It\u2019s a clich\u00e9, I know, but it\u2019s also very true. I\u2019ve learned so much in the past few years, but there are still questions that remain unanswered, and also new questions pop up. Some questions are very dynamic, like \u2018what do I want to achieve in my life?\u2019 This question had me puzzled yesterday. A year ago I wrote down who I wanted to be, what I wanted to achieve and how I was going to do that. Yesterday I looked back on what I wrote and found out that some things I have already achieved, while some other things don\u2019t matter to me anymore. As we grow as a person, our wishes and needs change. And through the years the picture of who you are and what you want usually becomes clearer. I think it\u2019s good to write down for yourself what you want, and evaluate it every now and then.<\/p>\n 2) I\u2019m never fully satisfied with myself<\/strong><\/p>\n When I think about who I was 20 years ago, I wish I could go back in time and console myself. \u2018It\u2019ll be all right, you\u2019re fine just the way you are.\u2019 But still I can be harder on myself than I would be on my friends. And I can make life difficult for me because of the high standards I set for myself. So that\u2019s still a learning point for me. Thankfully, I can also be very proud of myself. But that inner critic can be a pain in the ass sometimes. \u2018You\u2019re too fat, when are you going to stop smoking you spineless woman, you\u2019re not good enough, who the hell do you think you are?\u2019 Sound familiar? We are all a work-in-progress.<\/p>\n 3) I have a lot to be grateful for<\/strong><\/p>\n At the same time I continue to realise more and more I have so much to be grateful for. My parents are both still alive. When I\u2019m hungry I can eat, and when I\u2019m thirsty I can drink. My basic needs are met and I\u2019ve got enough money to buy what I really need. I\u2019ve got good friends, and even a little fan base! That last thing really amazes me. I\u2019ve been given the chance to follow my dream and I have found my true passion, which also allows me to inspire others. That feels like a lot of wealth. I can give more examples, and it\u2019s good for me to realise how blessed I am.<\/p>\n 4) You bring yourself anywhere you go, and money isn\u2019t the answer<\/strong><\/p>\n Sometimes we tend to think: \u2018if I can do this, or have that, everything will be better\u2019, only to find out that after that, we still have our weaknesses and shortcomings, only in a different environment. If there\u2019s anything that you don\u2019t like about yourself, there\u2019s only one thing that can help: take a hard look at it and deal with it. I used to think \u2018if only I won the lottery, my life would become so much better!\u2019. But now I think it would have robbed me of many opportunities to grow if I had become rich all of a sudden. Because really, if you can buy anything you desire, you never really have to make an effort anymore. And if you have difficulty communicating with people around you, you can just pack up your things and leave. Easy as that. But that way you\u2019ll never improve your communication skills. So yes, now I understand how these things work. But I would still like to win that jackpot though. ;)<\/p>\n 5) You can choose where you focus your attention<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m starting to learn this, but I really need to remind myself regularly. You can choose to watch the news and get upset about everything that\u2019s not in your power to change. Or you can choose not to. You can choose to give attention to criticism from others, or to ignore it. Of course, it\u2019s not always this simple. But when stuff bothers you, you can learn to focus on other things. Just realising you have this choice can make a difference. I\u2019m realising more and more that it\u2019s most effective for me to focus on the things I can actually make a contribution to. My sphere of influence, as it were. That\u2019s where I can make a difference. Outside that circle, I can\u2019t. That doesn\u2019t mean I shouldn\u2019t make an effort to serve a greater good, like sending a letter to a minister and telling him it\u2019s not ok to allow glysophate in Europe again. Some things are worth fighting for and I believe we should do that more often. I\u2019m talking about small actions that can make a difference if a large number of people do the same. But getting upset over something and then doing nothing about it, that\u2019s pointless. Even here you have a choice.<\/p>\n 6) Tiny Living suits me<\/strong><\/p>\n I love my house, my surroundings, this way of life. Yes, it suits me like a glove. All I need now is a nice community with several Tiny Houses and their owners. I\u2019m sure this will also provide challenges, but I\u2019m up for it. Will this happen this year? Why wouldn\u2019t it? Yes, I am choosing to believe it will.<\/p>\n It may be my birthday today, but I\u2019ve already had my birthday party on June 3rd<\/sup>. I threw a \u2018One year in a Tiny House\u2019 party which also counted as my birthday party. It was a beautiful day for a garden party, I\u2019m so lucky to be born in June! So today is just an ordinary day for me, but it still is something special, having a birthday. Ready, set, go for an exciting new year! What will this year bring me? J<\/p>\n All amazing photos, except the last one, are by Alexander Sanchez, <\/u> Pictorista<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.marjoleininhetklein.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/8.jpg\")
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