MY 11 LESSONS FOR AN ABUNDANT LIFE AT 25
Who doesn’t want to live an abundant life? We all want to live a life where we can be happy and fulfilled. However, we sometimes get stuck in our journeys, feel lost, or struggle to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of our happiness, wealth, good health and joy.
Why am I bringing up this topic now? Oftentimes I get these bursts of pure happiness when I acknowledge how much good there is in my day to day. I can’t help it, lately I find myself just smiling at life. The other day, while I was biking home from work, I caught myself smiling like an idiot, with a big smirk on my face. There was nothing specific on my mind, but it was just one of those moments where you stop yourself for a second and think “ahhh, life is good”. I felt this undeniable feeling of joy thinking about how abundant my life currently is. All the positive things present in it and all the great ones that are still heading my way. But it also made me recognize that such abundance doesn’t necessarily come to us ‘just because’. I believe we foster it through certain attitudes and behaviors in our daily lives. Consciously or not, we open up a path for that abundance to get to us.
So the next day, during my morning journaling, I left myself some space to reflect over what exactly are the things that I think have contributed to the abundance I benefit from today, as well as to become more aware of where I stand in regards to putting them into practice in my day to day.
After some thought, I have decided I want to share those with you here, since The Pocket Journal was always meant to be a shared path towards learning how to improve ourselves, inspire growth, and give you the resources to be one step closer to your goals and the path you want to pursue.
Some of the things I wrote down, I’ve been consistently doing for as far as I can remember, while others I have just recently pushed myself to do more, or still need to work on. And yes, they might be generic or a bit cliché, but they serve me as an overall reference when trying to stir my life in a more positive and meaningful direction, so I hope they will also help you find yourself smiling back at life more often!
Without further ado, here you have them, the excerpts of my 11 lessons for an abundant life at 25.
Jump ahead to:
1. Focus on giving and the rest will follow.
Give compassion, kindness, understanding, empathy, hard-work, time, dedication, commitment, love, support… and you will receive it right back. Sometimes we want to be rewarded right away, but we need to be willing to put in the work and show up with generosity first. You don’t have to believe in karma to see the logic behind this. The act of giving is opposite to a scarcity mindset, and shows a deep belief that ‘there is enough for everyone’, so someone else’s gain is not your loss.
2. Get to know yourself.
And I mean, reaaaallly know yourself. If you are not observing and paying attention to who you are and what makes you tick, how are you supposed to know what drives you and makes you happy? What are your needs? Your desires? What do you struggle with? What can you improve? What are your strengths?
Continuously ask yourself if what you are doing is aligned with your values and what you want for yourself in life. If it’s not, have the courage to change it. Asking yourself the important questions (which are often also the tough ones) is crucial to understand what are the things in life that are making you unhappy and substitute them with the ones which will truly fulfil you.
Personally, daily journaling has incredibly helped me keep track of my inner thoughts, deepest desires and become more aware of the gaps between the person I am and the person I want to become.
3. Consistency is key.
Your life will take the shape and soak the energy of what you consistently do. Pay attention to your habits and the type of energy and attitude you consistently show up with.
4. Believe in yourself, always.
Believe in the potential of the great things coming your way. Believe you are already equipped with everything you need to become whichever version of yourself you want to be. And then, work for it. Because of course, believing in your potential to achieve something is a great (and necessary) first step, but things don’t work unless you do. So don’t take your eyes off the prize. Be your number one supporter and the driving force that pushes you forward. Having a supportive circle is of course a great plus, but no one else should have the responsibility to do that for you.
5. Be flexible.
You can’t control everything. Nothing in this life is guaranteed. Sometimes we lose. Things, opportunities, people. Learn to accept and let go. Transform the pain or frustration into love for new beginnings. It’s good to fight back sometimes, but pick your fights. Some people spend a lifetime fighting for the tiniest things. That feels exhausting. Acceptance will set you free.
6. Feed your mind.
Stay insatiably curious and explore (places, minds, ideas, technologies, yourself). Never stop learning and looking for new ways to grow. One of the best ways to do that is through experimentation. Trial and error. Fail forward.
Have you learned or tried anything new lately? If the answer is no, you’re not growing enough.
7. Learn to stand up for yourself and speak your mind.
Silencing your thoughts, feelings, desires and opinions will not only hold you back from living the way you want, but will also leave space for people to take advantage of you. Learn to set boundaries and be honest, but always speak from a place of love and mean no harm.
8. Don’t get too stuck in stability but do seek balance.
It’s true that if you wrap yourself up in comfort your whole life, not taking any risks or seeking new experiences, you will end up shrinking your scope of opportunities and closing doors to new perspectives, so it’s always fruitful to push yourself away from your usual boundaries. But while you are at it, don’t forget to seek balance in all areas of your life as well. It is important for both your physical and mental health, and although some paths can be incredibly exhilarating and absorbing, they can only be sustainable for so long.
9. Do something good for the world.
On a smaller or bigger scale, but try to do something good for this world. There’s always a person or cause out there that can use your support. You are important, you are valuable, and you can make a difference.
10. Be thankful.
Gratitude allows you to enjoy the simple pleasures of life and feel fulfilled with very little. You really don’t need much to see this life as the gift it is. Nurture and honor it. Developing a gratitude mindset will also help you attract positive and optimistic people into your circle and leave behind the complainers and energy-soakers. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
11. Have fun.
What else are we here for if not to have a great time? Don’t stress too much trying to figure out this “life” game we’re all playing, and enjoy every single part of the process. Laugh often, even about the shitty parts, and even more about yourself. Don’t take others’ criticisms, opinions or judgements too seriously. Develop a sense of humour about everything. Take life with a pinch of salt. We’re only here for a bit. Make it extraordinary.
What else would you add?
These were the thoughts about an abundant life I managed to scribble for myself that morning.
But again, these are my own personal reflections and they may or may not resonate with you.
So I would love it if you’d share your own!
What do you think helps your life be more abundant?
What would your lesson number 12 be?
