Think “ of something that ’ s important to you , something that is a part of your core being , and write 100 words on it .” That is the sentence that changed everything for me . Of course , I didn ’ t realize it at the time , but do we ever really accept the weight of a monumental moment- well , in the moment ?
As a graphic design student , my final project was to create a manifesto book object . There were no guidelines . No rules . Just that one sentence .
It took me less than a minute to figure out what I wanted to dedicate the next 4 months of my life to : happiness . It was something I had always struggled to achieve ( and maintain ) but cared about more than anything . But what is happiness ? It ’ s a universal emotion , yet there is no real formula for it . I soon realized , after contemplating the topic for a few weeks , that my happiness came in the form of memories .
People , places , and fleeting moments that make up my lifeand my happiness . A deep wave of nostalgia overcame me and I realized in an instant that what I longed for more than anything was to capture fleeting moments and hold onto them , because in the end what do you really have other than memories and experiences ? But how do you look back on the memories with fondness instead of regret ?
Here is my how-to guide on seizing the moment and kicking the ass out of life :
1 . Forget about making messes and getting 9 hours of sleep . Get burritos at 2 am and leave the wrapping paper crumpled up on the floor every Christmas morning . Play in the rain like when you were young and carefree and knew what true happiness felt like ( it ’ s not that new cell phone ). Life is messy , embrace it .
2 . Don ’ t forget to look up . Greet the moon every evening and wish
upon every shooting star you see ( it will remind you how small you are and how big the universe is ).
3 . Recognize the most magical moments ( even if they seem mundane ). Savor every first sip of coffee in the morning and the sleepy kisses that follow . Hold onto the feeling in your stomach when you ’ re driving with the windows down and the you ’ re listening to your favorite song .
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