#YOLO (You Only Live Once)

‘See the world not as it is, but as it should be.’

When we were young we were carefree and fearless, mindless of the harsh realities of life. We found happiness in simple things and we cried for the stupidest reasons. But then, time passed by and ultimately we became aware of what life really was. The world we live today is not what it was 10 or 20 years ago. A lot of things changed - it was inevitable. Technology made the huge change possible. But did life change for the better or for the worst for the past decades? Do we live the life we should live? Do we still value life as much as we value family, religion and our fellow human beings?

In the years that I have lived my life, I had my fair share of ups and downs. The life that I am living is not perfect. The truth is - life is difficult; I began to realize that as I grew older. And the realization that life is indeed full of obstacles and challenges did not hinder my progress and was not enough reason for me to give up, especially on my dreams. I am a dreamer. I am the kind of person who doesn’t want to rest on my laurels. As I also realized that life had a lot to offer and we must be bold enough to grab every opportunity that comes our way. There may be struggles along the way, as there will also be people who will judge you and belittle what you’re capable of achieving. Be ready as it is part of life. The road to success and happiness will never be easy. You need a lot of hard work, courage, and determination to live and to stand for all your ideals in life.

The world is cruel and sometimes people will not be there to give you words of encouragement; but instead, will do everything to pull you down, most of the times they will not cheer for you but will mock and humiliate you, and there are those who see you as a competitor rather than as a comrade. That’s how complex life on earth is. That’s how unpredictable humans are. Such is life. We cannot really define life in one word because it encompasses a lot of things. Life is full of mysteries. We live our lives based on the choices we make. Our trials shape and define who we are as an individual. But no matter how unpredictable it is, we must experience life, spend and share it with our loved ones. Choose to be happy with the people you value the most.

I had a lot of regrets in my life. As much as I want to atone to what I had already done or say in the past, it’s really not going to work that way. Regrets are life’s greatest lessons. They teach us to be humble, to work hard, to be strong and most of all, to be human, capable of loving others. My biggest regret in life is losing contact with a friend back in high school. Honestly, it’s still haunting me until this moment. I also regret saying things that I shouldn’t say to some of my friends and loved ones, and I regret some decisions I’ve made in the past that made a significant impact on my life today. But all of these come down to what I am as a human being. I am not perfect, as the world I am living in is not also perfect. I just have to live with it and accept it. Instead, I should see the beauty in everything, the goodness in everyone, the simplicity of life itself. Life is too short to worry about the things we never did, about the things we never had, about the decisions we’ve made, about words we said or left unsaid, about who we had become as a person.

Life is full of uncertainties, but also of endless possibilities. Although struggles may burn you out, it is not the end of your journey to think of quitting. Take it slow and rest for a while, but never give up. Always believe in your own capabilities and in yourself. Remember that we can do anything that our heart desires. Be invincible amidst the hardship and setbacks that come our way. Have some faith and hope. They are infinite, so is the human spirit. Whatever life has to offer, seize every moment of it. Taking risks is not forbidden and sometimes it is necessary for us to learn and grow. Don’t be ashamed of failures and just keep on persevering. You will not attain success unless you fail. Failure comes with success. What matters is that you stand after every fall, stronger than before and ready to face life with maturity and a good sense of conviction. And as we go along our journey, don’t forget to enjoy life - every second of it, for we cannot take back lost time. The adage that says: “Enjoy life to the fullest”, has never been so true. Choose to be free and happy. Express yourself and don’t bother to care about what others would say. Just have fun; it’s your life anyway. Do what you want to do, go where you want to go, indulge on what you crave for. Just do whatever you like doing at the spur of the moment, no matter how risky and ridiculous they may seem. Do them now or you may lose the chance forever. Remember, you only live once.