Image by: David-Karich
By Dave Andrews
My childhood friend Robbie came from a broken home. Both of his parents remarried and left him under the care of his aunt. Let’s just say that without the guidance of the people who should have been there for him, he got lost many times in his life.
Robbie is 5 years older than me and what I like most about him is that he is very strong and independent. He never let his failures define him.
One time, he told me that living without his parents was hard because most of the things he knew about life he had to learn through trial and error. He also said that he had no choice but to remain strong because he cannot rely on anyone else to fix his life for him.
He probably doesn’t know this but I really look up to him as a big brother and a mentor. When I was having a hard time deciding what course to pursue to in college, one of the best things I’ve ever heard from him was this:
“Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not just to make everyone else feel better about themselves.”
My parents wanted me to take engineering but that’s not what I wanted to do. So, I ended up taking Mass Communications and I was glad that I listened to Robbie.
It feels good to live my life every day feeling that I am being myself. The earlier in life you realize that you are who you are, the simpler life gets.
You should know yourself before you can help yourself.
Understanding yourself means knowing what you can do, knowing when it’s time to step back and knowing where you need to put your focus on in order to achieve your goal.
In the piece “3 Questions Single People Need to Ask Themselves Before They Enter a Relationship,” writer Paul Hudson explains the importance of working on yourself first before you can share yourself with someone.
You need to figure out the secret to being happy even when you’re alone. You should also have enough mental and emotional capacity to make the other person your priority. And lastly, you should be willing to devote the rest of your life to your partner to make it work.
If you don’t have all these things before you enter a relationship, then you’re likely to cause more trouble for yourself and for your partner. Romance is doomed before it even starts.
And although growing in a relationship is fun, sometimes, it is best done solo.
Figure out your passion and what makes you happy.
What kind of work you would like to do? What would make your life more exciting? What are your hobbies and obsessions? Learning these things will give you a broader perspective of the world and will help you make better decisions.
Ever since I was young, I felt like I was stronger than my friends in terms of dealing with personal struggles. They would always run to me for advice and after talking to them, they would always tell me that I made them feel better.
My passion to motivate people and to help them realize their inner strengths lead me to pursue different careers that I enjoy. It makes me feel true to myself, it makes me feel alive and purposeful.
If you’re an entrepreneur, then most likely, you love engaging people. You can start from there to bring out good outcome for your business.
You can use your passion to take advantage of the social platforms that are already available to you and give your customers better experience of your brand. Check this out – “Leverage the Undeniable Power of Video Marketing on All Platforms.”
Know what drives you crazy and makes you lose your control.
If you’re aware of the things that scare you, make you angry and tensed, then it will be easier for you to alleviate yourself from them instead of just allowing your emotions to take over you.
The piece “How to Expand Your Mind” by Marc Angelo Coppola helps you tap into your consciousness and teaches you the necessary mental skills in overcoming overwhelming and difficult situations.
Learning what makes you feel uncomfortable can help you overcome your own inhibitions and makes you a more fulfilled person.
Know what to give your time to.
Spend your attention wisely. We only have one life to live and we don’t have unlimited time here on Earth so we better not waste it on doing things that don’t serve us.
Indulge yourself in positive habits that really matters, like habits that can make you a better person and can make this world a better place.
According to Josh Mitteldorf, there are four essential factors that can make your life happier and more meaningful and these are diet, exercise, taking supplements and caring for others.
For me, the last one is the most important of all. If this is being encouraged in all cultures, then there’s no doubt that this planet will become a better place to live in.
Knowing yourself would help you determine what journey you should take in life. It’s an innate power that you should master if you want to live with meaning and purpose.