Enhancing my outlook on life

I think I’ve always had quite a positive outlook on life. I’ve tried to maintain a good balance of work, social life, study and exercise. I’ve always tried to give people a chance, keep the friends that I have, enjoy life and spend quality time with good friends. Sure i’ll get angry or upset, but that’s part of being human. By going through the experience of having an aggressive brain tumour and being told you may have anywhere from just a couple of years to a decade (or two if you’re extremely lucky), hasn’t changed my outlook on life. It has rather heightened my appreciation for life and the little things, and it has enhanced my already positive outlook.

I hope that by me going through this experience, others can learn from it. Somebody can be taken away from us by a freak accident, or slowly from such events like a terminal illness. I feel blessed that I have time to help others and to appreciate what I’ve been given. I look around and I’d like to see people not sweat the little things so much, to be more positive towards life and its hurdles, to embrace people and give them a chance, and to make the most of every day! Step out of your comfort zone, try new experiences, keep pushing your boundaries, and share the enjoyment and good times with friends.

Looking at the bigger picture often helps put things into perspective. For me, an example of applying this to every day challenges was to think about what matters in life. For instance, does the result of one university test really ruin my life? No. By accepting this, I was able to release some of the stresses of an exam. Doing so helped me to focus my priorities and to feel more relaxed. I was then able concentrate and focus on the study and the exam without the former ‘weight on my shoulders’.