In my last few hours as a 20 year old something, before the big 3 0 becomes the next chapter, I wondered if I should take a few moments and write down about the last decade of my life (never mind the fact that I still feel like I’m 17 🙂 ) .

In summary, I feel like “I did it my way” so far as Sinatra would say. Not everything of course turned out the way that I had planned it, but I’m truly grateful for each and every single feeling, emotion, experience and decision I made in the last 10 years of my life. I’m blessed with a small family and a few close friends who encouraged me even when they were scared, who tried to support me even when they thought I were insane.

In Life:

1. Take risks. Your 20’s are the best time to figure out how you want to spend the rest of your life.
2. No one will believe in you as much as you’ll believe in yourself.
3. Make sure that you’re living your life the way you want, not one that is a projection of others’ thoughts.
4. Danger is real, fear is most definitely not.
5. God helps those who decide to help themselves.
6. You won’t always be right, but you have to trust your instincts. That’s how they develop to be a powerful guide.
7. Your journey will always be about discovering yourself. Every step, every move sheds a light on something within. It’s your responsibility to make the effort to bring your most beautiful self out to the world.
8. It will always sound crazy, difficult, and impossible along every step of the way, and it probably is, but just until it’s done.
9. Your parents are and will always be your greatest blessing. Spend as much time as you can with them.
10. You will most definitely fail miserably in something in your life. Accept the loss. This is meant to teach you, not break you. So, fail sooner rather than later.
11. In your pursuit of happiness, you’re going to get smacked down and soul crushed a lotttt. It’ part of the process 🙂
12. Trust that the universe will always turn out to be on your side.
13. Life is not meant to be comfortable, that’s an illusion. It’s meant to be periodically enjoyable. I think!
14. Spend time with children or elderly. They’ll teach you a thing or two about life.
15. Take care of your body. You live your life in it.
16. Learn a new language, it’ll bring out a version of yourself you never knew existed.
17. We are all spiritual beings having a physical experience. Take care what type of energy you’re bringing into your and other people’s lives.
18. Be someone one day your kids would be proud to call a parent.
19. Nowadays, Freedom is a very expensive choice. Everything around you is built in a way that is meant to tell you that you can’t afford it. Break free whenever you can.
20. The more you know, the more you learn, and the more humble you’ll become.
21. Smile a lot. It tricks your brain into thinking that everything is going to be ok even when it’s not 😉
22. When in crisis, breathe. Breathe deeply for a few seconds. It’s life changing.
23. Never make a decision when you’re angry or hungry. You’ll most definitely regret them.
24. There is no life to a life lived without mistakes.
25. Crafting your story starts by working on yourself.
26. Once in a while, get lost in the sea.
27. Flowers are a divine creation.
28. You need hobbies and sports in your life. They allow you to practice focusing on the present moment instead of worrying about the future.
29. Sometimes decisions are not a matter of choice, but that of timing.
30. Yoga is pretty awesome.
31. Collect memories, and if you must, very very very few things.
32. If it’s meant to be, no force on earth can stop it. Not even you.

 

Human Relations:

1. Always choose to be kind.
2. Never assume that others think the way you do.
3. Communicate. Don’t just assume in your head what or how others think.
4. What you say might not always be correctly understood (no matter how clear you think you might be).
5. The limit to your giving should be you getting hurt.
6. If you don’t like someone, you don’t have to vilify them. We’re never all good nor all bad.
7. No matter how much you want a relationship to succeed and nourish, it doesn’t solely depend on you. There are “two” in any relation.
8. If someone doesn’t return your love, this doesn’t make them evil or worthy of your curses. Relax, they might just not belong to your tribe.
9. Others’ opinions of you shouldn’t concern you. It only concerns them.
10. Stop trying to impress, stop trying so hard to be liked. Instead, try to inspire. It’s harder to do and it edges your ego out.
11. Those who lack the courage to take risks with their lives will always try to bring you down. Do your best to lift them up. They need your encouragement and help.
12. Never be in a relation that drains your energy. No good can ever come out of that.
13. Don’t keep score. If you started keeping score, you’re better off without the entire relation.
14. When they can’t win with you, some will resort to talking about you. Rise above it.
15. Sometimes others’ problems with you is merely accepting the idea of your existence. There is nothing you can do about that.
16. Don’t judge others, just be grateful and pray to never have to walk in their shoes.
17. When people ask for your help, even if you think you’ll never hear from them unless they are in need, be grateful that you can make someone’s life a little easier and a little more beautiful.
18. If you’re lucky to find people who will support you through thick and thin, know that you’ve found a treasure.
19. Sometimes we get acts of kindness from the most random people.
20. Friendship is never measured by years.

 

Career:

1. You’re never too late, too old, too stuck to change the course of your life.
2. You catch glimpses of your passion throughout your life. Believe in them and follow your heart.
3. Changing a career is a mental, emotional and physical struggle. It’s worth every moment of your pain.
4. Success has nothing to do with money. The day you wake up grateful for what you have to do in the day, is the day you’ll feel accomplished.
5. Pick a career that helps you express yourself. Only then will your work become therapy.
6. There is no shame in trying different paths until you settle on one.
7. If you wake up tomorrow with enough money for you, your kids, and grandkids. What is it that you would want to do with your life? The answer to this question is exactly what you should be doing now as your career.
8. Try your best to stop procrastinating.

 

Travel:

1. Travel, travel a lot. Travel even when you don’t have the money. Travelling, if you allow it, will turn you into the best possible version of yourself.
2. You don’t need anywhere to be you, you can be yourself anywhere you go.
3. Money spent on travelling is money well spent.
4. Travel alone at least once in your life.
5. Take pictures of moments not places.
6. Planning is essential when travelling, but sometimes it’s more wonderful to move with the flow.
7. Travel with light spirited people. They add a whole other level of awesomeness and enjoyment to your trip.
8. Take road trips, lots and lots of road trips. They teach you patience, and appreciation for the journey more than the destination.
9. Sometimes all you need is a fresh stamp on your passport.
10. If you still decide to take the trip, even if you post nothing about it on social media, then it’s worth your time, effort and money.

 

I wonder if this will change in 10 years 🙂

Love,

Dina