoughts are powerful and by just taking 5 minutes or more to meditate after waking up on the wrong side of the bed or another stressful situation can yield great benefits. 

I have first hand experience with calming down and have been developing my mindfulness skills slowly. For example, if I wake up cranky, I immediately realize I need to be in check of my thoughts. I take 5 minutes to calm down, watch my thoughts, and accept the situation. 

By taking time to acknowledge my thoughts and being present, I don’t carry my negative emotional state throughout the day. These 5 minutes bursts have really improved my life in a meaningful way. 

Finally, following my mindfulness practice with thoughts of gratitude have lifted my emotional states, made me more present, and has brought a calm vibe to my presence.