Life is a miracle in which each and every one of us has been blessed with.
I recently turned 25 and at first I considered this to be rather frightening because it not only meant that I am getting older but that life is becoming more and more serious. But then I came across a quote by an unknown author that went something like this:
Do not regret growing older, it is a privilege denied to many.
This quote literally opened up my eyes! Kind of like the feeling you get in the mornings when you wash your face with cold water and suddenly you’re alert. It made me realise that growing older isn’t something to be upset about, it is something to be grateful about; so it makes perfect sense why traditionally it is celebrated and not ‘mourned’.
Most people don’t like the idea of getting older and society doesn’t have a positive view of ageing. So it’s not surprising that people are trying harder and harder to maintain their youth. Why is that though? Whatever happened to ageing gracefully? Why do people want to stay in their 20’s? I wonder if it is because they haven’t made the most of life. By that I don’t mean that they haven’t had fun but that they didn’t have the ‘wisdom’ to take in everything the way it deserved to be taken in.
It’s easy to take things for granted in life and I guess our youth is one of those things; mainly because you never think that you’ll lose it or that it will end. But it is important that you value your youth whilst you have it, so that you don’t have to chase after it for the rest of your life.
In my case I have been taking things way too seriously with work and uni and with being fixated on the idea that I have to lay down the foundation for my future now. But this type of thinking has made me miss out on the first 5 years of my twenties. Don’t get me wrong I’ve had my fun but I’ve also been too serious about life and as a result I’ve let worry and fear about the unknown future get to me. Worry and fear tend to poison your mind because they shift your focus from the beautiful things in life. They take you away from the ‘now’ and place you in either the past or in the future; both of which should not be your concern because they are out of your control.
As I turned 25 I decided to change my thinking and take control of my attitude towards life. To be aware of the beauty in every single day and to celebrate the little miracles in life. Yes some days it will be harder than others and yes the stress of life will try and get me down. But it is ultimately my choice how I feel at the end of the day and how I decide to view things.
To help make the change, I’ve decided on two things: 1) to practice gratitude and 2) to practice mindfulness.
To anyone who reads this, why don’t you take this challenge upon yourself too and see if it makes a difference to the quality of your life.
Take a moment throughout the day to practice gratitude for things like the clean drinking water you have access to, being literate and able to read this blog, your family, your friends and most importantly yourself; you’re a miracle from your head to your toes.
For mindfulness, stop and take a deep breath, draw, colour-in, take in the beauty of nature or get captivated by the beauty of a candle when it burns. Help your brain close down those unnecessary open ‘tabs’ and enjoy the peace and calm that comes with doing this.
It will be a challenge, but it will be a good one…
Let me know how you go…
Love Always
Miss Dreamer
Souloom™ 