You may have heard the saying ” the grass is not always greener on the other side”, that is true but let’s take it a step further and look at it from a revised perspective. Because someone else’s grass is green doesn’t mean their flowers are blooming but they choose to enjoy the green grass and pay little attention to the flowers that aren’t blooming, not because they are nonchalant but because they decided to choose life’s positivities. There is so much beauty to behold in this world but it is just wasting away because only a few people enjoy it. Others just live their lives oblivious to it, that is what I call existence. You can choose to live and leave your mark on the sands of time or just exist.

Live, don't just exist

Don’t just look, observe.

Don’t just swallow, taste.

Don’t just sleep, dream.

Don’t just think, feel.

Don’t just exist, live.

…and to that I’d like to add don’t just hear, listen!

Live, don't just exist

Put yourself out there, explore, challenge yourself to do new things. Too many times we go through life with the speed of light, going through the motions and letting each new day happen and pass us by exactly like the previous one. You may think that’s fine until one day you wake up and its a new year and you look back and wonder what you did with the 525600 minutes, 8760 hours, 365 days, 52 weeks or 12 months God gave you. Or until you realise you missed out on your childhood, college days, your children’s childhood. Or you grow old and realise you didn’t have a youth because you missed out on that too.  The same way life cannot be bought is the same way living it shouldn’t cost a leg and an arm.

Live, don't just exist

Don’t live life in a haste,take time to enjoy it. Appreciate what you already have before reaching out for more. Maybe you have neglected your family and friends for a long time, it doesn’t have to go on that way. Take out time to recognise and appreciate them if for nothing but for always being there for you. Love freely. To love others you have to love yourself first so fall in love with yourself and then go ahead and love recklessly. You don’t have to know someone to love or show them love, it doesn’t have to be someone on your “squad”. Love others not as a means to an end but because love is what you are made of.

Live, don't just exist

Slow down. Once upon a time I started watching a Tv show which has ten seasons because practically everyone in my life raved about it and I didn’t get the memo on time so I was the last to jump on the bandwagon. As expected I was going through the episodes as quickly as possible just to see what the hype was about. A day passed and I was still on season 1 so I said it out loud and a dear person to me ( you know yourself) asked me to slow down as it is about enjoying it and not finishing it. That statement reminded me that life is a journey and not a destination, it isn’t about how quickly you arrived (because you can never arrive) but how well you sailed through. So don’t try to rush everything, reduce your speed, live in the moment and enjoy it. It’s good to plan for the future but don’t let the future steal the present from you.

Live, don't just exist

Take advantage of every moment. There are things you may not like to do, it doesn’t mean you have to go through the motions,you can enjoy the brighter side of the situation. Here’s what I mean: For some reasons you are someone who hates to fly but flying is inevitable because it’s now an integral aspect of your lifestyle or job. You don’t have to sit on that plane reechoing and nurturing how much you hate flying, instead you can do something else you love doing. In your case it could be reading, talking to strangers, listening to music, drawing, writing, creating contents,brainstorming for new ideas, taking pictures or reading my blog :), …etc. In a nutshell, choose positivity over negativity.

Live, don't just exist

Small things matter. Disconnect from the internet world and connect more with people. As bizarre as this may sound, the internet is one of many ways which encourage delusions of grandeur. Have real relationships with people, listen to them talk, don’t always be the one talking. Give others a listening ear and really be interested in them and not what they have to offer, you will find out that little gestures like that mean the world to many people and that way you will make loyal friends for life and actually see and appreciate the beauty in others. Still on the topic of enjoying the little things I’d like to say you don’t have to go on an elaborate vacation to enjoy nature (but if you can afford it, by all means) take walks around your neighbourhood, at the park, by your city’s or town’s riverside, with a friend, at night, get to know what your city looks like when the sun has gone to rest and the moon has taken over. I’ve heard people say “there’s no money to go out”, you don’t necessarily need money for this, get your own water bottle and fill it up with your water from home and off you go, enjoy the scenery and natural sounds, drink some water and be happy. You can also take a different route home, the worst that could happen is you getting home later than expected but you would have seen a different part of the city that you never knew existed. Travel the world and learn about other people’s culture, the experience is inexplicable.

Travelling – It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.

                                                                                            ∼ Ibn Battuta

Live, don't just exist

Live, don't just exist

Try something new everyday. I’m far from exhausting the many ways in which life could be lived and enjoyed but with these few points I’m sure this is a good place to start. We learn everyday so I’ll be glad to learn from you the many other ways you go through life enjoying everyday and not enduring it, leave me a comment below.

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