I like to think of myself as an optimist, someone who’s able to see the best-case scenario in bad situations, any situation for that matter. But I’ve learned over the years that there’s a catch. The catch is that while I have this rather useful ability, it’s seemingly fleeting and quite circumstantial. I know that personal development starts from going within, but sometimes going within isn’t enough, at least not for me. It’s one thing to know your own personal truths, and a much different thing to actively stay on course and know what to do with it. Sometimes, I can’t see the best in situations. Sometimes I can only hear the worst, which only gains strength when my lifestyle isn’t reflective of my core values and beliefs. It’s no secret that happiness is the result of doing the things that bring you joy on a day-to-basis, but it’s seemingly easier said than done.
2018 is the year to make resolutions (at least that’s what Facebook says) but how many of us actually achieve them? There doesn’t need to be any shame around that, but my pondering mind wants work out why many of us are so afraid to succeed at our dreams? Why we’re hesitant to fully go for it? We’re so good at holding back and making excuses, and I’m certainly no exception.
I moved to London after travelling around the world for 18 months. With having so much time to get to know myself, I felt like I was unstoppable when I arrived. Yet, I found myself feeling defeated over and again. London is no walk in the park. It’s certainly not an easy city. Sure it’s fun, vibrant, cultural, historical and full of opportunity, but easy isn’t the word for it. I get the appeal of living in London, after all that’s why I’m here, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a busy, grey, and impersonal city. My unbeatable confidence has been tampered with and now here I am, at the beginning of 2018 with little to no idea what I really want to achieve. Travelling the world was my dream, and without doubt I feel more like myself on the road than anywhere. But it isn’t sustainable forever, and I need to find ways of bringing myself back to life in a stable environment, full of duty, schedules and predictability.
My New Year’s resolution isn’t making a list of ‘To Do’s’ but rather exploring my patterns that continuously pop up, bringing me back to the exact same place. Of course I want to be more fit, eat better, wake up earlier, read more, write more, but more than that, I want to wake up feeling like I know who I am and today that’s exactly who I’ll be, without apologies or excuses – An unshakeable confidence if you will.
My challenge for anyone interested, is to sit down and think about what really lights you up, then do more of that. I’m challenging myself to re-write my story by living a lifestyle that’s supportive to my journey, regardless of my destination or social circles. We need to be the ones holding the pen or rather driving the car of our own lives. I’m officially dedicating 2018 to disposing self-limiting beliefs and replacing them with new ones, empowering ones. As best selling author Gordon Livingstone wrote, ‘There is nothing more pointless, or common, than doing the same things and expecting different results.’ So here’s to doing something different and getting different results. Happy New Year! Let’s make it count.
Thanks for reading!
What’s next?
‘Expat Survival Guide’ and ‘Adapting to the Big Smoke – London Living.’
