A must read for everyone..

I saw this on tumblr which directed me to the full post and i just thought i should share because these are some of the things that i am trying to implement in my life right now. Now, a part of me argues that having the opportunity/money/means is one of the reasons why a lot of people can actually realize their dreams. Cos i don't have money to buy food much less up and leave to go and do some of the things that i will actually love to do. With that said, a lot of the lessons he share's are no respecter of position, and will elevate you in every area of your life, i believe. Take your time to read them, save a copy and implement them as needed and God willing, all our dreams will come true.

18 lessons by Huda Hassan:

Last September, I accepted an internship with a magazine and decided to take a temporary break from school. Confused as to what I wanted to pursue in life, I discovered myself experiencing a world outside of my safety blanket for the first time in 15 years. During this time off, I gained invaluable experience to place on my resume and numerous life lessons. I was published (both print and online), explored photography (film & digital) which will lead to my first exhibit this October, worked alongside editors (Vervegirl Magazine, Fuel Inc and Pound Magazine); experienced interviews (both in front and behind the camera) and gained numerous other forms of experience as an aspiring journalist. My time off was full of crucial lessons, self-reflection, mistakes, self-realizations, learning and change. In all sincerity, it has been the best form of education I have received as of yet.

As I started to prepare for my return to school this semester, I began to take note of some of the many lessons I acquired during my time off.

1. Please yourself before you please others; being the eldest of two brothers, I have the habit of sometimes placing the needs of others before my own. As sweet and lovely as it may sound, it has been more damaging for my own personal health and state of mind as an individual. As I recognized this trait, I slowly began to address it.
2. Organization. This was one of my very first lessons during my first internship. Today, I roll everywhere I go with four essential items: 1) my agenda; 2) notebook; 3) pen, and lastly, sticky notes (test me the next time you see me!). These four simple objects keep me on track with everything that I’m doing and everything that I should be doing. As a student and/or employee, this is imperative in order to stay on track.
3. Punctuality. This was another significant lesson. With your employees, superiors, co-workers, or even friends… punctuality equates respect. There is nothing more irritable than tardiness and it’s the best way to show how little you care about anything or anyone.
4. Avoiding procrastination. This was a tough foible to kick, and it still is. Although my mama may disagree at times, I’d [now] rather sacrifice a good night worth of sleep opposed to saving a task for later that could easily be completed at that moment.
5. Making my bed each morning; This really only means starting my day off on a productive note. Personally, nothing makes me feel more accomplished than a clean environment. Making my bed each morning really meant starting my day off on a positive and productive note in hopes that my day would continue on the same.
6. A positive attitude towards everything and everyone. A number of things contribute towards a positive attitude. Trying to conquer this was mentally rewarding and kept me healthy and happy.
7. Education isn’t only found within an academic institution. I grew up with an ignorant mentality as to what constitutes “education”. There is a world outside of my campus, something I sincerely found hard to comprehend before taking this year off. Use education to your advantage but don’t limit it as the only means of acquiring knowledge.
8. The significance of critical thinking. I came to the realization that this wasn’t something I learned within school. Instead, I learned the opposite. Not only as a writer, but a member of this society, I learned the significance of putting the world around me into critical perspective.
9. Settling with a career choice. I’ve learned that there isn’t a specific career in mind that I plan to pursue but many. I’ve learned that narrowing it down to one, as I’ve been taught to do so, is partially foolish. Instead, I have in mind issues/topics/fields I’d like to address, hoping to use several mediums I am passionate about (writing, photography, film) to explore and approach them.
10. Recognizing the beauty in being an individual; A significant source of insecurity can be the consistent comparison to others around you, creating a false idea as to who or what you should be. Although this is a lesson/recognition I’m still in the process of working on each day, I’ve acknowledged that I am an individual with my own story and that there is a profound beauty to this.
11. The value of “me” time. For 4-5 months last summer/fall, I made the decision to get rid of my phone and keep to myself as much as possible [funny that every time I share this with someone, the first question tends to be: “were you broke?!”] For the first time, I gave myself quality “me” time, attempting to keep at a distance from the world around me as I tried to figure a few things out. Every so often, I attempt to do this when I have a day off by cutting off all communication with the world for a few hours and enjoying an evening by myself to relax.
12. Responsibility; after spending a year interning and working for various publications/organizations this year, I’ve learned that once given a specific role or duty, to acknowledge that you are accountable for fulfilling it to the best of your ability. This isn’t a habit that should stop once you leave work. Organization and punctuality play into this significantly, of course.
13. Family time. While I went on a temporary “hiatus” from the world, a lot of time was spent with my family members, and so happened to be the most loving time spent. Surrounding yourself with those who genuinely love you and care for your well-being is always vital and healthy.
14. Learning to love. This one may take more than a few sentences to properly explain, but self-love is the greatest (and most crucial) type of love one can encounter. While learning to be more comfortable with who I am as an individual and learning to love myself, it became easier to love others and keep a loving energy around me.
15. Travelling with a notebook and an agenda. Any writer can easily understand the significance to travelling with a notebook. Travelling with an agenda (even if it was during an evening out with friends) helped keep me on track with all upcoming tasks and responsibilities – something integral for a human who shares a similar (lack of) memory as myself.
16. Health. A lot of things can be mentioned here. First and foremost, I’m a cyclist. Traveling from location to location within the city on my bike accumulated throughout the day to at least an hour or more worth of exercise. This kept me healthy mentally and physically. A well nights sleep everyday (if possible) is always vital, particularly if you can keep it consistent. This helps keep your mind clear and focused. Being a vegetarian forced me to have healthier options when eating. Drinking a lot of water is always a must, especially during a busy day. (Other tips: travelling with multivitamins, iron supplements, etc. during hectic days where you may not be too focused on what you put into your body). I’m not the healthiest human being in the world, but this was something I learnt to place more focus on.
17. Meeting people. Through various organizations that I was associated with, networking became a significant part of my job and life. One significant lesson: Be genuine with everyone you meet. Never fear saying what is on your mind or how you may appear. It isn’t hard to sense ingenuity from a person. Acknowledge that not every person you encounter may love you as a person, and this will help you fight that fear of being yourself .
18. Lastly, but not least: being fearless. This is Milca’s favourite line. It’s a challenge we all face, once way or another. With my craft, I had to repeatedly learn to be fearless. You are not perfection and you should never expect yourself to be. This also meant ignoring any skeptical or doubtful thoughts and jumping for new opportunities and experiences. Mistakes may come along the way, some minor and some major, but everything comes with a valuable lesson.

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P.S I Love You