i regret to inform you that personal growth rarely comes from acquiring new knowledge and almost always from:
•getting humiliated
•showing up terrified and doing it anyway
•admitting you might be the problem
LIFE WAS MEANT TO BE ENJOYED
Everyone’s depressed. Miserable. Sad. Unmotivated. Low-energy. Unsatisfied. Stressed. Lonely. Purposeless. Empty.
Because they never truly lived.
Appreciate the little things. Go for long walks. Come home late. Enjoy the beauty around you. Don’t take life seriously. Find your purpose. Embrace leisure. Fear nothing. Achieve the ultimate freedom. It always works out.
You must unlearn everything they taught you so you can understand why you’re here.
Win. Laugh. Enjoy.
it is necessary to know where you need to improve, to not lie to yourself about your flaws and shortcomings. equally important is not to let that devolve into a self-hate or self-pity. in all things you need to be light enough on your feet that you can pivot to better ways
The older I get, the more I realize the power of always having something on the calendar you're excited about. It can really be anything. Difficult physical challenge, big project, fun trip, ambitious goal, whatever. It creates energy and gets you through the lows. Life hack.
Major cheat code for life: Master the art of the fresh start. From a bad morning. From a bad interaction. From a missed workout. From a poor decision. The goal isn't to avoid the fall. It's to shorten the time between the fall and the reset. Fast recovery compounds.
how to avoid becoming a soulless adult:
> stop making everything productive - not every hobby needs to "go somewhere"
> it’s ok to try something new and be bad at it!! you’re not being graded anymore!!
> say yes to spontaneous plans even when you're tired - some of the best nights are unplanned
> hang out with people who make you laugh, not just people who "make sense"
> stop asking yourself "what do I want to do with my life" (too overwhelming) -> START asking "what would make me feel alive THIS MONTH?" & go make it happen
> cap venting to 30% of your total hang time; your friends aren't free therapy
> plan ONE thing each week that you'd look forward to
> you can start simple - work somewhere new, walk somewhere new, eat something new
> take a random class just for fun - pottery, dance, improv, cooking
> do things that make you feel like a kid again - dance in the rain, run through the sprinklers, game night
> surround yourself with people who make you feel lighter - your time and energy is precious
> be 5% more silly in your life. sing badly in the car, dance in your room, crack a bad joke. let's grow the silly muscle
> talk to strangers - at coffee shops, events, literally anywhere. serendipity maxx
> don't forget the basics: move your body, get sunlight, take your vitamins, eat well, sleep
> your time to live life is happening NOW so stop saving it for later!!
we forgot that life is supposed to be FUN ya'll
lets go PLAY!!!
you got this!!!
Marcus Aurelius was right when he said the crowd will forget you no matter what you do. So the only real question is whether you spent your years chasing their approval or actually living for yourself.
turns out, reading voraciously, moving your body, loving people without keeping score, protecting your solitude, chasing nothing but your own growth, and occasionally staying out too late with people who make you laugh until it hurts is not a bad way to build a life.