A few things I have learned about living that I try and apply.
These aren’t rules. They’re observations. Things I’ve noticed work better than the alternatives. Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t.
Follow Your Interests
Indulge your curiosity often and go as far down the rabbit hole as you are able. Follow your interest line in all things, large and small, understanding that your interests will shift over time. That is natural and encouraged.
You do not have to like tomorrow the things that fuel you today, but love what you do today.
Changing your mind is not a character flaw.
Your interests are breadcrumbs. They’re showing you something about yourself that you might not be able to articulate yet. When something captures your attention for no logical reason, pay attention to that. There’s information there.
Learn to Fall
It is okay to fall. Do it often. You will get very good at picking yourself up. With enough practice and frequency you will feel the rhythm which connects failure to success and you will actually begin to enjoy that dance.
Very little of what you are told will be considered fact in 100 years, so allow yourself to live from your convictions while being open to new interpretation. When you express yourself publicly, you will discover very quickly what you actually believe. Express yourself honestly and often.
The fear of falling keeps most people from ever really moving. But falling is just information. It tells you something didn’t work. Now you know. That’s valuable.
Test and Course Correct
Do not deny your urges. Form hypotheses, test them responsibly, and course correct when appropriate. You will fail 9,999 times before you invent your lightbulb. If you fail quickly, success will happen slightly sooner.
Your intuition is a muscle that grows every time you take action on one of your hunches. They may very well lead to complete dead ends, but the muscle will grow and you will begin to see in a new way.
Life rewards action more than analysis. You can think about something forever. Or you can try it and find out. The trying teaches you things the thinking never will.
Advice for You
Any advice you give spontaneously to another was actually meant for yourself. Listen up.
You will understand the way you should live long before you actually start living that way. Go easy on yourself, there is time.
The gap between knowing and doing is where most of us live. That’s okay. Just don’t pretend the gap isn’t there. Acknowledge it. Work with it. Close it slowly.
Joy Is a Choice
Accumulation is not success, joy is. However, accumulation can be fun.
Joy is a choice and can never be taken from you, only given away.
If you are growing and evolving at the leading edge of thought, you will disagree with most of what you believe today when you look back on it in ten years. That is a good thing.
Do not ever feel guilty about taking a nap. Naps are amazing.
These lessons learned in life came from shadow work.
If you’re ready to discover your own, explore the Shadow Work practices.