Bringing life back to the basics

It is at a time like this, in a place like this, when you reflect and consider many things that make up your life.

For so many years now I have been focused on making myself the most competitive, yet happy, individual amongst my peers, in order to stand out and expand my opportunities. I wanted to be the best at everything and prove to everyone that I was capable of doing anything I set my mind to. Entrusting my adolescent wisdom I assumed my life would feel full and complete if I was able to achieve my personal desires and be looked at with respect for the accomplishments I had made in my life. Now as I sit here, in a world so different from the one I know, my personal perception of how life should be lived is in flux. I am reconsidering all preconceived notions I had about how life should be lived.

Upon entering college, my life turned into a rat race. I loaded myself down with classes, sports, extracurricular clubs, and two jobs to top it all off. My life was busy, and I worked really hard at everything I did. I thought, “If I can complete all of this and survive college I will be able to live the life I want and be happy.” This thought, and the notion that one day I would have the chance to change many people’s lives in a positive way kept me working tirelessly day in and day out. But looking back now, did I have it right? Was the life I was living truly going to find me happiness? I don’t know and I am still searching for the answer. Nonetheless, amongst the many questions left unanswered in my head, I have come to understand three common themes I live my life by. These themes have been highlighted in the brevity of my first week in India.  

I now want to introduce them to you and see what you think. Perhaps, from the infinite wisdom found amongst all our wonderful brains we can come to a conclusion on some basic themes one should live there life by. To me, these themes bring life back to the basics.

1)      Happiness

Life is not worth living if you are not happy. Happiness is a relative term, and you must ultimately decide for yourself what will or will not make you happy. If you are not happy, reconsider the way you live your life. There is always time to change, and who knows what that change may bring to your life.

2)      Family and loved ones

I don’t know what I would do without my family and the people I love most in my life. They are my backbone, my support, and my inspiration. I want to make them proud of the person I have become and let them see their time and efforts to shape and mold me into what I am today have not been wasted.

In my rush to take on the world I almost lost sight of this incredible truth. Family is your home base and your happiness depends on the happiness of your family and loved ones. So don’t forget about where you came from, because when you are alone in the world your family will always be your light in the darkness.

3)      A bigger purpose

It is at the age I am now that many of my peers and I are asking THE BIG QUESTION “What is my purpose?” This is no easy question to answer, but the answer cannot be found by simply wallowing in the question itself. The answer can be found in action, movement, and discovery of the world. I like to think of this saying “Life will not come to you. You have to come to life.” I walk with this phrase everyday recognizing what I want and the purpose I am searching for are not going to just show up at my doorstep one morning. If you are looking for a “bigger yes,” a “bigger purpose” you must actively search for it. Now get off your couch and get moving, because your purpose is waiting for you. Now go find it!!!

So, at the end of the day if you find yourself tired and overworked, maybe it is time to ponder these three questions about your life:

1)      Are you happy?

If not, what are you going to do to find that happiness?

2)      Where does your family and loved ones fit in your life?

Do they know how much you love them and appreciate them? I know in my rush to conquer this world I almost forgot to take a moment and let the loved ones in my life know how much they meant to me. I would be nothing without them.

3)      Do you get up every morning with a “bigger yes”, a purpose?

You should live your life with goals. They do not have to be big and complex ones. They can be as simple as making your neighbor smile or fixing the leaky hose in the backyard. But if you get up with a goal in sight every morning, you will have a direction and reason to feel fulfillment in the life you live.

These are the questions I have asked myself while in India. My life has slowed down here and I can mull over such questions as the ones above.

Last of all I will leave you with a quick poem I wrote:

Life is a wave:

Like a wave life will pass,

So short we barely grasp,

Life peaks, and then breaks,

A speck in time that fails to last

What are you going to do to make this world a better place in your life?