HAVE YOU EVER ASKED YOURSELF THIS QUESTION?
We live in a very noisy world, where we are always busy, doing things in a rush, trying to meet deadlines and never finding a quiet moment to give that little space for ourselves: to reflect on our day, to understand the learning and insight of the episodes of our day, to think about ourselves, our life, to make an important decision which we had set off to deal with “on another day, someday”. And that someday never comes and turns to eternity.
In all this rush, it is easy to often feel “lost” in the system, in the ritual of doing, without ever thinking about those things which are really important to you, your dreams, goals which you had always wanted to achieve for yourself – those dreams you have put on the back burner of your mind.
You say you are busy and everyone is busy too. What if you stop, step back for a moment, breathe in and ask yourself this question: “Who am I ?” I promise you it will take you a while to digest the question, let alone answer that same question. And maybe you are afraid of answering that question because you are so immersed in the busy life that you might have forgotten who you really are from the inside.
Many years ago in my younger days I had the experience of working in Africa. I loved what I did, yet my life was in turmoil. I was at a cross road in my life where I felt nothing was making sense. I knew deep inside that I had to do some decisions.
And because I had a demanding job and said to myself that I was busy, I put aside not to think about some decisions I wanted to take. I found myself an “excuse” not to face my reality. But there comes a time in our lives where you have to stop and do what needs to be done.
Our offices were in a location where the Sahara Desert was a few distance away and one day I said to myself I want to stay for a day or two in the desert to be with myself and think. Those of you who have had the experience of being in the desert know precisely that the desert is a desolate yet beautiful place, no distractions, no noise, nothing to steer you away from your focus. Your only companion is the sound of silence.
With this scenario I asked myself the question “Who am I?” And I immersed myself in deep thinking and meditation. I helped myself to map out how I wanted my life to be, whom I wanted to meet, the changes I was ready to embrace for a better life and I visualised exactly what I was going to do when I return back home to my country, Malta.
I cried, yet I felt a deep peace and serenity because I finally found myself and I understood that my life was important to me and I knew that although I was feeling the fear I had to do it anyway. CHANGE. I was visualising my future, how I wanted it to be.
When I returned home I met the most important person in my life, the love of my life, my soul mate, my partner, my wife and together we have created a life with a meaning ever since. You don’t have to go to the desert to find yourself and talk to YOU. You can find a quiet space anywhere to be able to resonate and connect with your soul, your deep inner self. Yet what I want to share with you is that if you keep shunning away that quiet moment for you, you will never settle.
So no matter what respect yourself, feel the need to understand that you are important to YOU, that you are enough and you were born to receive greatness in your life. Life is full of opportunities. Don’t expect opportunities to come shouting in front of you hearing them say to you “ Hey I am your opportunity for today!” Real opportunities often enough come whispering behind your ear, they walk by while you are distracted saying to yourself that you are busy.
Sometimes opportunities come to you disguised as setbacks. Be vigilant, sharpen your senses, your intuition and when they come to you embrace the change that you need to do to be, do and have what you always dreamed for. Win your inner fear of the unknown. Just feel the fear and do it anyway. Life wants you to win.
Penned by Paul Chetcuti
