Life is a series of course corrections. We either experience or learn through someone else's experience. However, encountering a situation doesn't ensure that we always retain the lesson. Here are some reminders of those universal truths.
1. If it doesn't resonate, release.
You would think that this would be self-explanatory. If it's not working for you, let it go. However, you may tend to hold onto the familiar -- even when it's silently killing you. If something is not speaking to your soul, let go of it to make room for something better.
2. A love that binds is not love.
The lessons of love hit us hard. Most people will feel the anguish of love lost. As a result, they may do everything in their power to avoid that emptiness again. If you have to force someone to stay with you, that person is not your lover. They are your prisoner. Love is nowhere in the equation.
3. Dim your light for no one.
Humility is a wonderful virtue. However, it is not intended for you to play small. There is a much healthier place somewhere between pomposity and invisibility. The light that you possess is meant to be shared so that others may see themselves.
4. Circumstances are entirely neutral. Only you assign meaning.
There are horrible things that happen. This cannot be denied. However, people can experience similar tragedies and respond to them in opposite manners. One may be devastated and live in resentment, and one may be equally devastated, but ultimately flourish. You get to decide how anything ultimately impacts you.
5. Life is too short to waste time playing dead.
How many days have you just gone through the motions? How many minutes have you spent doing something that eats away at your spirit? How many seconds have slipped by unfulfilled? How much time do you have left? Not sure? Get moving.
6. Make progress or make excuses.
These two activities cannot happen in the same space. Make a choice.
7. Every complaint is really a fear in disguise.
Listen carefully to what pushes your buttons. It's rarely a surface issue. It's just a symptom of a deeper problem. For example, saying there are no good men/women may really translate to "What if I'll always be alone?" (Side note: Alone isn't always a bad thing...but that's for another article.)
8. Get off the plateau. Face the incline.
You can stay in a holding pattern if you wish. Some claim contentment at a standstill. For others, it's a place to hideout. It's deceivingly convenient to bide one's time rather than choose the road to growth. Determine if you enjoy the space you occupy.
9. Ignore the advocates of mediocrity.
Ditching the naysayers will save you a lot of aggravation. Reining you in is imperative for their complacency. If they allow you to progress, they would have to question their own lack of resolve. Do yourself a favor and leave them behind.
10. Universal wisdom is beyond your idea of logic.
Goals are admirable. But keep in mind that there is a force that weaves its way through your master plans. Call it God, call it coincidence, call it good fortune. Whatever you call it, understand that its perspective is grander than yours. Trust it.
What are some transformational truths you've learned?