I truly enjoyed this interview.
Actually… It completely blew by mind…
Here’s why:
I connected with Antonio via Instagram. (Se Antonio’s account here) I’ve been following his journey for a while as he’s sharing pictures and stories that witness of this beautiful world we live in.
And as he did not profess to be any kind of guru or expert, I guess I did not expect so much wisdom & insight from him. But I was full on wrong.
As it turns out, it’s not always the sages, monks, experts and gurus we should turn to when seeking advice, but to adventurers and people who are truly living their lives fully.
Antonio is one who is not speaking loudly about any titles or big achievements… On the other hand he’s one who has great pride in the simple (but not easy) things such as being present, grateful & taking action.
He is a man who re-defined what success meant to him and went from seeking a life of recognition and safety, to pursuing a life rooted in presence, gratitude & freedom.
When he was 19, he left everything he knew in Brazil. And with 1 000 dollars in his pocket and no english skills, he went to pursue a new path in Australia.
He lived and worked there for 7 years and then left this new security zone to pursue new adventures as a global citizen.
As we speak he’s travelling the world; connecting, exploring & sharing the beauty that is all around us.
Here is a summary of key insights and advice from Antonio:
#1. Be Present
“Every time you feel something is taking you away from the moment, bring it back.”
– Antonio Jose Rabello Jr.
We came back to this point again and again.
This idea, which Antonio made clear is a practice, was at the very core of our conversation.
This exercise of bringing yourself back to the present moment is essential to living well.
If we miss the present moment, we miss life itself…
Be present to your achievements and to your failures. Both can teach you & help you grow.
“FAILURE IS THE BEST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE.”
Be present to how you feel and how you experience reality.
Cultivating Presence:
Presence is natural.
But you need to rediscover it and re-cultivate it.
We need to form new neural pathways back to the sensations of this moment.
WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE.
The more we practice, the easier it will become.
“Decide to willingly see the times you’re not being present.”#selfhonsety
Whatever you do, do it with presence. Brushing your teeth, eating and being oresent in a conversation. Everything is practice.
Hack: “PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY!”
Our mind is constantly pulling us in different directions, dwelling on the past or obsessing about the future. But if we constantly live in the past or the future, it will stop us from experiencing NOW. This place where infinite possibilities and freedom is to be found…
Antonio made it very clear that a) we can not change our past and b) we can not 100% create our futures, so what we do have control is over this present moment, what we choose to focus on and what to do. And missing this opportunity would be a big loss…
OUR MINDS MAKE US BELIEVE A BUNCH OF CRAP.
FOLLOW THE DREAM IN A PRESENT WAY.
“The obstacles was creations of my mind.”
#2. Stop trying to find your path, find yourself first.
“Do everything you can do to know yourself. Understand what you’re good at. Be present in what comes naturally to you. Once you know, then start to really think about making it happen. And whatever you do, remember to be 100% present. Its all about the simple things.”
– Antonio Jose Rabello Jr.
This advice really hit me…
When you find yourself, what you care about most, what you naturally enjoy and what comes naturally to you, not until then will you be in a good position to find “your path”.
Keep feeling how it feels to be, do, choose different things. Take notes.
Also, come to peace with your past. It might be the very thing that is stopping you… That incident 10, 20 years ago… That you’re still clinging on to, and building your identity on. Leave it.
“Judgement from other people is not important. In the end, we all walk in our own insecurities.”
– Antonio Jose Rabello Jr.
“Learn how to read your emotions.”
I have actually embarked on the journey to find my path, simply by trying a lot of different things and listening to my feelings & look ing how it impacts people.
I’m not searching for my path, I’m searching for the essence of what makes me come alive.
“You are trying to find a perfection that is already there.” (actually three different mentors have told me this in different ways… That we are often looking for something we already have, but we don’t believe we have it… so we keep on struggling for it. Cave Sinai: You are a mine full of gemstones. Thomas Borg: You are digging for gold with your pockets full of it & Antonio)
You are already perfect. You have beautiful gifts. You have potential ready to be expressed. You have a purpose to be fulfilled. You just need to find it WITHIN and give it to the world… But don’t forget to be present… Don’t loose yourself on the journey… Enjoy every second fully… Big and small things alike. 🙂
And remember, “there are no wrong paths” only trying, feeling and learning. 🙂
#3. Remind yourself how you want to live
If you have a value or something you want to embody more, Antonio recommends that you write, for example: be present on a sticky-note and put it somewhere you’ll see it every day.
This will definitely increase the chances of staying true to yourself.
#4. Write a list of 100 things you’ve achieved in your life
This is a beautiful practice to become present to all great things, big and small, impact you’ve had over the course of your entire life. Try it out… Start with your birth, maybe even before.
This is a great exercise for someone who doubts the inherent power they have as a human being… By doing this, you will recognise the power you have to impact, change, inspire & lift this world, one step at a time.
#5. Interviewing people deepens their values – it’s a gift
When you ask deep questions to people, its actually a win-win-situation where you get new insights and they deepen their insights.
Neural pathways become stronger and with it, our character is being carved deeper as we “speak our truths.”
Don’t forget:
Be present, be grateful and take action.
***
Thank you again Antonio for being so present in the conversation.
This quality that is so rare in this day and age.
And thank you for sharing so much of who you are and what you’ve learned over the past years.
Wish you all the best growth & beautiful moments,
With love,
Daniel Galovan
DANIEL GALOVAN 