A good life is a collection of happy memories

Collecting happy moments and experiences is something that will stay with us forever. Be present in the moment and do the most with your time! Do write your own ˝Decameron diary˝ and be the director on your own, never give the pen to someone else because this is your life and it is worth it. People long for a fat account in a bank. What exactly makes us truly happy? Is everything just about money? Healthy relationships are a more important part of our wellbeing and mental health.

An unforgettable week with lovely, talented and crazy funny people. All of this made me realize that sharing is really caring and the most valuable thing is when we can give and receive and are joyful about that. Enjoy every moment we have, don't be selfish and don't think just about yourself. Even with a little attention during the day you can show others that they are important and you can spread positive energy all around you. Just kindly smiling at someone walking towards you, saying a nice encouraging word in the morning or doing someone a favor, for example preparing lunch, is a nice sign with which you can add value to someone's else's day. However, helping others doesn't mean that we expect something in return but we see the value in the positive difference in the lives of others.     

The more often you share what you´ve learned, the stronger that information will stay in your memory. (Steve Brunkhorst)

In the Erasmus+ Mobility project for youth workers with the name Integration through Art in Berlin-Brandenburg we had the opportunity to learn how we can integrate people from different backgrounds into society. We had the opportunity to try to set up our own workshop and let people think about what it meant for them. We found out that not material things but experiences, joyful moments, if it is with a family, by following the hobbies, enjoyable time with friends are the things, which are really enriching and develop our personality. We proved our public speaking skills and saw that for different people different values matter.

Not only during the non-formal sessions could we improve our subject-specific knowledge, but also while working within the group we got close to one another and enriched ourselves with stronger social skills. Especially in many informal talks, games, jokes and enjoyable moments we felt like a family and were not afraid to come out of our comfort zone to share, learn and just be mindful in the moment. We didn't experience awkward silent moments because we were passionate about getting to know others closely and were honestly interested in other people's life changing stories. Keeping things just for ourselves, does not bring happiness!

You give something but you get something in consciously or unconsciously. There are plenty of moments, emotions and insecurities you go through in a day, but while working, spending and living with other people you can teach others and learn. All the time there is something going on and we need to react. It is not just a one-way process, it is learning while just leading an informal dialogue with someone.

I definitely see the big value in meeting different people, working with them, opening each other's hearts and feeding our souls together. As the globalized world is telling us to measure everything according to money because we can buy material things, which are visible and which matter. Is it easy to search for happiness in material things? Are these things really things which will last? I can understand that maybe for some people who have problems fulfilling their basic needs, money can bring a big value to their lives. Finally, they can afford lots of new things they never could have, which can mean happiness, although I assume that there is no need to be rich to know how to enjoy a life and be just happy.   Don't be afraid to help other people, if you have the chance. It will mean a big thing to them and you will get a feeling of satisfaction instead. Show other people kindness and gratitude. Healthy relationships help us be happy and to collect many happy valuable memories. We were not designed to live just for ourselves.

You never know what the person in front of you needed to go through, maybe experienced some unpleasant moments in their lives, which shook them, broke them, built them and changed them. Don´t judge them just because of the small things which don't match you, try to understand why the person is doing what they are. Maybe this person also has some advice for you. We are not spending our free time properly, if we are using our social media accounts while sitting at home. Maybe you have a feeling that you are connecting to others and you are not wasting your time because you can concentrate on whatever you are passionate about. Well, actually I would say everything in moderation is the key. I think we should think about how we can spend our free time more usefully for ourselves and others as well.

Be happy with what you have and enjoy life right in the moment. Don´t wait for the particular thing you are longing for to make you happy. 

Don't let someone write your own story, take initiative and just follow your passion. Literally, don't compare yourself with someone else. Maybe you are not that good at that particular thing, but you are better at many other things, which in comparison the other person is not.