Today, October 13th, 2019, I'm turning 25. A quarter of a century!

For the last couple of years, life has been rocking me from side to side, ups and downs, through unexpected paths and into the most amazing and heartbreaking adventures. And I'm grateful for it all.

I guess I wanted to share some of the things I've been learning all this time, knowing that I'll learn so much more in the years ahead.

To 25 more,

With love,

Clem

#1 We don’t always know what we’re supposed to do, who we’re supposed to be, or even how the night will end, but that these are the best kind of questions.

The unexpected is both the most dreadful gift and the most beautiful ally.

Embrace it.

#2 Love is both a universal question and answer.

#3 Wherever you are, be fully there.

Life is just moments,

It is always fleeting.

Time doesn’t exist,

So how could you waste something that doesn’t exist?

There just are moments and energy.

Stay present,

Don’t waste your energy.

Also, the present moment is unique and cannot be relived, no matter how hard you want it to happen.

So enjoy it to the fullest – that does not mean party all the time or be somebody else or push your limits too far, it just means be present.

#4 Every person we meet has something to teach us.

Stay curious.

And while we think that some people just cross our path without making a long-lasting impact, every person enters our lives for a reason.

Maybe you’ll find out why way later.

#5 Que jusqu’ici tout va bien. So far, so good.

#6 Music is the way to the soul.

#7 Fear only leads to regrets and missed opportunities.

The only limitations you have are the ones you place upon yourself.

You are unstoppable – find your inner source of power and abundance. Tap into it.

Don’t let anyone get in your way,

But most importantly,

Don’t get into your own way.

Bet on yourself every single day.

#8 Everything is better when shared – food, laughter, music, memories.

#9 Nobody has their shit together.

As I was sitting on this front porch, sharing a cigarette with a 57-year-old, looking at the squirrels playing tightrope walkers on the power cables, she suddenly said:

« I’ve got no idea what I’m supposed to do ».

Truth is, nobody does. The ones that look like they got it all figured out are just pretending – don’t get fooled.

Don’t compare your life, your path, your decisions, to anyone else’s.

As it turns out, comparison is the real happiness theft.

It leads to self-doubt,

That leads to fear,

That leads to a closed heart,

And a life without dare.

#10 You can’t expect people to act the same way as you would have.

Actually, you cannot expect any kind of reaction from others.

Final self-note: you cannot change people.

#11 There is always a way.

#12 Happiness is a state of mind, that can be found anywhere and anytime.

So move on to joy – it’s a conscious choice. Smile until you make it.

It’s your way of seeing the world that defines the beauty you’ll be able to see in it.

Also, we can’t be happy all the time, but we can choose to stay positive and faithful.

#13 People will grow on you faster than you think.

Saying goodbye always hurts,

But time heals every wound.

#14 Your mom always knows better.

What is it about mothers?

Maybe just the fact that they’ve known us 9 months before anyone else.

I love you mom. Thank you for knowing things I haven’t even realized yet.

#15 Accept and love yourself as you are (ok, that was cheesy, but man it’s gold).

We must accept to be vulnerable and to fail.

Because we’ll always learn, and then we’ll start again.

I’m not a superhero. I’m not perfect. I’ll trip and fall, I’ll make jokes people don’t get, I’ll always have a problem with authority, I’ll say I don’t like you when truly I’m just afraid to break my heart, I’ll write this article and still get mad when something doesn’t go as plan, I’ll keep on being annoyed by overconfident people who secretly impress me, I’m gonna burn that cake and I cannot twerk.

But that’s fine.

I always learn, and I always start again.

#16 We have to open our hearts and get involved in relationships instead of expecting other people to do that for us – it’s not because you’re a great person that great relationships will magically happen around you.

On se sort les doigts du cul.

#17 Everything is better with cheese.

That’s about it.

#18 Regrets are the most useless things going on in your mind.

It’s easy to look back with the knowledge you’ve acquired since.

Truth is,

You did the best you could at the time.

Stop worrying, it is a present-moment theft.

You've made it this far. You've survived. You’re enough.

You’re exactly where you need to be.

#19 We must see the hearts within people.

You never know what somebody has been through.

So many people wear a mask to hide their true feeling in society,

So many people have built walls around their hearts to protect themselves,

This can lead them to act in a way you’ll find unpleasant, weird, or off-putting.

Personally, I know that in those situations, I end up judging them.

But a relationship can only appear when you start to see the hearts inside, underneath the masks, behind the walls, when you leave out the judgments and start believing that there is more than what they are showing.

Let love lead the way.

Open to others with nothing but love.

Don’t judge or project your expectations on other people - accept them as they are and with their flaws.

#20 You cannot force things to happen.

Stop expecting the worst, start to let things unfold the way they’re going to.

#21 The goal is not to give zero fucks but to decide what you’re willing to give a fuck about.

‘Cause you’re going to have doubts and anxiety anyway. The key is to ask yourself what would you rather be anxious about?

There’s no such thing as a life without problems, but you have the power to choose yours.

Would you rather stay secure meaning worrying about your partner, your shared bills, and that email you have to send to your boss or choose to be free, meaning not being able to forecast the future and wondering every day if you’re a normal human being?

#22 Roll with grey

Don’t be so categoric.

With people, places, things,

Give it time,

Let them grow on you.

Never lose sight of the big picture,

It's too easy to focus on one single flaw and let it stain the entire horizon.

Not everything is either black or white,

Roll with grey.

#23 Help is just the sunny side of control.

Stop trying to help everybody and help yourself first.

#24 You can get inspired by others but motivation only comes from yourself.

Outgrow your own bullshit and finish this goddamn project.

#25 That there is not one but a thousand ways to live your life.

And a choice that is not personal won’t bring happiness.

You don’t need to rely on anybody anymore, you can trust yourself. You got it all inside of you, you’ve had it all from the beginning, and you won’t lose what’s truly yours.

You have to shut out all the chatter of what your friends are telling you to do, what your parents are telling you to do, what society is telling you to do, and go to that quiet place inside you that knows the truth.

You’ve got this.

I’ve got this.

I love you.

My inspiration list

My favorite books this year:

Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson

Mitch Albom

Buy

Journey to the Heart: Daily Meditations on the Path to Freeing Your Soul

Melody Beattie

Buy

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

Mark Manson

Buy

Heart Talk: Poetic Wisdom for a Better Life

Cleo Wade

Buy

My favorites things on the internet for self:

Ted Talk: Emilie Wapnick - Why some of us don't have one true calling

“It’s ok to not have one true calling.

Embrace your inner wire, your many passions.

Follow your curiosity.

Explore your intersections.”

Ted Talk: Anne Lamott - 12 truths I learned from life and writing

« There is almost nothing outside of you that will help in any kind of lasting way, unless you're waiting for an organ. You can't buy, achieve or date serenity and peace of mind. This is the most horrible truth, and I so resent it. »

Yoga with Adriene

When you feel like you cannot get out of your monkey mind, get back into your body with her wonderful free yoga classes.

Best part? You can do it at home in your PJ!

Rupi Kaur

Rob Hill Sr

Brianna Wiest

Journey to Wellness