JUMP. JUST DO IT.

Jump.

Where? When? Why? With who?

Again. Just jump.

EVERYWHERE. 

ALWAYS.

WITH ANYBODY.

JUST DO IT.

It's the ONLY REASON TO SURVIVE AND TO START LIVING.

When you are not sure of what to do, you are AFRAID OF MAKING A MISTAKE BY DOING SOMETHING, when you hear that little voice in your head saying "you'd rather not be taking that step" but it hasn't got any strong reasons, WELL GO AND JUMP. 

SAY YES TO IT AND DO IT.

I might tell you some truth here..

The voice that lays in your head and whispers (sometimes it can be a loud voice though)...

IT IS YOUR PARENT'S. 

It represents all the education they taught you.

It represents THEIR POINT OF VIEW.

It represents THEIR VISION OF LIFE. The vision they have experiences (or they have been taught from their parents once again).

The stronger is the voice in your head, the more it will lead your path, but...

THE MORE IT WILL HOLD YOU BACK FROM LIVING YOUR LIFE.

I reckon we should give that voice a 50% of reliability. 

Obviously it's more sensible listening to people who have more experience than us, BUT SOMETIMES THEY HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH AND THEY JUST HAVE THE WRONG ANSWER.

Everybody makes mistakes. WHY SHOULDN'T HAVE THEY MADE A MISTAKE WHILE EDUCATING US?

Therefore, the only way to find out and have in store for ourselves THE MORE RELIABLE AND TRUTHFUL ANSWERS TO LIFE, 

is STEPPING INTO NEW ADVENTURES, when our answers are unsure, we don't have strong advice in those cases.

Even if our parents told us strong rules, but we kind of FEEL THERE MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT OUTCOME OR THE TRUTH IS NOT ALWAYS THERE, well, just JUMP.

THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU IS... MAKING A MISTAKE.

THE BEST THAT CAN HAPPEN IS: BECOMING THE STRONGEST PERSON IN THE WORLD.

It's just the first jump. the second will be a lot easier to cope with.

Now, GOOD PARENTS are the one that, even though giving you some strong pieces of advice and rules, THEY LEAVE YOU FREE TO CHOOSE AND MAKE YOUR OWN MISTAKES SINCE YOU ARE A CHILD.

Because the only problem here is: 

HOW TO HANDLE MISTAKES.

How to take them in and solve them.

Learning from them and accepting you are wrong sometimes, 

IT'S THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF LIVING.

IT'S THE TOUGHEST LIFE LESSON TO UNDERSTAND.

But don't worry:

This is a kind of weird thing that happens in these cases.

It's definitely not like at school, that when you do a hard exam, well, all the others aren't exactly easier, they might be tougher still.

BUT IN THIS CASE, IT'S DIFFERENT.

You will magically learn how to handle mistakes, using a RULE THAT ALWAYS WORKS:

- You jump. You make the first mistake. You overcome it by jumping again.

- You jump. You make the second mistake. You overcome it by jumping again.

- You jump. You make the third mistake. You overcome it by jumping again.

That is it.

By the end of these three step, YOU WILL BE A DIFFERENT PERSON.

Likewise, you might want to not take my advice of "JUMPING AT EVERY OCCASION", because I might be wrong.

Well, in this case...

I CHALLENGE YOU TO PROVE THAT I AM WRONG AND FOLLOW THE THREE RULES.

I want to become a different person.

Shout it to the world!

See you soon,

Leonie.

What does "follow your heart" truly mean.

HORSEBACK RIDING BRINGS THE GREATEST FEELINGS EVER

Who hasn't experienced, or either doesn't like, horseback riding, well just can't understand the passion that comes with it.

Today I have been horse back riding and I have practiced my galloping. 

As all the hobbies, YOU DISCOVER THEM BY FOLLOWING YOUR HEART.

YOU STOP THINKING AND YOU START FEELING.

The commonest saying "always follow your heart" might sound banal to most of the people. 

IT'S OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE YOU NEVER FOLLOWED YOUR HEART. In other words, you never did anything with passion.

Yes, it's there in the open: "follow your heart" truly means FIND YOUR PASSION.

And what is passion about? 

It's an activity or something you find yourself doing WHILE YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF THAT, YOU NO LONGER QUESTION WHETHER DOING IT OR NOT. YOU JUST DO IT.

Even if you are tired or with no energies left, YOU FEEL THE NEED OF DOING IT.

Even when you should be doing something different and you know it would be better for you not doing it in that moment, YOU DO IT ANYWAY. 

IT'S SOMETHING STRONGER THAN ANY SENSE OF DUTY.

IT GOES AGAINST ANY SCIENTIFIC LAW. 

IT GOES AGAINST LOGIC.

Having a passion is like experiencing MAGIC.

It can cross your mind the question: why, even though I am tired and there is something pulling me from behind, I MANAGE TO DO THAT ACTIVITY? 

WHERE DOES THAT STRENGTH COME FROM?

I cannot really tell where does it come from. 

I guess it's the same hidden spare power we have got that helps us when we need to escape from something, when we are afraid of dying. Is it called "instinct"? 

Yes, definitely. PASSION MUST BE RELATED TO INSTINCT.

Instinct to survive.

Instinct to be happy.

Instinct to enjoy life.

PASSION CAN HELP YOU SURVIVE.

PASSION KEEPS YOU ALIVE.

I have got so many passion, but still I PRACTICE EVERY DAY TO MAKE THEM GROW AND BECOME STRONGER.

Sometimes, if doesn't come in naturally, YOU HAVE TO SEEK FOR YOUR PASSION. 

If you aren't passionate about nothing, well, fair enough you need to FIND YOUR OWN. 

Try your hand at different activities, test your skills. 

Challenge yourself with new adventures.

YOU MIGHT DISCOVER YOUR HIDDEN PASSION WHEN YOU DON'T EXPECT IT.

Exactly: IT'S LIKE FALLING IN LOVE.

You don't always need a man to experience the feeling of love.
Sometimes you just need yourself and your passions. 

Get rid of bad habits. IT WORKED FOR ME!

This can be the true solution.

Have you got bad habits?

I bet so.

Is it about smoking?

Is it about opening the fridge and eating anything you can grab?

Don't worry.

Everything has got a solution.

Every problem can be overcome.

I say this because I DID OVERCOME THEM IN MY LIFE.

Take a deep breath and talk to me. Read this post.

Shall we bet I am gonna give you a hand?

FIRST STEP.

The question you should ask yourselves is mainly important: 

WHY ARE THERE PEOPLE WHO DOES NOT HAVE BAD HABITS SUCH AS SMOKING OR EATING DISORDERS? 

They are obviously not super heroes. they have got DNA and they are humans like us.

You are not different from them and YOU CAN TRULY MAKE A CHANGE AND HAVE A BETTER LIFE. YOU CAN BECOME LIKE ONE OF THEM.

The first step is, as I always say, FOCUSING ON OTHER PEOPLE'S BETTER WAY OF LIVES. They help us finding an answer to our problems.

As I've already analyzed people with better habits and tracked down a solution, I might be able to get your job easier if you read carefully what I have to say.

SECOND STEP.

Having acknowledged this, let's see what these "heroes" hide in their everyday lifestyle.

EVERYBODY HAS TO LOOK FORWARD TO SOME HAPPINESS IN ITS DAILY SCHEDULE.

Everyone needs to know something good is gonna happen to him in the upcoming future. 

Do you wake up in the morning already annoyed and depressed because you have to go to work? 

I bet so.

Therefore, you walk out of the bed and try to do something that can make you less stressed. Something positive.

...Such as???

SMOKING A CIGARETTE WHILE IN THE BATHROOM.

GOING TO THE KITCHEN, OPEN THE FRIDGE AND DREAM ABOUT THE LOVELY HUGE AMOUNT OF BISCUITS YOU ARE GONNA HAVE FOR BREAKFAST. 

You literally stuff yourself with food, and the moment after you are asking you why you can't stop eating (or stop smoking) and lose weight. 

IS THIS YOUR DAILY QUESTION? WHY YOU ARE SO ADDICTED TO BAD HABITS?

Don't worry. DO NOT WORRY.

IT IS THE MOST ORDINARY THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU.

you are not some sort of sick people, you are not wrong, you are the same as a lot of friends of yours, TRUST ME.

This has to be acknowledged. You must understand this.

The eating or smoking habit reveals the oldest need of our specie: THE NEED FOR HAPPINESS.

Food brings out such nice flavors in our mouth, and this is what we just need when we wake up in the morning or when at late afternoon we are so depressed that we still have shifts to do, and so we stuff our faces with food seeking for some positive feelings.

THIS IS NORMAL.

DON'T BLAME YOURSELVES.

IT'S A NORMAL HABIT.

THE NEED FOR HAPPINESS IT'S IN OUR DNA.

Plus, in most cases, eating needs are related to the happiness we had when we were fed by our mum as babies. 

Therefore, even if we don't realize it anymore, eating brings out happiness because it was the first thing that we did when we were born: being fed by our mum. that was the most exciting thing in our life back then, and now WE HAVE TO ACCEPT WE ARE STILL AFFECTED BY FOOD.

But...having said all this...

WHY ARE THERE PEOPLE WHO DOES NOT SEEM TO CARE ABOUT FOOD OR SMOKING, AND LEADS A DIFFERENT LIFE THEN OURS? WHAT'S THE SECRET?

THIRD STEP.

Here's the answer:

HAPPINESS NOT ONLY LAYS BEHIND FOOD OR SMOKING.

HAPPINESS CAN BE FOUND IN A LOT MORE ACTIVITIES. 

When a "normal" person (I mean, somebody who hasn't got bad habits) wakes up in the morning, and thinks about the hard work shifts she'll have to do (that's right: everyone has got challenges, EVERYONE, EVEN THE PERFECT SUPERMODEL OR THE HANDSOME FOOTBALLER), 

what does that person do to find quick happiness and ease the stress out?

THE PERSON LOOKS FORWARD TO SOMETHING ELSE RATHER THAN OPENING THE FRIDGE OR LIGHTING UP A CIGARETTE.

That person is thinking about:

GOING FOR A RUN, 

or WATCHING TV WHILE ENJOYING A CUP OF COFFEE ON THE SOFA, 

or SENDING A MESSAGE TO A FRIEND AND HAVE A LITTLE CHAT.

or HUG THE DOG AND PLAY WITH HIM.

Now you must be thinking: I enjoy doing these things as well, but when I am stressed THIS IS NOT ENOUGH.

But a part from this (we'll sort out later), if you followed my thoughts, AT LEAST WE HAVE FOUND OUR GOAL. OUR AIM. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.

FIND SOMETHING YOU LOVE DOING MOST.

And make that MORE IMPORTANT THAN FOOD OR CIGARETTES.

If you are thinking you are just not shaped for being that way, IT IS NOT TRUE.

Eating or smoking are habits we have made up because we didn't have any other choices that could make us feeling distressed or happier.

IT IS OUR WAY TO SEE THINGS AND IT CAN BE CHANGED.

FOURTH STEP.

When you wake up in the morning, try and think deeply about anything else you would like doing. 

"Yawwn, I want to try and go for a walk in the garden, breathe some fresh air. It might really help me to start the day in a better way" (in this case, if it's hard for you to be patient and put your shoes on and wait until you go outside to start enjoying, FOCUS EVEN MORE ON THE FEELINGS YOU WILL HAVE ONCE YOU ARE OUT OF THE DOOR. FOCUS ON THE NICE MORNING AIR. I am saying this because sometimes it's easier and more comfy going to the fridge and grab a snack or smoking a quick cigarette. So focus carefully on the feelings you'll receive in the end, it must help you).

When you are at work and you have got a break, and you need to distress, find different ways to be happy.

"Oh, I will try and have a nice chat with my colleagues, I wonder what they have done the last weekend".

Or:

"I will go outside in the park and enjoy the view",

or "I will listen to the music in my car and have a drive around".

When you are studying in the afternoon in your house, and you need a break.

"I am gonna put some music on and dance freely".

"I really want to draw something".

THESE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW ORDINARY PEOPLE REASONS.

I want to say one last thing.

I know at first it can be hard and you will find yourselves eating again lots of chocolate in the morning or smoking 20 cigarettes per day. UNDERSTAND THAT AND FORGIVE YOURSELVES. that keeps happening because the happiness you get when smoking or eating is STILL STRONGER AND MORE EFFICIENT THAN GOING FOR A RUN OR CHATTING WITH FRIENDS.

But TRUST ME, it's a matter of time.

AWARD YOURSELVES EVERY TIME YOU TAKE A STEP FORWARD.

even if you Manage to get rid of your habit for a single morning and manage to go for a walk instead, BE PROUD OF YOURSELF!

It might happen that the morning after you will again start eating or smoking, but don't worry, wait for the next time you have a chance to try your hand at easing the stress off in a different way! wait for the next brake from work or for the late afternoon!

EVERY TIME YOU MANAGE TO DO SOMETHING FUN (even though it's still less fun for you compared to eating or smoking), AWARD YOURSELF AND BE PROUD! BE HAPPY!

Try, Try, Try to think on what makes you happy. 

If you can't think of anything, TRY NEW THINGS! NEW ACTIVITIES!

Let me know if you have questions, if you think you have different solutions or why this is not working for you.

If you can't get your head round it, talk to me!

Speak soon,

And if it's nice outside, go and take a hike! or stand up from the couch and jump around! Feel free and alive!

Leonie 

Where does happiness come from?

Let's see if this happens to you as well.

Do you ever find yourselves laying on the couch, staring at the ceiling and feeling like everybody else is having a better day than yours?

If yes, I know how to make that demon go away.

Don't worry.

FIRST STEP 

(you probably have achieved it already because you have taken your laptop and found this post that is going to be useful).

HAVE A THINK. TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND FOLLOW MY THOUGHTS.

Every time you feel down, be cheerful for the only fact that something good will follow, sooner or later. IT IS THE LAW OF NEGATIVITY. IT EXISTS ONLY BECAUSE THERE IS POSITIVISM.

So wait for a relief to come. it will come eventually, in a minute (has it come already?) or in half an hour, or in half a day, but it will certainly follow. 

It's as lawful as the Maths.

To whatever problems you might have got (is it love? work? family? being unsatisfied with yourself? weight?), there is always something that can dash that feeling off even for a second:

SECOND STEP:

HAVING FUN.

Now, you might be thinking: "Gosh, how am I supposed to have fun when I am feeling so down and all I can think about is crying and going desperate?". Or: "Having fun is a time waster, because I'd rather use that time to make improvements in my life, like working or do something more useful".

There you go. 

HAVE YOU EVER WATCHED CAREFULLY HOW CAN SOME PEOPLE BE HAPPY? HOW CAN THEY MANAGE TO LIVE IN A HAPPIER WAY? 

THEY KNOW HOW TO HAVE FUN.

THEY WILL NEVER FEEL DOWN AS MUCH AS YOU DO, BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT MAKES THEM FEELING HAPPY AGAIN WHEN SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS TO THEM.

First of all, we shall all agree on the fact that negative stuff happens to everybody. the difference hides behind HOW TO HANDLE AND MAKE NEGATIVITY GO AWAY.

So our second step concerns HOW TO LEARN HOW TO HAVE FUN.

if you are on the couch and you feel depressed, you have got half an hour before you have to get going and you think YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR THIS BULLSHIT CALLED "FUN"., well, let me tell you: having fun can take even a minute or two. and it doesn't require energy or thoughts IF YOU KNOW HOW TO HAVE FUN YOURSELVES!

THIRD STEP (really important):

HOW CAN I HAVE FUN?

If you are asking yourselves this, well, surely you haven't experienced FUN for a long time.

What helped me when I needed to know what FUN was, something really saved my days:

REMEMBERING WHAT I USED TO PLAY WITH WHEN I WAS A CHILD.

HOW DID I HAVE FUN BACK AT THAT TIME?

Obviously, some of you might even think you didn't have a lot of fun back in those days. 

But let me tell you, when you are a child YOU HAVEN'T GOT THE AMOUNT OF THE GROWN UPS PROBLEMS. 

Certainly, childhood is where all the problems begin, because it's the age where you shape your personality. 

BUT AT LEAST, WHEN YOU ARE A CHILD, YOU HAVEN'T DEALT WITH ALL THESE ISSUES FOR A LONG TIME YET, therefore YOU STILL KNOW HOW TO HAVE FUN.

If you can't think of a moment when you had fun when you were little, LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS AND I'LL BE GLAD TO HELP YOU.

FOURTH STEP: 

HAVE YOU REMEMBERED? how did you use to have fun?

Every person has different ways of having fun.

I will let you know mines (luckily, I have got more than one!), and it will be so nice hearing what things you like doing for fun.

- As I am an only child, I have always loved making up new families with lots of siblings in them. The family members were usually bracelets, or pieces of old rugs, as big as a hand let's say. I used to make them play in the garden. 

I made up their voices, and use to hold them and make them move.

For me, that was an ideal world that could substitute the real one for a couple of hours.

Meanwhile I played with them, I felt less lonely, I HAD REAL FUN. 

I made them talk, argue and kiss each over, as real beings! 

I pretended they had to go to school, do their home works, and then it came the time when the parents came to pick them up!-

I will show you some pictures of my little people, of my imaginary world.

And, can I let you know something?

ONCE I REALIZED THAT THE IMAGINARY WORLD ACTIVITY MADE ME HAVING FUN BACK IN TIME, I TRIED TO BRING IT BACK AND...IT WORKED!

NOWADAYS, THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY ENTERTAIN ME.

Every time I feel down, I walk away from the couch, I go and fetch my little bracelets, and pretend to play with them once again! 

even if I'm a grown up and I should feel (because everyone else does) like spending time working and doing something more important, I RECKON THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE FUN, even for just a little time, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUCCEED IN EVERYTHING YOU DO IN LIFE.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS "USEFUL" or "NOT USEFUL" WAY OF SPENDING YOUR TIME WHEN IT'S ABOUT HAVING FUN.

Isn't having fun the biggest goal of a person life? WHY ARE YOU SO INTO MONEY? Because you hope that with them you cam have even more fun.

Having a longer life is something meant to be to have more time for FUN!

THE MAIN ISSUE IS KNOWING HOW YOU CAN HAVE FUN. WHICH ACTIVITIES CAN ENTERTAIN YOU.

I have got so many other ways of having fun, and I would like to share them with you!

Likewise, you can tell me which are the things that make you smile and be happy!

Let me know!

There are more steps to come, we only reached the fourth.

I hope at least, for a start, that even if still on the couch (ideally) you have started thinking about the times when you had fun! enjoy your memories! THAT IS ALREADY HAVING FUN THINKING BACK AT THOSE TIMES!

Don't worry, AFTER A NEGATIVE MOMENT THERE IS ALWAYS A POSITIVE ONE! ALWAYS! There couldn't be a negative if there wasn't a positive.

I will let you know other ways to have fun in the next posts!

Keep following!

See you soon,

Leonie.

How can Leonie help you?

Nice to meet you, guys!

This is... Leonie!

- It's not my real name, obviously.-
- I will reveal my identity later on. It's a promise..!-

Is this the moment to describe my blog?
If so, let's get started.

My main goal is
I WANT TO HELP YOU BECOMING THE LEADERS OF YOUR LIFE.

I feel like we all need to BE THE MAIN CHARACTER IN OUR STORY.
-You are as well, don't think you are not!-

As I've had so many life experiences so far in my life journey,
Sharing my daily life facts, the way I've OVERCOME ISSUES, the way I HAVE FUN usually, the people I meet, my LIFE LESSONS, must come in handy to lots of you!

Recently, I found myself being more and more interested in reading about other people's facts and watching youtubers enjoying their days uploading hilarious videos.
But while I was diving into their lives, I WAS FORGETTING ABOUT LIVING MINE!
Now, may I ask you:
...DOES THIS HAPPEN TO YOU AS WELL?

After having spent hours laying on the couch and witnessing others way of living, I lead to a conclusion:
...IS NOT YOUR LIFE AS IMPORTANT AND FULL OF EXCITEMENT?  

The answer to this question didn't come straight after.
It took me some time to realize this:

.THERE IS NOBODY LIVING THE LIFE YOU ARE IN.


My life is genuinely full of fun, new achievements, new people that I meet and weird situations, activities and ways to sort out problems.

WHY AM I SAYING ALL THIS?

Easy: I bet there are so many of you out there who might 

FIND YOURSELVES IN MY STORIES. 

Sharing experiences and reading about how I have handled situations must come in handy to you!!.

I have decided to build a STORY-LINE that keeps truck of my daily events,
because...

being interested in other people lives IS A WAY TO MAKE OUT LIVES HAPPIER.
If they make mistakes,LET'S LEARN HOW TO AVOID THEM IN OUR LIVES!
If they are having fun, LET'S BRING FUN INTO OUR DAYS!
If they have met that person, I HOPE I WILL AS WELL BECAUSE I LOVE HER!

If you liked my introduction and my aims, carry on following me and reading my posts!
I promise I won't let you down.

Do ask for any question and see if I can really be of any help!

See you soon!

Leonie