LIFE LESSONS FROM A MILLENIAL
James Sudi Nabangi, MIoD(K)
Agile Transformation | Change Mgt | Championing Board Leadership & Development | Performance Engineering | Business IT | IT Service Mgt
Being on this earth for nearly four decades and in a city such a Nairobi where I have witnessed a series of developments over the years. There is always something new in the city and now I keep looking forward to when the new people's park "Uhuru Park" will be open to the public once more. Many memories, but a story for another day. Anyway, it does amazes me that I’ve been around that long, yet I feel like I’ve barely begun.
Not to make a big deal about this day, but then, it has given me an opportunity to reflect on some common facts and life lessons I have experienced. Allow me to share a handful of this lessons learned to also guide those just starting out.
As a millennial, I will speak to the zoomers. So, to the Gen Z's I hope this will shine a dim light on the streets you have to navigate ahead of you, though I know you'll still stumble as much as I have.
1. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.?
2. What other people think of you is none of your business.
3. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
4. Each night before you go to bed, pray to God and be thankful for what you accomplished today.??
5. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
6. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
7. Your shoes are the first thing people subconsciously notice about you. Wear nice shoes.
9. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
8. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day & while you walk, SMILE. It is the ultimate antidepressant.
11. Life isn't fair, but it's still good and beautiful.
10. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts and things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
12. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Forgive them for everything.
13. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
15. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
14. Help the needy, Be generous to people! Be a 'Giver' not a 'Taker'.
16. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
17. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
18. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
19. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
20. Accept yourself for who you are, including your strengths, weaknesses, and imperfections. Embrace self-love and practice self-care.
21. Be open to new perspectives and practice letting go.
22. Foster a growth mindset and live with intention.
23. Trust your intuition and take calculated risks.
24. Let go of perfectionism and value experiences over possessions.
25. Find joy in the small moments and appreciate the journey.
26. Practice active listening and seek to understand others.
27. See challenges as opportunities for growth.
28. Align your actions with your values.
29. Be open to learning from others and expanding your horizons.
30. Prioritize your mental and emotional well-being.
32. Don’t go into debt. That includes credit card debt, student debt, home debt, personal loans, auto loans. We think they’re necessary but they’re not, at all.
31. Always swallow your pride to say you’re sorry. Being too proud to apologize is never worth it because your relationship suffers for no good benefit.
33. You will miss a ton, but that’s OK. We’re so caught up in trying to do everything, experience all the essential things, not miss out on anything important, that we forget the simple fact that we cannot experience everything.
34. I have made numerous mistakes. They say it's the best way to learn. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Though, try not to repeat the same ones too often.
35. Let go of expectations. When you have expectations of something, a person, an experience, a vacation, a job, a book, a movie, you put it in a predetermined box that has little to do with reality.
37. Get some perspective. Usually when we’re worried or upset, it’s because we’ve lost perspective.
36. Practice Gratitude
37. I have a lot left to learn. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that I know almost nothing, and that I’m often wrong about what I think I know. Life has many lessons left to teach me, and I’m looking forward to them all.
And for this New year I am learning that...?
38. All we are taught in schools, and all we see in the media (news, films, books, magazines, Internet) has a worldview that we’re meant to conform to. Figure out what that worldview is, and question it. Ask if there are alternatives, and investigate.
The Conqueror, the Champion, the Lion?
Helping founders set up businesses that can run in their absence Founder & CEO | Board Member | Vice Chairman at Five Talents International | Rotarian | 24/25 Director at Rotary Club of Hurlingham | Farmer | Hiker
1 年To many more, James Sudi Nabangi, MIoD(K)