1. I still haven’t stopped surprising myself, in both good and bad ways. I hope I never do.
2. Of course I’ve evolved over the years, but my teenage self is still somewhere deep down inside me. Growing up is merely an illusion, albeit a very convincing one. Yes, we learn to hide our weaknesses —often from ourselves— and emphasize our strengths, but it’s a façade. A prerequisite of inner peace is learning to love our past selves, warts and all, because we’re not as different from them as we think.
3. If you think you’ve hit rock bottom, just wait. You will soon find there’s worse.
4. Our dreams are bound to disappoint us when we achieve them, because fantasy trumps reality hands down. Don’t let that fool you into thinking they were worthless. The journey helped you become more capable. The destination helped you understand your needs better.
5. Reality is overrated.
6. Nothing is universally obvious and common sense is not really common.
7. Very few will be quick to change their views just because your arguments are solid. They’re comfortable in them. If you insist, they will try to think of reasons to discredit you, because that’s easier than giving up their convictions or refuting your arguments. However, the seed will be planted, and they may change their mind later on. Expecting immediate results is futile.
8. Few things are worth doing without passion, and none of them is particularly important.
9. Being cautious is wise, but being impulsive is more interesting. Sure, it will lead to more mistakes, but some mistakes are worth making. Don’t spoil them with regrets. Learn from them and move on.
10. Not everything happens for a reason. Trying to find a deeper meaning in the setbacks life throws at us is just as human as it is fallacious.
11. Feeling pain is not the worst thing that can happen to you. Feeling nothing is.
12. Two things can bring maximum happiness in life: creativity and love. Since the latter is by and large outside our control, it’s wiser to focus on the former.