10 things the city taught me
1. NETWORKING OPENS DOORS
Go to events and network, introduce yourself and have conversations with the people around. Opportunities don't always come knocking on your door. You have to put yourself out there, and speak to people to make valuable connections.
2. DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE MIX
I noticed how easy it is to loose your values or self-respect, just because you want to fit in. You get succumbed to peer pressure or try to do things you don't believe are ethical.
3. EXPLORE
Explore different areas of your craft, city and challenge your mind. This will help your creative juices flow in whatever you are working on.
4. SELF LOVE
I am finally cultivating self-love. I almost lost sight of what is truly important. I found myself idolizing and comparing myself to the people I would see on my timeline. Until one day, I went out with a friend and talked about self-love and embracing oneself in every aspect of life, mentally, physically and emotionally.
5. INSPIRATION IS EVERYWHERE
If you ever feel like you have no inspiration or no sense of drive, hop on ANY train and get off at the last stop, walk around, talk to someone new, or write how you feel and what you see. The city is your source of inspiration. It is filled with so much energy that you can feed off from.
6. EXPAND YOUR VOCABULARY
It is always a good idea to learn new words and incorporate them into your daily speech. This is something I am still working on, but grab your phone and download the dictionary app and challenge yourself to a new word of the day.
WORD OF THE DAY: Nudnik - A persistently dull, boring pest.
7. NOT EVERYONE WILL HELP YOU
Not everyone is as friendly as you would think. Someone is trying to do the same thing you are working so hard to do. There might be times when a person might deceive you or give you inaccurate information just because they don't want you getting ahead, but keep calm. Let that be your motivation to make strenuous efforts towards any goal.
8. UNDERSTAND YOUR PASSION
Knowing your passion goes hand in hand with also being confident. Know how to talk about your craft to someone you meet. It is all about pitching yourself and understanding your ambition.
9. EVERYTHING IS NOT A COMPETITION
Ask yourself one quick question "why do you feel the need to compete with this person?" You don't always have to compete with your next door neighbor. Instead find ways to better yourself and improve.
10. FIND HAPPINESS...
In everything that you do. In the way you walk, talk, carry yourself, look, your surroundings and your health. Find happiness in your job and your love life. Wake up with a positive attitude to conquer your day. I know it is easier said than done, so that is why I said "find happiness" instead of " be happy."