Self-Reflection and Life Lessons

As I am slowly creeping towards to my 30th birthday this coming Sunday, I want to take the time to do a bit of self-reflection of all the things I've learned through life and my experiences. I'm writing this simply as a gentle reminder to myself of what I learn and continue to practice a few of these thoughts as I go through life. Perhaps a gentle reminder for you as well.

Learn to Let Go

This is by far the hardest thing for me so far, because I get sentimental a lot. Especially with items I own, which means I have some hoarding tendencies. I'm getting better though. I'm much better at throwing things out that I don't need, but I still need to work on giving away and selling things to get rid of clutter. That's for sure. Unfortunately with people, this gets a little harder unless they really did something terrible to you. But sometimes it just has to be done.

People Will Come and Go

Speaking of people...... as an expat, this is going to be especially true. You have to learn to accept that sometimes the friends you meet in the country together won't stay as is forever, as some will move on or return home. And that you may not get a chance to see them again in a long, long time. Though social media has definitely help close the gap, sometimes it's just not the same... or maybe they don't use social media, and people will just slowly exit your life. And that's ok. Cherish your time together, and reflect on those times.

Admitting Your Mistakes And Saying Sorry (Like You Mean It)

Admitting that you might have done something wrong can be really hard. I grew up in a household where my parents were always right, and the word sorry wasn't exact in the dictionary for them. That's because parents just cannot be wrong. I was obviously taught to say sorry to other people, but never with loved ones. So it was hard for me to be wrong (if I don't know something, I usually just don't say anything), and much, much harder for me to apologize. But I think I'm getting there. At least I want to think so.

Be Willing to Learn

As an adult, you never stop learning. You just (might) stop learning in more conventional ways like a classroom, but you're always learning. As a teacher (of sorts), I know I'm always learning from my students.

Be Kind to Yourself

Be kind to others, be kind to yourself. Sometimes it's okay if you're just not feeling it, and you need to just not do anything. Or, maybe you did make a mistake, but perhaps there was an unexpected outcome that came of it. Don't stress on things you cannot control. Just be you as best as you can today.

Time Doesn't Wait For Me

As much as I would want time to stop so my vacation or holiday can be extended indefinitely, I know it doesn't. Sometimes time might just not be so kind to me, and there's really nothing I can do about it but to keep doing that thing called life.