Nikitaz

Lessons learned as I live this beautiful journey called life!

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Lens

I wish I could see everyone,

the way I see them after they are gone,

Filled with admiration and respect for the magical things they are,

and forgiveness for everything else they aren’t.

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Shoe size

How easy for you to say,

How complicated for me to do.

We don’t wear the same shoes now, do we?

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Humanity

I find humanity at its purest form to be the most beautiful thing...

when we are driven by love, passion and the freedom to be…

whoever, whatever, whenever

not

when driven by greed, anger, non-acceptance or

the pressure to keep moving forward

never allowing ourselves to just be

whoever, whatever, whenever

Can we start everything from scratch again, please? Reset humanity!

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Three simple things that make me happy: 1. Yellow anything, this flower is just extra pretty 2. String lights 3. A little bit of nature #littlethings #notlittlethings #nofilter

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Day 30: The End

Today is my final day of writing (trying to) write every day. When I first started, I just wanted to write for 30 days in a row, get into the habit and see how I truly feel. Here they are in no particular order:

30 days of writing or trying to write was a great experience. It gave me the time to reflect on my emotions, vibe and values. To write five lines, I needed to think about it the whole day trying to understand how I truly feel about something and then come up with a way of expressing it. When you write for days in a row, you start noticing a theme of issues you are consciously and subconsciously dealing with. That was very refreshing.

 When I write about the things we should be doing such as loving one other or whatever, it is not because I have achieved it, reached the goal and am a perfect saintly human. I am very far from that. But writing reminds me to do to more of that.

I am glad I cheated a little. I didn’t write every day. I would have lost the point of trying this challenge, which was to rediscover my love for writing if I had forced myself to write on days when I just wasn’t feeling it.

I am glad to have not taken writing as a profession. It works for some people, to turn their love into a living. But for me, I am glad it has now turned into something I look to soothe myself when everything else is just creating fire.

I want to get better at it though. I want to write more. I need to write more. I want to write more about deeper issues and learn to express myself better. I will not write every day, but I want to make it a point to sit and write as much as I can and share.

 It is not the easiest thing to always share what you create. You put a little bit of yourself into it however good or bad and that is scary. I want to thank anyone and everyone who took the time to read some of what I shared. It means the world to me. 

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Day 28-29: More love

While reflecting on the recent passing away of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain…

A seemingly vibrant or luxurious life does not always mean a happy heart and soul.  We are all fighting our own demons or battles, none easier than the other. Sometimes, we come through to the other side and sometimes we lose.

What do we do about it?

Share the truth, love and accept others with or without pain, in spite the pain. That’s what we do best as humans. We do better when we connect with authenticity! That is the only thing that makes fighting easier.

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Day 27: Full Circle with Thich Nhat Hanh

The following paraphrase from Thich Nhat Hanh’s book “I am Here “helps me embrace the good and bad in life equally. It helps me to perceive hardships in life or negative emotions for what they are, just a phase and part of it all. 

“The same thing is true for your happiness and your sorrow. It is not only your love that is organic, your hate is too. So, you should not throw anything out. All you have to learn is how to transform your garbage into flower.”

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Day 26: What brings joy!

Since happiness is such a sought out feeling, I wanted to make a list of things that make me happy currently. These are just little things I like incorporating in my everyday mundane life, to make it all a little better.

1.       Cuddling with or being amused by Mira (the cat)

2.       Watching my favorite show on the couch (currently The Great British Baking Show) after dinner

3.       Moving my body, weather its light stretching or a sweaty cardio

4.       Listening to a podcast while doing chores

5.       Journaling

6.       Spending time in nature whenever I can

7.       Going on dinner dates with the lovely husband

8.       And planning for cute outfits to wear on those dinner dates

9.       Fantasizing about the upcoming summer months when my parents will be here

10.   Reading and actually observing how it makes me feel

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Day 25: In it together

One of the things that I find truly beautiful is how we are all different. Some of us are leaders, some followers, some doers and some talkers. Our eyes sparkle for different reasons. Some are fascinated by structure and design, some by science and some by spirituality. We spend our days doing different things practice peculiar hobbies and aspire to achieve varied goals. Our childhood and the homes we were born into were also never the same.

How, in the grand scheme of things, every unique attribute makes humanity so complex yet beautiful.

If only we could always remember, we may not always be the same,

But aren’t we all in this thing called life, together?

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Day 24: Mira, the cat, the teacher!

Mira has lived with us since July last year. She is tiny and her fur is soft and fluffy. She is also a great teacher apparently.

That you really don’t need a lot in life: naps, food and occasional cuddles.

That it’s okay to specify what you want and don’t want: you don’t always have to be in the mood to cuddle or play whenever your humans are. You are free to express things you are not in the mood for, either by choosing to look the other way or just leaving the room.

That you can be curious about anything and everything: like what is in that box, that cup, that refrigerator, that drawer, that toilet bowl (really) 

That being cute works, every single time!

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Day 23: Lessons from school

I learned to read, write and count in school. I learned some other things too so I am sharing a few words that have stuck with me. 

#1 “Little things are little things, but to be faithful in little things is not a little thing”

To remind me to do little acts of kindness and enjoy the simple pleasures of life

#2 “the inner voice is calling-calling you” …from a hymn we used to sing.

I don’t identify with the entirety of the song but the above few words help me remember that some of the answers are already within me, I don’t always need to look for them outside and elsewhere.

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You are worthy dear one, regardless of the outcome. You will keep sharing your work, regardless of the outcome. You were born to create, regardless of the outcome. You will never lose trust in the creative process, even when you don't understand the outcome.

Elizabeth Gilbert, The Big Magic

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Day 21: Happiness

The key to happiness is doing things that make you happy.The key is always with us, in our heart, soul and surrounding, yet we choose to make combination to the lock too complicated, hard to open and embrace it.

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Day 20: Privilege

Something I have been pondering over as I learn more about the social class, financial freedom or the sheer advantage of being born in a certain part of the world or country.

“Every opportunity is a privilege.

Whether it’s your right to vote,

go to school

Or

Buy a new lipstick because its time to treat yourself”

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Day 19: Nature

Luscious green trees,

flowing water,

blue sky,

birds chirping,

the sound of rain,

 Such simple things,

Yet hold immense power

to

soothe me,

ground me,

and to make me realize that everything I truly need is either in me or around me.

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Day 16-18: Letter to myself

The past few days I have been feeling overwhelmed for a multitude of reasons. Today, I paused and wrote myself a letter to remind me to breathe and love myself.

“Dearest,

Let go of the idea that you need to do more. Instead, focus on what you have right now and do that well. You want to be out there, doing exciting activities, travelling the world or changing the world.

It is not easy with all the information you consume every day. Holiday pictures on Instagram, heartbreaking news and everything that is out there makes it easy to feel inadequate. It makes you feel like you are either not doing enough, smart enough or not giving enough to change the world. 

I understand, you want to keep moving, keep doing new things, one thing after the other. But you value slow, you crave slow and you are at your best when you focus on the little things. Trying to join the race only leaves you weary and tired.

So dearest, remember when you take the weight of the world on your shoulders, that sometimes we make the biggest impact by letting things go. Let go of your need to always look for the next thing to do. Pause. Let things come to you, one step at a time. Give you best to what you have now. Treat everything with love, kindness and grace. It is okay to go slow. You are not anybody else. Your strength may not be his strength or hers. Be your own light at your own pace.

With love!”

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Day 15: Confession

How I feel as a restless person who just cannot handle mutli tasking:

I

Want to

Do nothing

But

Be everything

All at once