LinkedIn: The 2 Words That Will Change Your Life Forever ...
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Every now and then, and usually not very often, are some words spoken that
deeply resonate with you. They make you stop and reflect. The words and their
meaning will stay with you for a long time. They might even inspire or motivate
you to do something different or to change direction. These words can come
from quotes of famous people or can be words spoken by a friend, your parents,
your child or any stranger.
For me, this person was my school teacher who we nicknamed LuLu. It was not
a very happy time in my life, I just lost my dad in a car accident and my school
performance was suffering. I was sad, probably angry at the world around me
and as a consequence a little rebellious. One of the few teachers who got me
at that point in my life was LuLu. I remember a chat with her on a day when I
felt particularly down and rebellious. She said to me "I have two words that will
change your life forever". This made me curious and I listened very attentively
to what she had to say. She said "The two words are very powerful, they are:
Carpe Diem". I said "What do they mean?" Then she explained "They are in
Latin and are translated as Seize the Day".
She explained to me that the two words originate from a poem by Horace
(65 BC-8 BC) and that they were used in a Babylonian Epic in which Siduri
spoke them to urge Gilgamesh to forget his mourning and embrace life.
Carpe Diem are two simple words with so much meaning to me. They mean
embrace life, grab the opportunities and make the most of the present moment.
These two words helped me immensely at that point in my life and I have never
forgotten them. Even today I find myself remembering them and they always
have a positive effect on me.
Instead of pondering the past or worrying about the future, you should live in
the here and now. We can waste so much time reflecting on the past, the things
that happened, why they happened to us, what we did wrong. We can also waste
so much time dreaming about a brighter future, about the things we would like
to do or become one day. For me, Carpe Diem reminds me that yesterday is
gone, tomorrow is not yet here, and today is your only chance to make a
difference. If you make the most of today then you will live your life to the fullest.
We should see each day as a present and an opportunity. Every minute is
valuablebecause you can use it to enjoy life, to get something started or to
get something completed. The present moment is the only time in history that
you can use to dogood and to change the world for the better – no matter how
big or small.
Each new day is a privilege. When my dad left that morning before the accident
he though he would see me again, he thought he would have many decades left
to say the things he needed to say and do the things he still wanted to do. The
thing is, we just don’t know what tomorrow brings. Therefore we have to seize
each day to do the things we want to do and say the things we believe are important.
The time we take up being unhappy, the time we use up worrying about the future
or pondering the past is wasted. It is a wasted opportunity and a wasted privilege.
Time wasted with unhappy and negative thoughts is time you will never ever get
back.
For me, Carpe Diem tells us to free ourselves from the worries, the anger and
the negativity that is holding us back sometimes. It reminds us that it doesn’t
matter where you came from, what you went through in the past; the only thing
that matters is where you are going and that your future destination starts with
the steps you take today. Today is your only chance to make a difference and live.
Always remember that is in this moment, and only this moment, when you can
be happy, you can say and do something, you can love, you can feel, you can
enjoy and you can learn. Therefore Carpe Diem!
After my memorable conversation with my teacher that day I decided to take the
long way home. In walked along the beach and tried to take in the World with all
my senses so that I could smell the fresh sea air, see all the colors of the sea and
the sky, taste the salt on my tongue, hear the cries of the sea gulls, and feel the
wind in my face. From that moment onwards I felt awake and inspired to grab all
the opportunities that would come my way every day.
Carpe Diem were the two words that changed my life forever. I wouldn't expect
that they have the same effect on you but I do hope they have been a little bit
inspiring? Please let me know what you think. I would also love to learn about
the words that changed your life - good or bad. Please share your thoughts…
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Author: Bernard Marr is a best-selling business author and enterprise performance
expert who regularly writes for LinkedIn.
Vocabulary:
resonate - rezonować,
współgrać, gdy coś przemawia do kogoś głęboko
reflect - odzwierciedlać
reflect on - zastanawiać się nad
suffer - cierpieć
rebellious - zbuntowany
particularly - szczególnie
attentively - uważnie
originate from - pochodzić z
to mourn - opłakiwać (w żałobie)
to embrace - objąć
to embrace life - przyjąć życie takim, jakim jest
immensly - ogromnie
ponder - rozmyślać
therefore - dlatego też
seize - pochwycić
privilege - przywilej
the cries of the sea gulls - wrzask mew
Zdjęcie - źródło: http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/p/keep-calm-and-carpe-diem-37/