Type From The Heart

A blog dedicated to the daily contemplation of a wandering nomad who is on a quest to find out what it means to be a human

UnityWhen we unite in mind, body, and spirit, we get to witness how the invisible wall holding the mind in captivity for too long shatters, and the light through the cracks illuminates the path of unlimited possibilities while filling every particle of our divine being with hope. Such limitless power that no nation, empire, or artificial wall has been able to stand against throughout the history of humankind.

Giving attentionLife keeps us busy and is often challenging, yet we should remember to look out for others. Sometimes, we just need someone to listen to us so we can vent or get new perspectives and ideas. Love is the most fundamental human need, and giving attention is the simplest way to show and give others love. After all, we all just want to be loved.

Missing outWe tend to label unpleasant experiences so quickly, such as hunger and exhaustion. Yet, whenever we look back we only remember the experience and can’t recall the physical suffering. Avoiding experiences that might bring temporary discomfort that can otherwise be easily cured is a recipe for missing out on many experiences and not living life to the fullest.

The path of the wiseIt is tempting to follow those who are seemingly successful at what they do. Yet, we must remind ourselves that their path to success might not fit us, since each person’s journey is unique like a fingerprint. We can save precious time, effort, and money if we think for ourselves and seek our own experiences to come to our conclusions instead of blindly following others. That’s the only way to find our path and purpose in life.

Profound silenceIt’s in the midst of the biggest thunderstorm, when we are at the darkest place in our lives, when we are the most vulnerable, that the voice within us becomes the clearest. We experience such a profound silence at that moment that it sweeps away the last of our defenses to reveal the inner peace beyond what we’ve subconsciously always sought.

ChangeWe consciously and subconsciously make decisions in every moment of our lives, and the circumstances we are experiencing right now are the direct result of our choices in the past. If we aren’t happy with the situation we are currently in, there is no one else to blame but ourselves. Yet, we can find peace in the fact that nothing is permanent in life, and change is only a decision away.

Living with lessWe have fooled ourselves into believing that owning more is the ultimate path to happiness. Instead, we get trapped in the vicious circle of wanting more and feeling less and less contented with life. In our foolishness, we waste our precious time chasing luxury, but in the process, we unknowingly trade our freedom away. Instead of walking our path, we become the shadows of our idols, never realizing and experiencing the joy of getting rid of things and living with less.

Changing perspectiveWhen our frustration grows with each passing day, we often wonder what the best step is to find peace again and restore the balance within us. Changing our perspective and trying to see the opportunities we are blessed with at any given time is the wisest thing we can do. Frustration distorts our view of the world, and we tend to focus only on the negative while losing sight of the bigger picture and the fact that our suffering is temporary; after all, change is only a decision away.

Last lessonWhen we face the inevitable end of our journey and those we care about walk away from us, we get to learn the most important lesson of our lives: the truth that our ego and ignorance didn’t let us see while we still had time.Words that matter yet aren’t uttered, a heart kept closed even from the beloved ones, and love that is not expressed alienates even those we care about the most. The silence left behind us becomes our legacy, along with the unanswered questions and the wondering about what it could have been.

Between two worldsWhen we wake up in the middle of the night, and everything is still around us, the mind is quiet and still at ease. We find ourselves between two worlds: the memories of the past day and the hopes of the approaching new day. These precious few hours are when we feel the most liberated; we are encapsulated in a peaceful oasis for a fleeting moment. It's that unique time of the day when we can dedicate time to ourselves without distractions by the outside world and a unique opportunity to recalibrate our inner compass to walk the path our heart desires, hoping it lasts long enough to guide us throughout the day.

The fragility of lifeWe might never realize how fragile life is until a single event tips the scale. Bad times can turn good, or good ones can fade away in front of our eyes. When things turn upside down, pushing us out of our comfort zone, we experience a bunch of emotions that can be overwhelming. Shocked, scared, paralyzed by fear, or excited, happy, and grateful are just a few to name.Yet the sudden change - either perceived as a blessing or curse depending on the outcome - can be challenging to adapt to. It’s tempting to fall into the same trap again, though, the illusion of permanency. Things gradually settle again, but the next change might be around the corner. It’s the natural rhythm of life, like the waves playfully dancing back and forth on the coast. The longer we remain idle, the more difficult it becomes to see and accept change as the eternal engine of life.

Before dawnIt’s the quiet moments before dawn when the body is still at rest, but the soul has already stirred; countless gems flood the mind through the avalanche of thoughts triggering, undistracted, pure, honest conversations with ourselves.Words effortlessly start to flow, leaving a permanent mark on a paper sheet to record and reveal the unseen and untold. The voice within keeps on guiding the hand, following a pattern of strokes to translate the wonders of the mind into recognizable signs, conveying its meaning to all. With every stroke, the body and the mind are being restored to their natural states through the healing vibe of tranquility and harmony.As the dawn approaches, though, the buzzing of the outside world begins, and the liberating sensation of consciousness gradually fades away, leaving the peaceful moments of the early hours shattered. The sudden loss of clarity makes us feel disoriented, yet the promise of the coming night assures us that the mind and the soul will be awakened again soon before the next dawn.

Embracing sufferingThe inevitable truth is that we cannot experience life without suffering. Whether it’s physical, mental, or emotional, pain is present in our lives in one way or another, and in many cases, it’s carried voluntarily. Its symbiosis with our existence is a truth that is hard to swallow, yet by embracing it, we could end the game of blaming ourselves or others once and for all. Acknowledging and accepting this truth liberates our soul and restores the balance within us, allowing us to move on without carrying a burden through a lifetime.

DecisionsWe consciously and subconsciously make decisions every moment, continuously shaping our current situation. It sometimes happens that we aren't happy with how things go in our lives, but by acknowledging that what we are experiencing right now is the direct result of our past decisions, there is only one person we can blame for our misery: ourselves.

Fading into oblivionEach passing moment we spend awake is a precious experience, regardless of whether we label it good or bad. Together, they are like a trail of memories we leave behind from the moment we are conceived and keep collecting for a lifetime. Each thought, emotion, and event adds up, molding us into who we are at this very moment and shaping the next step we will soon decide to take.It continues until one day, all that treasure might slip through our fingers in front of our eyes, leaving us in a state of confusion, stripped of our precious memories, names, dates, and events, all fading into oblivion. At the same time, our life comes to a standstill, sentencing us to the prison of loneliness, forever lost in a maze of ever-fractured memories.

Sorrow as a catalystThere are moments when the thought of human suffering going on in the world feels too heavy to bear, bringing us to our knees while tears are forming in the corner of our eyes to go on their way racing down our cheeks, an emotional response of genuine love towards humanity.Yet those very tears shouldn’t be looked at with pity, like a channel they give way to our emotions, carefully guiding and protecting its undisturbed flow. Sorrow also acts as a powerful catalyst for creativity, drawing us inward while allowing us to tap into the creative pool of our being.Once there, we reach beyond the limit of our mind, allowing the creative flow to create a ripple, reaching even the farthest corners of the universe and affecting everything in it.

Longing for freedomWaking up in the middle of the night is often when we feel the most peaceful, lingering in the shadows of a silent oasis hidden in-between two worlds, the worries of yesterday and the anticipated struggles of the upcoming day. It’s that passing yet precious moment when - wrapped in the comforting blanket of silence - our soul experiences freedom.Yet the nature of the moment is to pass, and all we can do is to remain still and witness how time is slipping through our fingers in the silent night while a single tear rolls down on our weary faces to form a sparkling diamond in the moonlight. As it’s rapidly approaching the floor to shatter into countless pieces, its inevitable faith is a painful reminder about the fragility of tranquility and our longing for freedom.

The true face of warWar has never been a tool to bring peace forward. It's a tool to justify unjustifiable violence, destruction, and cruelty in the name of peacekeeping, revenge, or a holy war. But, the true face of war is often the deflection of inner turmoil and chaos of a nation, projecting the illusion of stability and strength towards the outside world while trying to conquer, dominate, or retaliate against another nation.War broke out for various reasons in human history, but the underlying message is that we lack the ability to communicate effectively what we want and find a peaceful way, a compromise to live in peace with one another. Moreover, war never leads to victory or peace; it's a fragile lie we keep telling ourselves and trying to sell the world. The death, suffering, and misery brought upon innocent bystanders can never be labeled as a victory, and its lasting effect might affect generations to come, not only the one knocked down but ours as well.The ugly truth about war is that, ultimately, it benefits our economies. Bringing forward death and destruction requires a steady supply of goods coming from different parts of the world; thus, with each passing day, the suffering of innocent masses keeps boosting economic growth around the world. An army of soldiers requires an army of suppliers, and those countries that are the most generous with their support and resources in wartime will be the first ones to line up for lucrative contracts to rebuild what had been destroyed after the war.From a realistic perspective, war is nothing more than a hideous lie, a shameful act of arrogance, ignorance, and greed that causes wounds deeper and more painful than time could ever heal. Bringing destruction to the doorstep of the conquered has never achieved its original goal of stopping them from resisting. It always has the opposite effect, and the oppressed fights back even harder; thus, a vicious circle of violence begins with each new war.

Experiencing lifeWe too often end up with the false idea of not being enough and incapable of, and we don't even realize how much that misleading belief limits our experiences in life. We don't believe in ourselves, so we don't even try, which is the most tragic outcome of doubting our unlimited potential.Yet if we step away from and ignore the outside world and instead let our passion and curiosity lead us, never considering quitting or failure, we will soon realize that the word impossible is just an excuse for not trying harder. From that moment on, each path we choose to walk, no matter how challenging it might be, becomes another opportunity to push our limits further and experience life to its fullest for ourselves.

Fleeting momentsWhen we slow down and take the time to observe the world around us, if we stay still long enough, we realize how life is a series of fleeting moments that slip through our fingers like sand. By discovering this new perspective, we naturally adjust our priorities and try to use wisely that precious time we are blessed with. As we start to cultivate the habit of appreciating the small things in life, the difference between our wants and needs becomes apparent, and we no longer waste time wanting more when what we have at hand is sufficient to serve our needs.Instead, we take each day as it comes and see it as an opportunity to enjoy those fleeting moments that bring us momentary joy amidst the constant suffering surrounding all of us. The clarity of mind we start experiencing gradually transforms our thoughts, words, and actions, so they become the tools of kindness to be shared with all we come across during our spiritual journey.

The heralds of compassionCompassion is an overlooked and undervalued virtue, especially these days when decency and intellect have been under attack. But those few who still champion it are like heralds carrying a message of humaneness with their kind words and good deeds, always trying their best to see the good in people. Their faith in goodwill might look old-fashioned to many, but their presence and influence are essential to counterbalance the narcissism, hatred, and selfishness we all are bombarded with from all corners of the world.Compassion allows us to see things from a different perspective, to understand the difficulties others face and the motives of their actions, and to set a positive example for others, thus making our societies and the world a better place. Anyone who dreams of leading others and being a positive role model must be compassionate; otherwise, their sole focus on themselves will make them ineffective in inspiring greatness in others, and their spiritual immaturity will only make them another disappointing chapter in the history of humankind.

Our desire to be understoodStanding there alone when no one believes in you after you have walked away from your past life to start a new chapter can be challenging. It’s that moment of your life when you need support the most, but nobody gets it. Nobody understands your motives or why you chose a path they consider a dead-end.Yet, you keep going, no matter what they say, because you are determined to give it your best shot. “It must work!” - you say to yourself and keep repeating it silently before going to bed and after you open your eyes in the morning, day after day. You are focused on something they don’t see, to continue your new life while leaving the old one with its deep shadows behind.Your decision is being questioned, but you don’t question the outcome, and your strength outweighs the negativity projected toward you. Then suddenly, someone who cares to listen to you steps forward and sees where you are heading with your decision. You stand quietly for a moment, and a smile appears on your face. At the same time, a sense of relief rushes through every cell of your body, giving you fresh energy to face the challenges of tomorrow.

Our emotional spectrumWe tend to forget that emotions, like everything in life, are temporary and we aren’t limited to the positive end of our emotional spectrum. We frequently gravitate between the two extremes with varying intensity as it’s supposed to be in the realm of relative.Life is challenging; struggles, obstacles, and losses are all part of our journey, causing distress, frustration, or sorrow. In the face of all these adversities, clueless about how to deal with them, the negative spectrum of our emotions might take over, and suddenly, happiness seems like a distant land we won’t ever reach. If prolonged, we might even end up feeling like a failure, seemingly never able to live up to the golden standard of human existence, always chasing something that seems out of our reach.While trapped in this negative state of mind, we miss understanding that our journey wouldn’t be complete without experiencing the whole spectrum of emotions. We grow out of experiences; therefore, it’s okay to try and never make it, to trust and be betrayed, and to work hard and lose it all. Each experience gradually molds us into who we are today.Through dealing with the ups and downs of life, we can finally understand that happiness isn’t a destination we should aim to reach but rather a byproduct of our perspective on life, leading to contentment we often chase for a lifetime without ever experiencing it.

Losing our wayStanding before the majestic view of beautiful mountains reaching the clouds, one might wonder where we got lost. Experiencing that perfect harmony with our eyes set on the divine beauty of nature reminds us of the importance of a sense of unity, honor, and compassion that our societies sorely lack.We are part of a perfectly balanced ecosystem, the natural world that shelters us. Yet, somehow, we are incapable of replicating that balance and harmony in our societies around the globe. Instead, we give in to selfish desires and embrace the false idea of superiority, allowing our ego to take us on a path of destruction, not even realizing the responsibility our thoughts, words, and actions carry.Disconnected from nature and our innate goodness, we foolishly rebel against decency instead of celebrating our oneness. We choose isolation from the real world while being lost in a fantasy world. Yet deep within us, we feel the presence of a growing void the further we walk from nature, the source of divine beauty and perfect balance. Then, one day, we might take a walk in the forest, listening to the chirping birds, the cracking noise of dead branches breaking under our steps as we wander aimlessly for hours, simply feeling contented for the first time in a long while.

A moment of honestyThe most precious gift we can give ourselves is the time dedicated to ourselves. Without distraction, the social pressure to fit in, or the constraints of the passing time forced on us, we finally experience a moment of honesty. As the mind gradually becomes quiet, gratitude takes root in the heart, allowing us to see the world from a new perspective.In the comforting embrace of silence, our true selves are revealed, and as our perceived imperfections are no longer seen as flaws but as a vital part of our identity, we learn to embrace who we truly are. While staying still, we experience peace as accepting ourselves gradually transforms us from within, replenishing the soul and revealing a new direction for us to follow.When we open our eyes again, we realize how ego and pride stand in the way of honesty, and despite the displayed and pretended perfection, we all are broken within in one way or another. It’s just that we are the only ones with the courage to admit it.

The harbor of peaceWe need to remind ourselves time and time again that we deserve to be loved, and we should allow the invisible forces in our lives to steer us towards a path where finding peace within is possible, ending the painful journey behind us.Yet our scars might often seem too deep for us ever to heal. Dealing with hurt, a sense of isolation, or even shame takes a toll on us, and our tortured souls might lose hope in the process. We might even come to believe that we have been destined to suffer because of our troubled past in a world where the illusion of a perfect life is carefully maintained.Yet if we carefully look, we can see the scars within each soul, a painful secret, a burden of the past often carried through a lifetime hidden from the outside world. This unspoken truth connects us all, a painful way to be united, yet a reminder for us all that we aren’t alone.And as we make our way through life broken, haunted by the demons of our past, our belief in ourselves paralyzed, a question has been echoing within the chambers of our soul unanswered: “Why us?”.Amidst all the suffering, reaching the harbor of peace might often seem out of our reach, yet it’s hope that can help us get through it all, and by permitting ourselves to be loved and adored again, the path towards the light will be revealed to us.

The path toward greatnessWith the start of the new year, a new cycle begins that presents an opportunity to give a new direction to our lives. Although changing the year in the calendar won’t change the fact that we face the same struggles, suffering, and challenges day after day, we still have control over two things: our attitude and our daily habits.By simply being kinder, more patient, more tolerant, more understanding, and more compassionate today, we can make a positive impact on those around us and also change how we feel about ourselves. Our positive attitude might even start a domino effect and reach even more people than we can imagine. It’s wild to think that if every one of us participated and made an effort every day to change our attitude, we together could change the world for the better in a day. That is real power.Forming new habits today is another way to be in charge of the path we want to walk tomorrow instead of aimlessly bouncing between influences as many of us do. Habits are part of our upbringing regardless of where we grow up but as we get older, we can reevaluate the validity of our habits and form new ones that benefit us. Healthy habits like taking care of our physical and mental health are essential to be able to deal with the overwhelming day-to-day operation of our hectic lives and stay afloat.Stimulating our intellect, learning new stuff, dedicating time to things that bring us joy, and staying active and fit are some of the smartest investments of our precious time. A balanced content person radiates positive, loving energy, a responsibility we all share. By taking care of our body and mind every day through healthy habits, we display discipline, strength, and spiritual maturity. The potential of greatness is in every one of us; we decide today if we want to tap into it and have the courage to walk a new path.

Nurturing our creativityWhenever people use the adjective “talented” to refer to someone with impressive artistic skills, I shake my head in disbelief. It feels shortsighted to believe that creativity is limited to only a few, like there are some chosen ones, the genetically gifted. In reality, creativity and the potential for excellence are built into the DNA of every one of us; it’s part of who we are as humans. Yet we can split ourselves into two groups, the ones who tapped into their unlimited potential and the ones who haven’t.It all begins with leaving our comfort zone and experiencing something new that makes a lasting impression on us. That experience is so remarkable that it sparks our curiosity and makes us wonder whether we could pursue the same path and become something we just started to look at with admiration. That moment is when we push aside limited thinking and dream big at last, something our societies fail to encourage us to do. At that moment, our imagination gives us a glimpse into our unlimited potential, and we experience a burning desire to walk a fresh path, learn something new, and discover an unknown world beyond what we’ve been told is possible. It’s a world that oddly feels familiar and comforting, a place of exploration where we somehow feel we have always belonged.That life-changing moment might seem insignificant initially, but when years later we look back, we will understand the importance of how that moment triggered something within us and set us on a path that reshaped who we are. Some are exposed to arts intentionally early on, while others discover their artistic side much later in other ways, and some never realize the importance of exploring their potential. Although there is no blueprint to become an artist, consistency is essential, and so is the willingness to show up day after day and put in the effort without stressing too much about the progress we make. As long as we are committed to trying and failing and keep going, progress is guaranteed.Soon enough, our initial curiosity will transform into passion, a powerful catalyst that drives us to keep leaving our comfort zone, ignore those negative voices around us who don’t believe in us, and make sacrifices to elevate our craft one day at a time. It's a path where consistency is vital, quitting isn't an option, and patience is essential to see a gradual improvement in our skills while embracing the ups and downs of our creative journey.When we consciously nurture our creativity each day, we can witness how each idea we come up with will soon start to blossom and gradually take shape. Eventually, we will reach a point in our lives where we can take pride in all the effort made, hard work put in, and time dedicated to perfecting our craft.Struggle is an essential part of the creative journey. We often try too hard to push things, mostly out of impatience. Yet, simply walking away to temporarily occupy ourselves with something else often leads to a breakthrough. Giving time and space to our minds to let things settle and come up with a solution while being gentle with ourselves does more to stimulate our creativity than anything else.The importance of consciously creating an environment that triggers our creativity shouldn't be underestimated either. What works for each one of us might vary. But perhaps the most universal is deep work, when we gently but firmly push aside all distractions to laser-focus on what matters to us, our craft. That is the most challenging aspect of creative work in an increasingly noisy and chaotic modern world: staying 100% focused when everything around us desperately wants our attention.

“Writing is a way to process what we’ve been through”

About

Being an artist requires understanding and recognizing our artistic sensitivity and the desire for honest self-expression. Photography is a beautiful creative outlet that has become my passion in the past 20+ years since I picked my first digital camera. It never ceases to amaze me what I can capture with my cameras if I slow down and pay more attention to my surrounding wherever I travel to.Living abroad for the past 19+ years - in 13 countries - has shaped me in many ways. Still, most importantly, it has allowed me to see what's out there, step away from society's expectations, and embrace who I truly am while living a life that's authentic to me, despite how unconventional it might seem to others. This experience allowed me to peel the unessential layers of my being to reveal and keep what's essential.The blend of changing sceneries, people, cultures, and foreign languages I experience while living as a nomad ensures that I don't become the product of my environment; instead, I consciously pick the influences that benefit who I truly am.Living an authentic life and dedicating my time to the things I'm passionate about get top priority every day as it's the foundation of my inner peace, my contentment with life, and my humble approach toward whatever challenge life presents to me next.

SupportIf you appreciate my writings, thoughts and observations, and the time and effort I put into running this blog, you can support me via Kofi. Your support helps me to establish a stable, independent source of funding to focus all my efforts on sharing the latest photos and stories of my travels, as well as my writings.

Quotes

My favorite quotes that speak to me

"Every person that you meet we meet knows something that you don't; learn from them."by H. Jackson Brown, Jr...."If we allow ourselves to be full of hate, then they've won. We must not let them take our hearts."by William in Machine Gun Preacher..."The recognition of impermanence is the key to freedom from fear of remaining forever stuck in a situation, habit, or pattern."What Makes You Not a Buddhist by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse..."War, I concluded, paralyzes people's power of judgment."Black Rain by Masuji Ibuse...“Be nicer than necessary to everyone you meet. Everyone is fighting some kind of battle.”by Socrates...“In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few.”by Shunryu Suzuki...“Real living is living for others.”by Bruce Lee...“If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?”by George Carlin...“Sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down.”by Socrates..."Integrity is choosing courage over comfort; choosing what is right over what is fun, fast or easy; and choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them."by Brené Brown...“A path opens to those who are honest.”Japanese proverb...“Spiritual truth must be lived in practical life to change everyday experience."Conversations with God, Books 2 & 3: An Uncommon Dialogue by Neale Donald Walsch...“All conflicts arises from misplaced desire."Conversations with God, Books 2 & 3: An Uncommon Dialogue by Neale Donald Walsch...“Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth because they don't want their illusions destroyed.”by Friedrich Nietzsche...“A great man is always willing to be little.”by Ralph Waldo Emerson...“All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.”by Swami Vivekananda...“Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our ancestors. The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully extracted from Nature, of the greatest minds that ever were, with the best teachers, drawn from the entire planet and from all our history, to instruct us without tiring, and to inspire us to make our own contribution to the collective knowledge of the human species. I think the health of our civilization, the depth of our awareness about the underpinnings of our culture and our concern for the future can all be tested by how well we support our libraries.”by Carl Sagan...“Nature loves courage.You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles.Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up.This is the trick.This is what all these teachers and philosophers who really counted, who really touched the alchemical gold, this is what they understood.This is the shamanic dance in the waterfall.This is how magic is done.By hurling yourself into the abyss and discovering it's a feather bed.”by Terence McKenna...“The highest and most beautiful things in life are not to be heard about, nor read about, nor seen but, if one will, are to be lived.”by Soren Kierkegaard..."When was the last time you sit alone with the silence and traveling to the deepest part of your being?”Conversations with God, Books 2 & 3: An Uncommon Dialogue by Neale Donald Walsch..."Wisdom is knowledge applied.”Conversations with God, Books 2 & 3: An Uncommon Dialogue by Neale Donald Walsch..."It is only through the exercise of the greatest freedom that the greatest growth is achieved—or even possible. If all you are doing is following someone else's rules, then you have not grown, you have obeyed."Conversations with God, Books 2 & 3: An Uncommon Dialogue by Neale Donald Walsch..."There is no “bad” where I Am. And there is no Evil. There is only the All of Everything. The Oneness. And the Awareness, the Experience, of that. Mine is the Realm of the Absolute, where One Thing does not exist in relationship to Another, but quite independent of anything. Mine is the place where All There Is is Love."by Neale Donald Walsch..."Greatness has never been a result of circumstance or fortune. It is not an inherited trait or a function of destiny. Greatness is reserved for the delinquents, the combatants of the status quo."by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez..."There’s no end to the path of discipline.”by Eiji Yoshikawa..."Success means doing something sincerely and wholeheartedly.”by Bruce Lee...”Go hard or go the fuck home!”by Rachard Johnson...“Silence on the issue is a form of acceptance.”by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez...“The health and safety of others need to come first.”by Andy Cochrane..."These people are rare who know how to listen."by Hermann Hesse..."There is no rule in place that says adults have to be serious and cannot have silly fun. Taking life too critically or being concerned how you will appear to others, are going to be regrets you face at the end of your life, if you let such thoughts hinder your happiness now."by Bronnie Ware...“Always strive to elevate your craft!”by Jiro Ono..."Clarifying your questions will increase the likelihood of receiving answers that are useful."by Ronald Gross...“Love is at the root of our resistance.”by Colin Kapernick..."Out of limitations comes creativity."by Debbie Allen..."When was the last time you sat alone with the silence and traveling to the deepest part of your being?”Conversations with God, Books 2 & 3: An Uncommon Dialogue by Neale Donald Walsch...“It’s not against the law to be ignorant.”by Tom Han...“The monotony of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.”Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson..."Be weird. Be random. Be who you are. Because you never know who would love the person you hide."by C.S. Lewis...“That's what education should be,' I said, 'the art of orientation. Educators should devise the simplest and most effective methods of turning minds around. It shouldn't be the art of implanting sight in the organ, but should proceed on the understanding that the organ already has the capacity, but is improperly aligned and isn't facing the right way.”by Plato...“Death is nothing to us.When we exist, death is not; and when death exists, we are not.All sensation and consciousness ends with death and therefore in death there is neither pleasure nor pain.The fear of death arises from the belief that in death, there is awareness.”by Epicurus...“Self-knowledge involves relationship.To know oneself is to study one self in action with another person.Relationship is a process of self evaluation and self revelation.Relationship is the mirror in which you discover yourself - to be is to be related.”by Bruce Lee...“You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.”by Swami Vivekananda...“All knowledge leads to self - knowledge.”by Bruce Lee...“There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter.Everything is within.Everything exists.Seek nothing outside of yourself.”by Eiji Yoshikawa...“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”by Mark Twain...“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.”by Heraclitus...“It is love alone that leads to right action. What brings order in the world is to love and let love do what it will.”by Jiddu Krishnamurti...“The propagandist's purpose is to make one set of people forget that certain other sets of people are human.”by Aldous Huxley...“You become what you give your attention to.”by Epictetus...“Sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down.”by Socrates...“If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?”by George Carlin...“For it is the nature of people to love, then destroy, then love again that which they value most.”Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Book 1 by Neale Donald Walsch...“Be nicer than necessary to everyone you meet. Everyone is fighting some kind of battle.by Socrates...“A path opens to those who are honest.”Japanese Proverb...“The reason that people sing songs for other people is because they want to have the power to arouse empathy, to break free of the narrow shell of the self and share their pain and joy with others.”The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami...“Real living is living for others.”by Bruce Lee...“What we do now echoes in eternity.”by Marcus Aurelius...“There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter.Everything is within.Everything exists.Seek nothing outside of yourself.”by Miyamoto Musashi...“In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few.”by Shunryu Suzuki...“Why,  he  wondered,  did  so  many  people  spend  their  lives  not  trying  to  find  answers  to questions–not  even  thinking  of  questions  to  begin  with? Was  there  anything  more  exciting  in  life than seeking answers?”Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov..."You have to give 100%, you can’t hold back on love.”by Cody Priebe...”I need to measure myself against the world. Prove that I can stand up to it and be something."Dragon Keeper: Volume One of the Rain Wild Chronicles by Robin Hobb..."This is why I am continuing my travels - not to seek other, better teachings, for I know there are none, but to depart from all teachings and all teachers and to reach my goal by myself or to die."Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse...“Human beings have been allowed to fester in the delightful game of I’m-better-than-you and cleaning up that mess isn’t easy.”Forward the Foundation by Isaac Asimov..."The challenge isn’t to figure out how to write, I realized, but why. Without a mission and a sense of whom you write for, you aren’t worth reading."The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music by Steve Lopez...“For it is the nature of people to love, then destroy, then love again that which they value most.”Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Book 1 by Neale Donald Walsch..."To hear, one must be silent."A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle #1) by Ursula Kroeber Le Guin...“Being in service of others is the ultimate human experience.”by Jon Boogz...“What we do now echoes in eternity.”by Marcus Aurelius...“A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves as something to aim at.”Wisdom for the Way by Bruce Lee...“Freedom is the foundation for creativity.”Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson...“There's no end to the path of discipline.”by Eiji Yoshikawa...“Freedom is the foundation for creativity.”Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson...“Leadership means being able to adapt to any situation.”by Tom Perez..."If we are able to face our own inevitable death with honest acceptance, before we have reached that time, then we shift our priorities well before it is too late. This gives us the opportunity to then put our energies into directions of true value.Once we acknowledge that limited time is remaining, although we don’t know if that is years, weeks, or hours, we are less driven by ego or by what other people think of us. Instead, we are more driven by what our hearts truly want.This acknowledgment of our inevitable, approaching death, offers us the opportunity to find greater purpose and satisfaction in the time we have remaining."The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware...“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”by Bruce Lee...“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were all meant to shine, as children do. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”by “Coach Carter” on Netflix..."In life, we must have flexibility. Our spirits must be able to move freely. To be too stiff and rigid is to be brittle and lacking in responsiveness."Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa..."A life lived by choice is a life of conscious action. A life lived by chance is a life of unconscious reaction."by Neale Donald Walsch...“There are some battles you can only win by not fighting.”by Jelani Cobb...“The nature of the world is that when we create something, we often destroy something else in the process.”by Brandon Sanderson..."Success means doing something sincerely and wholeheartedly."by Bruce Lee

Notes

The occurrence of these insights is random, and their length varies; yet their randomness truly showcases the natural flow of thoughts

“Ownership is suffocating.”…“From time to time, we go through experiences so intense, overwhelming, and toxic that their adverse effects on our minds require us to dedicate time for us before the balance gradually gets restored within us and we can move on.”…“The illusion about the existence of the past and future has proved to be distracting enough for us to miss out on the only thing that exists: an infinite present.”…“Kindness is the purest form of love, a genuine love towards others, an outward expression of our divine being.”…“Spiritual awareness is essential to experience life to the fullest.”…“People often spend a lifetime forcing things, even love, that weren't meant to be.”…“Love is the core of the universe, but passion moves it forward.”…“Ignorance and hypocrisy are rooted in rejecting facts that don’t justify one’s twisted views.”…“There is only one thing we can do to deal with toxic people once and for all: eliminate them from our lives out of respect and love for ourselves, even if they are family.”…“Artists, designers, and architects are the real elite of our societies; their passion and dedication to their craft inspire countless people and by utilizing their unparalleled creativity, the beauty they bring into the world is a gift to all humanity.”…“Reading isn't only an intellectual entertainment but also a way of forgetting about the madness of the world around us while tapping into an author's mind who might lived centuries ago to be carried away by the power of human imagination that knows no limits.”…“Tomorrow isn't guaranteed.”…“Hard work teaches us the importance of discipline and perseverance; it gives us purpose and builds our character. It also reminds us to believe in ourselves no matter what we face.”…“A life that is lived by what others think of you isn’t life at all but rather an existence of constant wondering about what it could have been.”…“Honesty is the trial of maturity. It might lead to uncomfortable situations at times, but being on the same page and leaving guessing out of the equation is always better in the long run. Those who can’t handle our honest words prove they lack maturity; thus, they don’t deserve our attention and precious time.”…“Being comfortable with our uniqueness is an art form in itself.”…“When the light is taken away, you realize the depth of the darkness.”…“Receiving a no as a response might be seen as another door that remained closed but in fact gratitude is the right emotional response for confirming
that we are meant to walk a different path.”…“Approaching everything we have to deal with in life from a place of compassion, understanding, and humbleness is a path that promotes external and inner peace.”…“Love doesn’t interfere with the will and decisions of others.”…“We, artists, have the opportunity to interpret the world around us in our unique artistic way and share it with the world to demonstrate with each artwork that creativity has no limits.”…“Our expectations of others to be like us reveal our ignorance and naivety, clearly demonstrating that we are disconnected from the real world.”…“Solitude allows us to spend quality time with ourselves and tune out all those influences in the external world that don't promote who we are.”…“Smiles are often lies on display to avoid opening up about our struggles and sharing our pain with the world.”…“The painful wish of growing up in a functional and loving family unites more people than they would ever admit.”…“As long as we wake up with a burning desire to discover more of the world and try to do the right thing, we can reassure ourselves that we are walking the right path.”…“Living by our code and not wasting a second with things we aren’t passionate about allows us to excel at whatever we choose to do and use the remaining time to be in charge of the direction we wish to walk toward. There doesn’t seem to be a better way to live life from whatever angle we examine it.”…“When we become numb to the world's suffering is the very moment, the battle for saving humanity from itself is lost once and for all.”…“Love doesn’t exist and isn’t real without making sacrifices for others.”…“How can consistency be maintained when we are blinded by the artificial concept of time seen as linear?”…“Absolute freedom is only experienced when we close our eyes.”…“The most powerful act is kindness offered without a price tag or expectation out of genuine love. Witnessing how it instantly triggers joy, excitement, and a wave of gratitude is priceless while proving once again that hope isn't lost at all.”…“If we embrace suffering instead of comfort as a way of acceptance, we can truly experience life instead of continuously trying to escape it. Acknowledging suffering as a constant part of life isn't only liberating but also leads to an authentic life.”…“Sometimes, when circumstances change and become chaotic, even those who have made the impression of decency before might suddenly reveal their true nature: putting themselves before anyone else.”...“Those who value you will always stand by you.”…“Happiness is an illusion, merely a concept, a fleeting moment we are taught to pursue through a lifetime. Yet, in reality, pursuing it is a futile effort to end the never-ending suffering we all are subject to.”…“The search begins with no search at all.”…“We must trust the invisible forces in our lives that often steer us in a direction that might not be clear at first or doesn’t make any sense, yet we can be sure it’s a path that benefits us in the long run.”…“Respect is earned through decency.”…“Life without gratitude, compassion, kindness, humbleness, and generosity is like an unforgiving dessert suffocating us without an oasis in sight where we only face endless dunes in whatever direction we look while we are exposed to the cruel elements of the world, gradually losing faith, hope, and eventually ourselves.”…“Trust is fragile like a porcelain vase, yet we often leave it in the hands of strangers, assuming we all share and value that bond of decency that connects us all, although each time we blindly trust someone we risk breaking it.”…“Solitude allows us to have quality time with ourselves and tune out all those influences in the external world that don't promote who we are.”…“Each birthday is a reminder that despite many of us are so concerned about their physical age, most of us are spiritually immature.”…“There are many wonders to discover in the world, and while we won’t have the opportunity to witness and experience most of them, we can still enjoy and cherish the ones that come our way.“…“It’s in the midst of the biggest thunderstorm, when we are at the darkest place in our lives, when we are the most vulnerable, that the voice within us becomes the clearest. We experience such a profound silence at that moment that it sweeps away the last of our defenses to reveal the inner peace beyond what we’ve subconsciously always sought.”…“We should remind ourselves that the mistakes we've made in the past - under the given circumstances at that moment - seemed the best decision to make. Acknowledging and accepting this simple truth helps us be gentle with ourselves and those who have hurt us.“…“Sometimes the person we adore the most doesn’t reciprocate our love for them, but despite how painful the rejection of our genuine love is, the most important is that we've expressed our love and let the loving energy freely flow.”…“Living with integrity, generosity, and compassion still seems the best way to spend that precious time we all are blessed with.”