Twice a year we have a huge design market very close to my home. Weeks before it is on, I get so excited about it and ask all my friends if they would like to go. However, like with other things I would not mind going alone either because I love it so much.
It takes place in an old inactive factory and the hall of the building in which it takes place appears very friendly and open. There are different stands all throughout the hall selling various goods. You can buy anything from clothes to organically grown fruits and vegetables. The entire experience feels magical to me. The friendly and like-minded people, the pillars of the room with inspirational words written on them, regional goods from small companies, sustainable products and innovative ideas-all these aspects together make the event something special for me.
Each time this market is on I am so excited to get out of bed in the morning. In November not even the cloudy winter sky or the thought of an exam on the next day could hinder me from feeling excitement rushing through my veins like one big firework in my belly all day long. It didn´t even matter to me which companies would be at the market or if my friends loved it as much as I did, nothing could stop me from grinning.
The next day I thought, why should days on which we feel fired up from our toes to the tip of our nose only happen twice a year? What if I found other things I can fill my life with which give me the same amazing feeling of a thousand fireworks exploding in my belly?
So, this is what I did:
I took a pen and a paper and wrote down everything I could think of, which gives me nearly the same experience as the market does. What is a list without an inspiring title? Nothing. I chose the title “Fireworks” because it sounds fancy and feels not just like any silly list with a thousand items on it which I have to do. As unbelievable as it might be this was the easy step. After having written them down I am still trying to find ways how to implement them into my life. My intention is to find one method and see how it goes and even if it doesn´t work, it will lead me into a new direction. Here are my “Fireworks”:
Airports
I love to fly! Anything about airports and airplanes immediately has my full attention, but contrary to what you might think I am very little interested in the technical aspects of these enormous machines. I had this realisation when we had to present a technical topic at school once and I chose airplanes.
Last summer I did a guided tour at the airport of Vienna and couldn´t stop myself from smiling. I love that there are various nationalities represented in one place and it just feels like you touch the ground for a second just to take off again. For me airports are a place where you feel surrounded by the whole world at once, and from there it is only one more step into your next adventure.
Australia
One of the first facts people get to know about me is that I absolutely love Australia! When I was 15 I had the opportunity to live in Sydney for a year. I adore all the beautiful colours and shapes of the fauna and flora of this continent. When I was there, I read a lot about the culture of the Aborigines. If you have already seen any of my paintings, you probably know that most of them are in the style of dot paintings.
Plants
One of my favourite National Parks in Australia is called Dorrigo NP. It has beautiful walks behind waterfalls and through the rainforest. When I was younger, I could barely keep a plant alive. It would either dry out or get flooded by my lack of talent to water plants. Today you can spot plants everywhere you look in my home. I love being surrounded by them and I could spend hours just taking care of them.
Colourful food
Have you ever been at a farmer’s market and seen the different kinds of veggies and fruits in all shapes and colours next to each other? To me it is a clear sign of life! I love food and I love colours! The combination of those two feels like magic to me.
Organising Events
When I was younger my dad sometimes invited friends over to play all sorts of games together. As I grew up, I somehow inherited this passion of his and today I love to organise my own game evenings, cooking with friends or other experiences. It energizes me when I get to message new people and bring them together. It makes me really happy to see other people enjoying themselves.
Sustainable ideas
As I already mentioned I love all kinds of sustainable, regional and creative ideas of small companies.
Make an impact
One of my biggest drive factors in life is my call to make an impact. When it is my time to leave this precious world, I want to be sure that I have contributed a little to make it a better place. It all started when I became annoyed with people who dragged themselves through their lives thinking “This is it! This is all there is to it” and being unhappy most of the time. They have lost their belief in the possibility to make dreams come true. I love to make an impact in the lives of other people and the world itself.
Now I am constantly trying to implement “my fireworks” into my life.
What are yours? Let your mind wander and think of all the things in your life which get you fired up and excited very easily. I am looking forward to reading your thoughts on this post in the comments below.