To live is to challenge oneself. To live is to move outside of one's comfort zone.
To me, feeling fulfilled is when I achieve something, when I try something new, when I work hard, when I DO things.
Now, as my exchange is almost 4 months in the past, thinking back on everything I achieved and the lessons I learnt, its hard to even fathom that it all actually happened! Sometimes it just seems like an extremely long and crazy dream! When I made that initial leap of faith to go on exchange, I chose to not just step outside of my comfort zone but to really break down the walls and leap out of it! I officially achieved moving out of home, living in a new and different country with a completely different culture and language, living with strangers and making friends from scratch in a place that not only had never seen or heard of me but didn't know my culture, background and even spoke another language. I did this at 17. That to me is a feat! I am proud of myself and I am proud of everyone that has or will go on exchange. It's brave but it is so worth it. My comfort zone has stretched so far I'm not sure there is any adventure I wouldn't be game on taking on!
I am inspired and humbled by the opportunities I have in my life more and more everyday. I am more empowered to do something with my life, to not just live but to be truly alive!
Last year really opened my eyes, not just to Finland and its culture but to the world as a whole, and to myself. I learnt so much about so many things that I couldn't even begin to explain to you and I don't even know if I could if I tried!
One thing that became so blatantly obvious to me is how huge of an effect our attitude and perspective have on our lives. It may sound cheesy but it's so true! We subconsciously make choices everyday about how we will feel, what we will let our eyes see and our ears hear. You can agree with me that when we're in a bad mood small throw away comments by others, the weather and even tiny little dilemmas in our day like the zipper on your jacket getting stuck, can get us so worked up and annoyed (at least it's happened to me before!). Those same events, had they happened on a day where we're in a good mood would be water off a ducks back, probably something you wouldn't even take any notice of.
I believe that we could choose positivity if we made that subconscious choice into a conscious one each day. I think that the more people that realised this the happier everyone would be. I know that when someone is positive around me I feel happier.
Everyone is going to have days that aren't so flash, but taking a moment to breathe and appreciate something small or pay a compliment helps, not only may it make yourself feel a little better but maybe you'll also brighten someone else's day in the process.
Exchange taught me many different things, one of which is that time really does fly! Life is short and we will only get out of it what we put in. I have realised, now more than ever, that my life and every opportunity that I have is a gift and a blessing. Let not fear hold me back from reaching out and seizing any opportunity to do good, to have an adventure, or to fulfill a dream. Our lives are precious and every single one of us has something to give to the world and to the people in it. Whether it's in a foreign place or just at home; let yourself see everyday as a gift and an opportunity to do something good, whether its just sharing a compliment or a smile, let it be a day that leaves a positive mark.
