Ayisha Qureshi

I think I am being over ambitious with this title but what is life without taking risks, so I am going to try and tackle this statement as best as I could.

What is a life well lived? How can you ensure that you live your life well- at least as much as is in your control? Here’s my take on it and you can keep what you like and discard the rest:

1. Life is exactly what you expect it to be. If you think it is unfair, it is. If you think it is hard, it is. So be careful what life is to you – it is a self-fulfilling prophecy and it will come true for you. Earlier I thought life is hard and a test and that’s exactly what it became for me. Now I consider it a gift and enjoy it- believe me it is far more pleasant now.
2. Take one day at a time and take things as they come. But have a plan for yourself. You are going to be getting up every day, putting in your efforts and energies somewhere and doing something. If you don’t decide what the direction is you will still be doing all that and without direction. You will actually end up nowhere or somewhere you did not intend to.
3. Don’t take yourself and everything around you too seriously. Every time you feel overwhelmed by something or are about to decide that life is unfair to you, step outside and gaze at the sky. Look at the stars, think about the milky way, the universe and realize that we are here, in this world, only for a short period of time, and are a mere speck in this vast existence. Then the enormity of your problems will decrease.
4. I have said it before and I will say it again: chain in your mind. Recently, I decided on another tactic- when I get up in the morning and try to follow my ambitious routine, I pay no heed to the chatter in my head. The chatter in my head is mind boggling. It says things like it’s too cold, it’s too early, it’s still dark, no exercise today, please! I don’t care and I don’t listen because I made a commitment to my sane self at night that I will follow my routine and I am in no mood to listen to my lazy self and end up regretting it. So use your mind as a tool and not the master because it is not equipped to make decisions for you- so, don’t let it.
5. Have fun and along the way do 02 things: one- that you enjoy (very, very important!), be it music or reading or watching movies, and two- do the right thing, otherwise you will never be at peace. Right things include respect to the elders, visiting the sick relatives, sitting down for dinner with your parents and so on.
6. Find time to reflect. Meditate. Pray. It charges your soul and helps you grow.
7. Adapt to stress consciously. If you do, you truly grow and evolve as a person. So instead of being reactive, become proactive and decide to adapt to whatever stressful situation comes. You will not scare easily and become stronger along the way. Every day brings its own set of problems, foresee it and decide to take them head on. Then life is an adventure and every day an accomplishment.
8. Remember money is neutral- not good or bad. Also, Money is a tool- no more, no less. And please don’t say “money is not everything”! Or at least have a lot of it before saying it.
9. Don’t build your life around things, build it around dreams.
10. Be brave. Have courage. Nothing worthwhile can be achieved in life without courage.

Love life and live it well. After all, we get only one life and we have to answer for it in the hereafter, so try to live it consciously.