Sharing Three Lessons Learnt From 2017

Most of damage we cause to the planet is the result of our ignorance – From Patagonia

One way to fight ignorance is to consider carefully where your money goes. Yes, it’s a matter of pleasure-management, how to deal with expectations and what is quality for you, making a clever distance from others’ judgement. Since I have bought my first item from Patagonia one year ago, my values relate to their business model as well as with what the company stands for. As a domino-effect my wardrobe goes through a monthly revamp: plenty of t-shirts, shorts and jumpers were worn-out. All the stuff I did not use for years went to charities and churches where poor people could access to receive clothing easily. This give me a wider lens on how to perceive the world inside and around me.

Change: look no further than your mirror

To adapt to multiple situations as much as to fulfil your freedom of expression in social and acknowledgment in professional environments, we often tend to face at times disappointment or anger, frustration towards lack of understanding, empathy from the listener. In lieu of judge why and what others should change, one agile way I have found out to jump out from the trap is to think how long it has taken to change habits for me. During this year I have achieved what I had begun three years ago in terms of food. Gradually I have shifted my diet towards a plant-based diet which happens eating whole food, avoiding any processed food. This has opened a new world of taste as much as creativity in the kitchen. My curiosity and imagination pair up all the time when I am hungry with more patience and connected with my value and ethics. Eating with friends or dining out is a chance to adjust and be open to exchange some hints about this way to be, not to convince or stand out. So, to change habits takes time and practice, it is a never-ending school to create a bridge with yourself and others with transparency focusing on possible similarities to share, without flinching from different views.

Be here now with your personal journey

As my journey keeps unfolding, many storms have occurred through the professional transformation. Changing countries from Italy to Great Britain and now to Germany have been unfolding plenty of difficulties, mainly the kind of emotional ones. This means you might need to keep track of your fears, feelings and thoughts to understand your past, keep the good things, grasp the lessons from the bad ones, trying to be here now first and look forward, and look forward again. These scenarios are very similar to survival in which the need to play with reason and emotion is very important to overcome panic and distress. Writing notes, sketches and drafts and keeping your journal year by year have supported my vision along with the personal and professional development.

Twelve months ago, I set a goal for 12 books to read in one year. No, I made seven and here they are:

This Machine Kills Secrets – Andy Greenberg

Oryx and Crane – Margaret Atwood

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? –  Philip K. Dick

Lords of The Flies – William Golding

Wonder Wall, Leading Creative Schools & Organization in the Age of Complexity –

Deep Survival – Lawrence Gonzales

Blockchain Basics – Daniel Drescher