As humans we live on in the knowledge that life will become better no matter what challenges we have yet to face. For some, life can change in a twinkling of an eye, for others they may come to a realisation that life could be better if some changes are made. Ever since I began to become familiar with my surroundings and observed the world around me, I would silently take mental notes and question whether life could be better if I tried to better myself.
As a youngster, I needed to be fit, strong and be able to take care of myself in order to survive my environment. There was no room for weakness if I were to live without fear. However, fear was my driver in life for many years until I learnt that life could be better if I applied myself diligently to developing my non physical skills.
The military was a game changer for me and living the life of a soldier gave me the structure I needed to further develop life skills that I lacked. The ability to wield the quill with passion, the introduction of logic, commonsense, learning of leadership principles, analytical skills, knowledge, wisdom, communication and controlling emotions were developed to meet the challenges of the future. Fear began to lose its grip on me and finally I was free of its clutches
The ability to control emotions and being able to physically look after myself were not lost in the mire of continuous development but were companions that could be called upon in moments of extreme challenges. Such challenges would always be overcome using the skills and knowledge that seduced to become my new companions in life. On reflection, it would reasonable to assume that many of us who have served in uniform and/or in a paramilitary of law enforcement capacity would have similar knowledge, life skills and outlook on life. This does not mean that we are any different to those who have not served other than we approach life differently.
As for New (2022) Year’s Resolutions, the following are my own personal thoughts on the subject and I seek forgiveness in advance if I sound or appear bombastic, ironic or mischievous. As I often do, I write with passion and from the heart, therefore please do not shoot the messenger for I am sure each person has their own thoughts on this subject. The following are mine:
To love those whom you care about dearly, hold true to your values whatever they may be. Be honest with yourself, believe in yourself, do not attract fear or have it as a companion. Remove or reduce stress as much as possible from your life because that is the biggest threat to your life.
Consider all the possibilities before you make a life changing decision, think of yourself first and be strong before you help others. Be kind to yourself and take a break from life’s challenges or matters that vex your soul. Remember the contributions of others who have walked upon this earth, for they too had loved, dreamt, happiness, joy and laughter.
Challenge the paradigms of the past, shed and/or remove undesirable elements from your life that cause you to become unwell and do whatever it takes to recover and begin your journey of life again. Never allow yourself to be seduced by those who do not have your interests at heart.
Become an encourager, an optimist and assist those less fortunate than yourself. Pray to your God using your mind if you are a believer and if you are not, do not try to influence or force your beliefs onto others but try to be a good person.
Having spilled the ink a number of times, the quill has finally come to a stop and it’s time for me to end this year’s resolutions on a positive note. I believe that there is nothing that cannot be achieved if you put your mind to it and commit yourself to reaching those goals you wish in life.
It matters little at what age you are; live and be happy. Forgive those who have done you wrong in order for you to move on, but never forget for only a fool forgets.
Fight the good fight, never give up, be vigilant at all times, consider life as an adventure, stop and smell the flowers, be good to one another, look after the battlers in life, love those close to you, contact your mates, and above all, remember that the world is still a beautiful place. May 2022 be kind to you.