GetLIVIN Follow-up!
For those of you who don't know, a few months ago I submitted a piece to the website, GetLIVIN. Following looking at my piece a few days back, I thought it would be good to do a follow-up, because sometimes reading your own words back to you after the fact can cause you to see things with a different perspective.
Life ain't easy. For anyone. Monty Python always said it best that "life's a piece of shit when you look at it, but you should always look on the bright side of life". Thats why it is always important to enjoy the moments you have, enjoy the friends you have and look back on those times and smile.
It's obvious that you have bad days, sad days and lonely days. We all do. But sometimes you have to go tough times to come out the other side better, stronger and more appreciative.
Writing the GetLIVIN story was an incredibly cathartic and uplifting experience for me; and importantly provided closure on some difficult times, but also some of the most incredible times in my life. To get stuff off your chest like that and receive such a loving and caring response from so many people, including some who I hadn't seen in years, was fantastic.
Sometimes, if you're having a tough time; I dunno, you could be dealing with some personal demons, going through a break-up, feeling overloaded or just having a plain old blue day, its good to take a step back. By recognising these, it gives you a means of dealing with it.
For me, its writing. I have increasingly seen that if I write something down about upsetting experiences in my life and get it off my chest, the problems alchemize into something positive, an experience to take note from, rather than just be a painful memory.
Resetting your life, your week, and your day can sometimes make all the difference; and even when I've been under the pump and thinking something along the lines of "bloody hell, when will I ever have the chance to relax or be myself again?!", taking a step back and recognising what you're doing and where you are at as a person allows for more reassurance in your own mind, and can allow you to decide what you want to do. And when you finally know, taking a step back can allow you to go with your gut; and enjoy life more. And if you make a mistake, that's not the end of the world!
Life is there to be grabbed with both hands, and if you don't screw up every now and then, in some way or another, that means to me you're not living life to the fullest and really having a go.
Now obviously I'm talking just from my own experiences, and everything is different for everyone... and do I have shit days, absolutely! All the time! It is impossible to be happy all the time. But you cannot enjoy happiness unless it exists side-by-side with sadness; with loss; with heartbreak; and with recovery. And dealing with those tough times makes the good times all the more sweeter.
I once again want to thank Joe for giving me the chance to write my story on his awesome website, and for giving me the chance to alchemize some of my own experiences. In my case, words do really make you feel better. And for everyone who hasn't written for this website, I strongly urge you to.
I hope you find it as rewarding and enlightening an experience as I did. And, as always, channel your inner honeybadger!
Nick :)
Check out Joe's awesome website at www.getlivin.com.
