It’s been just a year, it’s been quite a year, it’s been an era.
At times I wonder what is the power of symbolism behind the tradition of drawing the lines, looking back assessing and concluding, making resolutions, but above all — saying thank yous. And above all I do. For the year behind I want to say thank you to every single person I have met traveling the World, to every stranger who passed by, to flight attendants and pilots who made no delays, to every host I stayed with, to every person I have interviewed, to every person whom I could not interview for any reason, to every one of my friends who supported me, to all my wonderful family who support me always, and above all, I am grateful to myself. Should that not sound selfish I should explain. Being grateful to self is an essential step towards being in tact with yourself, to being true to your motives and accomplishments which matter, to being able to realize where you are and where you want to be. Even if that point «B» is a liquid destination — the destination which is changing with every step you are taking.
This was a year full of self-discoveries and most of those are so subtle that are hard to be captured. Perhaps, those aren’t the discoveries, but the wisdom, which apparently comes not only with age, but with the cosmos of experiences and with the ability to reflect on those. At times I watch people struggling over the things I’ve passed too, and I wish I could just click and help them «fast-forward» to the point where they would summit. But the lessons come through self-experience, through living the answers you knew, but which come apparent only when experienced. To that, I put down the lessons here as a note to future self, to remember the year 2014.
Strip.
Strip to the point where you lay off the titles, expectations, obligations, imitations, projections, as if you would appear naked. Remember who you are at this point. This is pure, this is you. And every time you feel a title, an expectation, an obligation, to be projected over you, to condition you, be aware, don’t freak, just be aware, and remember who you are really, remember what you are not. Try not to compromise. Compromises could be the traps, as one evokes another. For that, stay humble.
Pace yourself.
Your body knows the rhythm. Your time is dimensional. Your productivity is subjective. For that, do not force, but rather wait. Wait as long as it takes. Wait until things start happening. Wait. Once they start, you speed.
Recognize insecurity over arrogance.
Arrogance is an insecurity. Be gentle. People at most are governed by instincts, so do not take it personally. Recognize your own insecurities and be gentle on self too and smile.
Strive to unknownness.
The known is a stigma. Stigmas are boring. Remember that you are motivated by creativity, complexity, beauty. Trust your guts only.
Create unity through diversity.
Surround yourself, be with, long for. Your talent is in recognizing the talents. Create beautiful opportunities with no expectation. Let the beauty of people minds, staminas, stories, inspire self and others. Inspiration and courage are your guiding stars.
Cook and dance.
These are your best meditations. And travel, travel, travel. Travel to learn life empirically, to feel it on your skin, to shake your beliefs, to stay open.
This was your year scripted in symbols, hidden in words, seized in moments. Forget it to move on.