WARNING: This post could be pretty downbeat.
I think though that it is about time that I share about what I believe to be the keys to living a meaningful life. For me, it is being able to maintain a steadiness of three things:
continuous learning, integrity and courage. There are quite other aspects to be
valued, but in my opinion, these three that I've mentioned stand out and make
sense as I go through my daily activities.
Having the zest for
learning, which starts from knowing myself first of all, is very important. It
is always a joy to discover my purpose and to have a clear
vision of how I want myself to be with what I desire to experience. I practice
this by observing how I relate with others in certain situations and
determining what improvements I could do should I face the same thing again. I
reflect whenever I am alone, when I start the day, or before I sleep- and I
must say that it is interesting to learn more of myself.
However, it is not only my whole being
that I am keen on knowing. I always got this certain level of curiosity, especially
of those that I actually have no idea of. My reading references are so wide and
I try to capture the essence of these books, magazines, and articles. I love watching
talks, speeches, and enjoy learning even from the simplest conversations with
the people I meet. I guess that it is never too late to apply these knowledge
when the situation calls for it, and that as I age, I’d feel contented knowing
that there are so many things I know that represent my values in life which I
intend to use in order to help others grow, too.
Next is integrity. For me, sticking to
my morals is a must rather than pleasing others or by giving in to their own
standards at the expense of mine. It is
important to be true and honest as a person. Even when no one is watching me, it
is essential to still be doing the right thing. I feel this sense of fulfillment
when I know deep inside that I have done the right thing and that my character
is sound. I also consider being real to others as important. It causes harm to
speak negatively of others or do something to hurt them especially when it is out
of anger, which may trigger them to distrust and disrespect me. So I just keep
things simple by being myself, yet maintaining a personality of realness which
could actually inspire others to be the same.
Lastly, the spirit of courage is something
that I strongly rely on. The thing is, there are a lot of challenges that I
have encountered, and somehow I've learned to practice determination and being
daring enough to face these. I could have walked out or succumbed to self destruction but it is just not me to give up when I fail. Also, I love
adventure and activities that challenge my mind and body. Going out of my comfort zone makes me
flexible and fulfilled. It is always awesome to push
myself, and I attribute that to my sheer audacity and the chutzpah to pull of things.
But
courage is not only physical. I also think that having an intellectual courage
is important. I share my ideas boldly because that is how we figure out things,
by exploring all the options. I believe it is important to not be afraid of
what others may think of our ideas.
So
these are the principles that guide me, and it is a refreshing experience to
write these down and check on myself. I will hold on to these as I try to live
fabulously. And so pardon me for being too formal, but I think I am absolutely doing okay at this point in my life.
