a fat penguin.

That’s it, folks. This is the end of the road for the afatpenguin blog. Our chubby friend is going on a loooong holiday - but he’s not sure when he’ll be back, if ever. But he wanted me to tell you all this: thank you so much for your wonderful support - whether it was the likes, shares or reblogs. He could not have asked for more. :’) But he feels that he’s done his part in this big, big world… and that there are no more messages to share, at least until he finds new lessons in his new journey, whatever that is. Thank you, and much, much Fat Penguin love to you all. <3

It’s pretty amazing how the human mind can effortlessly get excited about one new thing after another. But when there are just too many of them coming your way all at once, it can get exhausting and just plain messy. The key, really, is to genuinely understand that getting all pumped up and getting to work are two different things. Whether it’s an idea, a responsibility or an event - sometimes, less is more. It’s not about slacking off or being lazy. It’s about moving forward, one step at a time. Big steps.

Keep it simple: who begins too much accomplishes little.

It’s easy to get comfortable with routine. We are, after all, creatures of habit. But every now and then, it’s important to ask ourselves: why are we doing what we are doing now? Where does this go? Is this helping me get to where I want to be tomorrow, next week, or next year? We’re only around for a shorter time than we think, but we have more control over what we do than we give ourselves credit (or responsibility) for. Know why you do what you do. The answer can surprise you, educate you - above all, it reminds you of how your everyday actions fit into the bigger picture of things: your life.

Purpose. Always ask why.

It’s a perfectly human thing to do, to assume that we already know what we need to know. So we close our minds and lock up our hearts. But the thing about collecting life’s lessons - often the ones that really matter - is that you never know when they are going to come along. And when they do, if we’ve decided that it is not worthy of our attention, we let it pass us by, never knowing what we’ve missed out on. It could be a class, a course or an event that you had no interest in, but sometimes, we could do with less assumptions and preconceptions. Don’t just push it out of the way, give it a chance. You might just get something in return.

Keep an open mind. You can’t fill it if you think it’s already full.

Sometimes in life, we can find ourselves in low and stinky situations more often than the better ones. And there are many ways to respond to this. You can complain and paint yourself in shades of green, enviously eyeing of others who may be on the more favourable end of life’s fortunes. Or you can choose to sulk for awhile, get over feeling sorry for yourself, and start thinking about the good moments you have had, and the great ones waiting ahead. Yes, it’s a choice. So choose wisely.

Count your blessings.

It’s one of those unexplainable little joys in life: sneakers, loafers, running shoes - whatever your weapon of choice, the feel of a brand new pair of shoes hugging at your toes always gives you a sense of renewed spirit to take on the whole world. Maybe that’s just what you needed to start prepping for that big marathon at the end of the year, or maybe you just needed to replace those old Converses, worn out over the years. Whatever it is, Paolo Nutini got it right when he sang “Hey! I put some new shoes on, and suddenly everything’s right!” …well, maybe not everything, but it’ll do just fine at least for a little while. :)

Happy Easter everyone! :)

with peace & love,
the Fat Penguin