3. Listen to your heart
If my friend had listened to his heart, none of this would have happened. But he didn’t. Along the way he was so focused on his immediate circumstances, he lost sight of the big picture. I believe he knew he should have been making different decisions along the way. But his head got in the way.
I’m almost forty. I’ve been through a hell of a lot. If I had to distill all of my life lessons into one piece of advice, it would be to follow what your heart tells you to do. This applies to both business and personal decisions. If you really listen to your heart, you will NEVER be led down the wrong path.
4. Embrace reality
We’ve all heard the expression that “Everything happens for a reason.” Guess what? Just because there is a reason, it doesn’t mean you get to know what that reason is right away! Life has a way of putting us onto a different path when we least expect it sometimes. It’s usually only in hindsight that we can understand why things happened the way they did. The only way to weather the storm is to find a way to get value out of the ride.
5. Expect a gift
Through the failure of my first business, struggling with bulimia, living in my truck for half a year, depression, my husband’s addictions, and our near divorce, there has not been one crisis in my life that hasn’t offered me priceless gifts. I wouldn’t change a step on my journey, because I value what I have learned far more than I value my comfort or blind security.
Every crisis is an opportunity. An opportunity to grow. An opportunity to change. An opportunity to help others.
And, an opportunity to become the man or woman you were born to be.
Please, please, find the gift. If you can’t, find someone who can help you find the gift.
To quote my friend Craig Harper:
“We get to choose to be incredible, amazing, inspirational and exceptional human beings despite our life experiences. Despite what the world or others have taught us. Despite our situation or circumstances. Despite our history and despite the expectations of others.”
