The following notion is inspired by the first pages of the brilliant novel “My grandmother sends her regards and apologises” by Fredrik Backman.

Why is it that people take life too seriously? If it does not kill you, it’s not worth the anger or worry. Take life lightly, lightness makes everything seem less heavy. In conclusion, it takes off loads off your shoulders. Your heart will recognize the freeness that enlarges by the loss of burden. Once you realize the true meaning of those words, you will soon make fun of the things others take too seriously. Make them aware of the unnecessity of dramatic or stiff reactions by just asking them simple, yet powerful questions whenever a situation is overrated: “What is the harm? Are there severe long-term consequences resulting from the event?” Pain – emotional and physical – is the only excuse for being in a snit and making life unnecessarily harder for yourself. In our age, so much is taken too seriously. Striving for perfection is such an incorrect term that is used way too randomly. What we should really strive for is constant improvement – above all in terms of handling situations. Growing, being cool enough to view the overall state – not only one tiny bit of it. Sure, we should strive for perfection – that is, what improves us. But it should not define whether we are happy or not.

Another source for this destructive strive for “perfection” are conventions of our society. It is destructive because “perfection” is not something you can look up in the dictionary and find an universal definition. It is something that is made up by people. It is a subjectivly believed reality of states. We have to make ourselves free of others standards and find those who fit our personalities, lives and lifestyles.

Living by these words is not something that comes easily – it takes constant reminding yourself and practice. When figured out, it becomes a lifestyle – the art of being cool.

Be foolish, be wild and break a rule or two along the way (as long as it doesn’t harm anybody). Who the heck cares about imperfections any way? They make life more colorful, they make it more fun. Go and pass on the silliness 🙂

-your tiny woman in a giant world