Welcome it. Embrace it. Bask in the pain, the fear, the unknowing, the self-doubt, the emotions coupled with the less-than-desirable scenarios that we confront along the course of our beautiful lives. Utilize these scenarios and add it to your life experience portfolio. The collection of which will allow us to become better Beings, to better navigate life’s waters, to reach our destination safely, and later to share our stories and experiences with others, that their lives might also be positively impacted. We are students of Life. Life is predicated upon ourselves and the series of events, both positive and negative, that I feel define our existence in this world and its quality.

“Believe me when I tell you that everything is temporary. Everything. There’s not a thing in the world that will not change, including you.”

-Alexis Smith

For every experience that presents itself, immediately initiate introspection and exercise your self-awareness. Simply close your eyes and devote some time to really think, to meditate upon the string of events that led to that particular situation. Writing it down as soon as you can has always been helpful to me. There’s magic in a pad and pencil (pens are overrated) that allows us to somewhat translate those crazy neurons firing in our amygdalas and hippocampi to legible thoughts and ideas. Putting them down on paper makes emotion slightly more concrete. It pushes you to think — to not only arrange thoughts, but to express them in a way that can be slightly better understood at a later time.

You can write about anything really. I tend to focus and analyze on the Present, because this is where Humanity exists. We as a human beings, at least as I am generalizing here about American culture, have a hard time grasping the present. If you really embrace the bigger picture, you understand that anything complex can be broken down into a series of small steps. The actions you take now, not tomorrow, with each of these steps define the path you travel in life.

“If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.”

-Thích Nhất Hạnh

Some things I personally tend to dwell upon that might be beneficial to others: Who, What, and When are always a great place to start. Do you think you are handling it in a healthy matter? Is there anything you can do to make your situation better? If the issue is under your control, then there’s nothing to worry about. And if it’s not in your control, it’s not worth worrying about. Seek feedback and advice from parties involved as well as third parties you trust. Who did this situation affect, and what were the positive and negative consequences?

Very rarely we will have all the answers. Life simply is not that simple. But more oft than not, a small step anywhere is a small step in the right direction. The only step in the wrong direction is that of doing nothing; of merely letting the experience overcome you or avoiding it. Don’t merely Exist with this short time we have, but instead respond and react, and leave the mark you want to on this Universe.

“Everything changes when you start to emit your own frequency rather than absorbing the frequencies around you, when you start imprinting your intent on the universe rather than receiving an imprint from existence. “

— Barbara Marciniak

Assessing yourself, the scenario, the persons involved, and most importantly the emotions tied to it. Express your emotions (yes, even if you’re a guy); cry on someone’s shoulder, hug extra hard, talk to someone, seek perspectives and advice — all are critical to personal development and growth which will ultimately allow you to achieve the Happiness which we tend to seek. Do not run or fear emotion, but rather take it in — feel it and embrace it. This is what it is to be Human. This is something that we’ve been endowed with and blessed by the forces of the Universe. We are intelligent and self0aware, we have patience, we can react, we can feel, and we have the ability, and with a little bit of luck, to directly impact destiny.

How can one genuinely understand and comprehend the epitome and joy of success when they have not faced the epitome of failure and defeat? If you haven’t experienced heartbreak, it’s very slim you will know true Love. If your venture had not failed, then you would not know what changes need to be made the second time around. Had that tragedy in your life not occurred, would you have remained indifferent to the value of life? In reality, they are unpleasant, sometimes unbearable, stress-inducing sadness and dejection producing impetuses that enable us to become stronger and more aware in order to better achieve the elation we seek. To know a situation one must have experienced the antithesis of that situation. Positivity and knowing the factors and lessons behind certain situations allows us to function at a more optimal level later on. The application of this knowledge is Wisdom.

“To attain knowledge, add things everyday. To attain wisdom, remove things every day. “

-Lao Tzu

Just to frame who the fuck am to be writing all this shit, my name is Miles. I am 27, working for a tech startup here in Wynwood called LiveNinja. Young enough to know that now’s the time to risk it all, but old enough to know that I’ve attained some Wisdom along the way. I’ve lost many friends to tragedy and they have each altered the course of my Life. I have been immature in my relationships and continually strive to find peace with myself so I can be the best I can be with future ones. I am a first generation American along with my older brother as a product of an attempted Indian upbringing — culture I have never been able to identify with. But I am fortunate enough to have a loving family, that support me and behind me every step of this journey. I have been hired and fired multiple times. I’ve been broke, had it all, and currently risking it all again because I know now is the time to do so. Few run ins with the law but came away relatively unscathed and with serious lessons learned. I am a critical student of Society, yet still an extrovert enamored with social relationships and interactions — being Human. I am a believer in People, an appreciator of the big picture, working towards something grand, whatever that may be. I do my best to live in the present, do the right things, day in and day out. I am a function of the unique series of events and relationships that have led me to where I am today and where I am going. Frankly, I don’t know shit, but feel like I‘ve experienced some shit that I am compelled to share it with others.

Last and most importantly, always press forward and never give up. For those who knowingly put themselves in risky situations like myself, it’s of great importance that we be fully aware of these situations and ready to face the ones that govern our everyday lives. One particular idea that resonates with me during recent stressful situations, is that of Courage versus Audacity. This is thanks to a great interview with John Maeda I read on The Great Discontent website. John is a respected designer and entrepreneur who is the former Rhode Island School of Design President & now Design Partner at KPCB. I own no property, I am single, and I have no children. There’s nothing to really tie me down. I’m cognizant of this fact in the whole scheme of my life, and as a result I have a high propensity for risk taking — personally, professionally, and financially.

“There are two frames to this idea of taking a risk. When you’re taking a risk, you can either be audacious or courageous—two different things. If you have audacity and take on a risk, it means you don’t know what you’re getting into; you’re walking through a door, into a dark room, with no idea what’s there. If you have courage, it means that you know exactly what’s behind that door; there’s something dangerous, hard, and it’s going to make you really uncomfortable. I think you get to be more audacious when you’re younger because you don’t have as many experiences to reference. When you’re older, you know a lot of patterns; you know exactly what’s behind that door, and you don’t risk as often. In that frame, I have to say that I have always chosen to be audacious, even though I shouldn’t be. I have the courage to be audacious.”

-John Maeda

In this way I can afford to be a reckless to an extent in my relationships, in my entrepreneurial endeavors, in all facets of my life, as long as I’m equipped and have the mental wherewithal to deal with them as they arise. I’ve amassed some experiences and sure as hell will deal with way more adversity before I reach that point of utter elation. Like John, I like to think that I have the Courage to be Audacious and to push forth through the deep valleys. If you are able, I highly encourage you to do the same.