Life is not always meant to be fair. It could be a broken toy that can never be mended or replaced, a broken childhood / family, a broken heart, a broken ladder in the professional rat-race, to a battered body fighting ill-health. We all have faced and lived to tell, one or many of the above. Considering that you are reading this, you still have the breath-of-life in you. Congratulations… you have fought and survived!

We are in a constant process of teaching ourselves to stand-up, confront and overcome what is flung at us in this journey called life. Don’t end up inadvertently playing the victim card and fall prey to self-pity, for there is always a time for new beginnings.

A while ago, I came across an inspirational Video on YouTube by Matthew McConaughey – I’ve borrowed excerpts from the same and couldn’t help myself from sharing it with you….

The first step to knowing who you are, is to know who you are not. Everyone knows who they are, but few strive to find out who they are not.

Not all people you spend time with will bring out the best in you. Don’t become what they want you to be. Are you in the company of gossip mongering friends? They will do the same to you behind your back! Choose not to be with them, for they are like hungry animals gorging on your mind and time. Get off the ride – and walk away, if you perceive it’s heading in the wrong direction. It’s alright to let go of toxic people, things and situations – eliminate these – there is more to life.

When you do make a mistake, own it; Make amends and begin afresh.

When you stop giving empty people your time, you can begin to focus on yourself and devote more time on hobbies and places you want to be that bring out the best in you. Pursue mental health and peace over materialistic pleasures as that kind of happiness is but short-lived. No matter how beautiful the gardens of Babylon, they can never be admired by a restless mind. Seek and find solace within.

Shut all doors on lethargy. Travel! Explore the world as much as your budget allows. Meet and talk to people in person, not just via a text or an email in your inbox. While money is important, teach yourself to seek simple pleasures that life has on offer.

Get rid of the excess. Don’t give yourself a plethora of choices. Remain focussed and decrease your options. Once you do that, you will begin to find time. Only then will you be able to tag yourself as ‘the most important’  in your life.

Create things that offer you long term dividends – like health, peace of mind and inner joy. Build today, what you want your future to be. You are the architect of your dreams. Build them strong, but build them malleable. Choose adaptability over rigidity. Do your best and choose things that you want to, not the things that you have to!

Don’t let the weight of guilt, regret and the pangs of pain pull you down. Take your time. Heal. Don’t try and hasten the healing process. You owe that to no one. Seek temporary solitude – spend time with yourself. Seek the warmth of sunlight on your face… Most of all, learn to love yourself again.

And finally, trust in God and be not daunted.