Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. ~ Forrest Gump
Life is a pendulum with good and bad days. You can never predict how things will turn out in a month, year or a decade. There’ll be many unexpected twists and turns, hence the best way to lead life is to go with the flow.
Shri Krishna says, we should take each day as it comes, live in the present, worrying too much about the future or thinking about the past will get you nowhere. You’ll waste precious time contemplating, procrastinating or just getting lost in the whirlwind of ‘what ifs’ and ‘should haves’. Having said that, one should also have some plans, plans that are actionable and not just fantasies.
Planning is good, procrastination is not. Planning provides perspective to life, a road map for productivity and life ahead. Make plans, that satisfy your soul, something that makes you jump out of bed everyday.
We go through a lot of life changing experiences which leave an everlasting mark on us. Sometimes we don’t even choose the path we are on, we are coerced to get on it as it may reap the maximum benefits. But then we see our life passing by, doing things we may or may not like and following the norms till the end.
It is time you understand that, time is the most precious commodity. Once you lose your youth, vigour and energy, there is no coming back. Hence let us make a list of things we have to do, at least one every year.
Top 15 exciting things you could do:
- Travel solo – traveling unravels a different side to you. Travelling solo is an empowering experience where different aspects of your brain, senses and physical abilities are tested.
Many entrepreneurs, leaders and gurus have embarked on a life changing journey, which shaped their fortunes, careers and teachings.
- Learn a new language – it has been proven by science, when you learn a new language your problem-solving capacity, critical-thinking and concentration skills are enhanced. It also helps in slowing mental ageing process, as new networks in your brain are created.
New language also helps in creating better social networks and prospects in your job. When you speak to anyone in their local tongue, you become a part of their society/inner circle immediately.
- Cook a meal – in present times we depend a lot on takeaways and home deliveries, which is not only bad for our health but also taxing on our pockets.
Learning to cook is a boon in disguise. As per Vedas (Ancient Hindu scripts) a meal carries the energy of the person cooking it. Hence if you want to keep your energies untouched and positive, cook your own meal.
Cooking is an art and it gives you a platform to show your creativity. So, put on the chef’s hat and dazzle your friends and family.
- Volunteer – sharing, helping and giving back to the world is the purest form of love. There are many who need our help and have to fight a battle each day for survival. Hence find a cause that you can relate to and give freely. Always remember, people don’t remember you for your words or actions, they remember you for how you made them feel.
- Start a company – if you are in a corporate job or working elsewhere, starting your own company would have passes through your mind at least once. Don’t wait for things to align, support of people or money to pour, just start with what you feel is right. Things will never be perfect, perfection is an illusion. Start with whatever you have and keep working towards it. Slowly and steadily you’ll reach the destination you have imagined.
- Find a mentor – in Sanskrit a mentor/teacher is referred to as ‘Gurudeva’, which is a combination of two words ‘Guru’ (teacher) ‘Deva’ (God), which translates to, teacher is next to God. Most of the possessions in the world are easy to acquire with dedication and hard work, however a mentor who can transform your life is the hardest to find. Always be on a lookout for the right teacher. And when you find the mentor who touches your soul, dedicate yourself to him and learn the secrets you have always been curious about. Putting your belief in someone is a sacred task and once it is done, it’ll give you purpose and peace.
- Save money – it is as simple as it can get. Life is unpredictable, you never know what may come your way, hence a little preparation will go a long way. Money is a commodity you need for your basic needs and stability, never consider its worth more than that.
It’s easy to get swayed by ‘Maya’ (materialistic pleasures), but control is the virtue here. Marketeers are finding new ways and technologies to sway you, super computers are being deployed to study your behaviour patterns. Hence before you buy, ask yourself these questions, Is it necessary? Will my life stop without it? Is it worth the amount?
Follow 70:30 principle, you can spend 70% of your earnings on necessities or luxuries, while 30% of you income should always be saved.
- Sky dive – there can be nothing more exhilarating and life changing than skydiving. There are tons of adventure sports out there, but jumping from an airplane at a height of 15,000 feet in indisputable. You may be one of those who is afraid of the unknown, but if you take a chance and try this sport, it’ll change your attitude towards life. It is an experience that’ll boost your confidence and self-esteem.
One of the fears that human beings are born with, is the ‘fear of falling’ and when you conquer it in this fashion, you become bold and fearless beyond bounds.
- Travel abroad – Living in the same country, meeting similar people and eating the same food narrows your vision of the world. Which will keep you hidden from the amazing wonders of the world. You should embark on the journey just for the thrill of it and in the process you may uncover a great adventure.
No matter what we hear or read, the first hand experience of seeing a new place and culture broadens our horizon and gives us more perspective of life around us. Traveling makes you more open minded and acceptable to changes. Which make you more flexible, calmer and a happier person.
- Learn a new skill – my mantra is, learn a new skill every year. New skills add new networks in your brain, which keep you younger and active for years to come. In addition to the health benefits, these skills can also give you a boost in your career. Making your resume more attractive and showing your capabilities of picking new formats easily.
- Change profession – many of us latch on to the first job we are offered right out of college. It may be good, bad or ugly, but with passing years we become more and more bound to it. The solace of a monthly pay check, approval from our friends and family and the comfort zone we create around it, holds us back from making any drastic changes. However the longer we settle in these comfort zones, deeper will be the claws of society and responsibilities holding us back. Hence you should break the chains of normalcy and try something new that would make you happy. When you put your heart and soul into anything, success and glory will be its byproducts.
- Learn to dance – dance has multiple benefits from increased muscular strength, cognitive performance, coordination and balance. But the most beneficial is that it gives you an outlet to express. We are bound in our daily lives with rules, regulations, how to sit, stand, talk, walk and eat. Dance is a medium, which is boundless, you can break all rules and create your own style. Therefore pick up your dancing shoes and get lost in a world you create. You’ll always leave the floor with a smile and sense of accomplishment.
- Go offline – with 3G, 4G, 5G and WIFI all around us, we are losing the connect with ourselves and the world around. We are so deep into the web, that we forget the cobwebs around. Technology has advanced at a very rapid pace, the developments we see today have progressed 5 times faster than their predecessors.
Advancement of technology has many boons, but has disrupted the peace of mind greatly. We are consuming media at a pace which is not benevolent, making us delusional, stressed and unhappy. Hence Disconnect! Disconnect for a week or more and see the changes in your body, mind and thoughts. It’ll be a detoxifying experience for your entire being.
- Learn to meditate –Meditation is a practise where an individual uses one of the many techniques to control mind, awareness and attention. This leads to emotionally calm and stable state. It is a practice which was born in India thousands of years ago.
Meditation to many would sound like a religious practise followed by monks and nuns, but think again. Not only can anyone meditate, but there are limitless benefits from a simple daily meditation routine.
- Be a hero – help a blind man cross the road, carry groceries for the elderly, save a cat from a tree or resolve any calamity that your vigour can handle. Be the hero you want to see. The sense of accomplishment and joy you’ll feel within, by making someone else happy will be unrivalled.
Conclusion
Life is too short to leave things undone, or postponing to a time when you’ll have more time. There will be no better day or a better time, you are alive today and tomorrow is a mystery. So, make a list of your own and start living the life you always wanted. Every item ticked on your list, will be blissful and a step closer to living joyfully.
Heaven is a place on earth!
