1. Let the heart lead and the head follow
Every time we make a decision where we ignore our heart and go with our head, prioritising logic and reason, we can often end up having regrets. When we follow our passions and desires, we get a deeper sense of meaningful fulfilment. It is better to follow your heart first, and then allow the head to come in and support your heart’s desires. Both working in tandem can be a powerful force.
2. Doing nothing is good
Most of us feel guilty about laying on the couch day-dreaming or having a late lie-in, particularly if your parents tell you that you are being lazy and should get up and do something. The Italian’s have a phrase la dolce far niente, which means the sweetness of doing nothing. Having time out is one of the most precious and rejuvenating things you can do for your soul. Rather than wasting time, this is valuable “me” time, when you can be still and ‘check in’ with yourself to reflect upon your day. Its importance is something I have come to realise is vital, to be healthy and happy. The older you get, and the less time you have available for yourself, makes you value quality alone time even more.
3. Failure is a gift
How many of us are constantly living in fear, of making the wrong decisions, taking the wrong path or ending up unhappy – but the question is, how will we ever know what makes us happy? It is only through stumbles along the way, whether through choices with incompatible friends, college, partners, or careers that we will realise what we really want. When the right choices present itself, we will know because of the different feeling it generates, which lights the fire in our souls. Even more importantly, since we have known failure, we will cherish it all the more and the sense of accomplishment is sweeter. There is always a deeper learning in every ‘failure’ that can guide our way forward.
4. Challenge authority
Many of us were brought up to fear and revere those in uniforms, those who govern us, and those who are more senior or older than us. However the more we see of the world, the more we come to realise that the system is broken, and that there are a lot of policies in place and self-serving people in control which don’t ultimately serve societies best interests. It is only by constantly challenging all that is wrong, that our society will be equal. So the next time, that bully boss intimidates you, you witness an injustice, or someone tells you ‘you are not good enough’, tell them enough is enough. Dig deep, be courageous and stand up tall.
5. Act like a child
When we are growing up, how often are we told by parents, family and teachers, to act our age? Don’t act your age, act how you were when you were a child. Remember the awe, joy and pleasures you took in the simple things in life as a kid, weren’t they the best of times? In order to navigate the sometimes gloomy doomy dreariness of working life and increasing responsibilities as you get older, it is only through reverting to our child-like state which ensures we still have that continuous spark in our lives. Play as often as you can.
6. Experiment when you’re young
How often are we told to dress ‘appropriately’ or mix with the ‘right’ crowd, or pursue the ‘right’ interests? One of the best ways we can find our place in the world is to experiment with different situations, styles and hanging out with an eclectic group of people whom we wouldn’t normally. By pushing ourselves into places or contexts that aren’t familiar, we begin to get a better idea of our boundaries in the world, which helps us get over fears and learn to take safe risks, which will only serve us better into the future.
7. ‘Wing it’ constantly
It is a universally acknowledged truth, that no matter what age you are, you will still never really feel like an actual adult. Whether you are a child, teenager or adult, you will still sometimes feel clueless, scared and powerless. Despite being a 30-something ‘CEO’, I still often say the wrong thing, am pretty much intimidated and rendered monosyllabic by everyone in a ‘senior’ position and get scared when I hear noises in the middle of the night! The only difference with young people and adults, is you get better at hiding all of this. So the only way around it, it is to wing it – constantly!
Support Our Campaign
We rely on the generosity of the public to fund our work and so far together we have achieved great things! Please do continue to support us so we can provide future generations in Ireland with the resources to recognise and talk about their emotions, and equip them to navigate the ever-changing world around them as they grow
