The founders of the Holstee Manifesto Dave, Mike and Fabian decided together to write down their definition of success so they could reflect back on these definitions when they felt stuck and living by other peoples definition of happiness.
Let’s have a look at the definitions they came up with:
This is your life, do what you love and do it often.
You only have one life. The only certainty in life is that you will die. In between birth and death you have myriad choices and paths to take. What do you love to do? Read? Sew? Skydive? Whatever your love is. Whatever excites your soul. Do it. Don’t save it for a rainy day, don’t say, “I’ll do it next year”. Do it now. If you’ve always wanted to read Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Read it. If you’ve always wanted to skydive – find a charity perhaps, gather donations and do what you love, and help others to boot. I think this sentiment is a great one, what you love may be small and can be done everyday or perhaps it is big and can be done monthly. Whatever it is, do it. Your soul will thank you for it.
If you don’t like something, change it.
How many times have you heard yourself say something to yourself or others about something you don’t like, hate even. Why not change it? It could be as small as oiling that squeaky gate that bangs every single darn time that it’s windy. Or it could be that your relationship has been in the doldrums and you’re both going round and round doing the same thing – stop and try doing something different. Or that old friend who always turns up late to meet you, don’t say (once again) “Oh it’s ok, don’t worry” when what you really want to say is “I know you’re really busy but I would love it if you could arrive on time for our lunch date”. If something annoys you change it. This could mean telling someone how you feel for once, doing something different, saying no, saying yes, walking away, being brave, standing up for yourself. The list goes on.
If you don’t like your job, quit.
We all would love our jobs to not feel like jobs, to be one of the lucky few who go to work and because it’s their passion it really doesn’t feel like work. Not all of us will achieve this, but there is no harm in trying to achieve this. Some fearless individuals, quit their jobs and then figure out their next step. More conservative individuals will bide their time and plan their next move towards the job we would really like, sometimes it will take one step, other times it might be several steps before you find yourself there. Don’t settle if you are unhappy.
If you don’t have enough time, stop watching TV.
TV! Where to start with TV. TV programmes of all genres are available 24 hours a day. I could sit on my sofa and tv surf for hours and hours and never find something I genuinely want to watch, so why do I bother? TV is addictive. You might find your evening dominated by TV, one hour long programme after another and before you know it’s bedtime and you’ve not done those little jobs you wanted to do, or got out that thing you love to do for a wee while whilst relaxing. So turn the TV off. With the TV off you need something else to stimulate you, and before you know it, you’re happily busy, or you’ve got your nose happily buried in your favourite book, or nattering to your Mum that you haven’t spoken to for a while, or tinkering with your hobby. Suddenly you have time.
If you are looking for the love of your life, stop; they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love.
If you are doing things you love with your life, your happiness will shine through. The people you meet whilst living your dream or passion will see the contentment within you.
Stop over analyzing, life is simple.
How many times have you laid in bed staring into the dark with thoughts, words and the days deeds whizzing round in your brain. Analysing the minutest detail of an earlier conversation, text, email. Worrying. Stop. You can’t change what has been, stop reading into what that text meant, stop analysing that conversation. Take what you hear, as you hear it. The more you read into the more problems you will find that simply are not there. “Worrying is using your imagination to create something you don’t want.” Abraham Hicks
All emotions are beautiful.
All emotions are valid. Happiness is great, sadness is sad but no less valid and beautiful. In our lifetimes we will experience the whole gamut of emotions.
When you eat, appreciate every last bite.
Don’t rush your food, savour each and every mouthful. Perhaps if more people savoured and took time over what they ate then we wouldn’t have the current obesity crisis that is plaguing the Western world.
Open your mind, arms and heart to new things and people, we are united in our differences.
Since I began working on the Focus ON Yoga & Holistic Therapies website I have spoken to and communicated with a variety of people whose paths I wouldn’t have crossed otherwise. They have shown me the sincerity of their beliefs and their desire to help and heal others. I laid my preconceived ideas to one side and opened my mind to learning what these lovely people have to teach me. In doing so I have found so many lovely genuine people, I may not share their beliefs or understanding but I have loved learning from them and sharing things with them. We are all different, we all have our own paths to follow. I love working on this website and I love meeting all these wonderful people.
Ask the next person you see what their passion is, and share your inspiring dream with them.
I don’t quite know how I would react if a stranger asked me what my passion was and then launched into what their dream was. Perhaps I am misinterpreting what they are trying to define here. It’s great to be able to share your passion with someone and it’s even better to listen and understand someone else’s dream. By sharing and listening we can then offer our support to others.
Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself.
Travelling doesn’t necessarily mean jetting around the world, especially if you are on a green mission. Explore the country you live in, walk up the hills and down the dales, swim in the sea, lock, and river. Observe the myriad lives around you as you explore and listen to the sounds around you. Enjoy the moment you find yourself in and find yourself.
Some opportunities only come once, seize them.
Stop worrying what other people think, if an opportunity comes your way that will take you a step closer to your passion, grab it and don’t let it go. We all have regrets but perhaps we can reduce the number of them by seizing those opportunities we are fortunate enough to receive.
Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them, so go out and start creating.
There is a quote by Ernest Hemingway “Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how we lived and how we died that distinguish one man from another.” Life is not about possessions, life is not pretending or putting on a face or living up to expectations. Life is the places you go, the people you meet along the way, the effect you have on others, the things you choose to do, or choose not to, the things you make, the things you destroy and the things you try to repair. You are not your past, your present or your future. You are all three, combined they create a picture that depicts your growth and path through life.
Life is short, live your dream and share your passion.
Life is short, far too short to spend time worrying about what others think. If you want to homeschool your children, do. If you want to spend your life travelling and never settle, do. If you want to escape to the country, do. If you want to live quietly, do. If you want to live loud, do. Do what makes you happy, if you are lucky you will share your life with someone who shares your passions and dreams or you will share you passions and dreams side by side. With your last thought, at the end, you won’t think about work, or tests, or qualification, you will think about those you love, the wonderful things you did with your life and great times you had.
The Holstee Manifesto Links
Website: https://www.holstee.com/pages/manifesto
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Holstee-manifesto/184901438242277
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HolsteeManifest
