21 Life Lessons Learned from Adversity I Wish My Younger Self Knew

Maturity of the heart and mind does not come with age.  Instead, it develops by overcoming diversity in life with acceptance of the hardships faced or by attacking your challenges head on.  We live in a culture where most people stop growing in maturity after they receive a college degree or reach the age of adulthood.  They think they know everything they need to know and halt furthering their education, but the wise know life is constantly teaching those who are willing to learn.

Journaling has always been therapeutic for me.  In fact, my finished journals have a large shelf space of their own.  I thought to myself, how cool would it be for my daughters to read about their mother and our lives together when they are older – especially while they are young and have little memory of this time.  For this reason, I consistently write about our day together and the new developments within our lives as well as my own personal development.  Yet, I sit here at my computer thinking – I have some words of wisdom to share for others along with my daughters, as I am sure most everyone does that has experienced enough pain transmuted into life lessons.   Every person has something to teach whether it is acknowledged or indirect and I hope this article with inspire a few people to document their hard earned wisdom.

For now, here is what I have to share with the world and I am sure there is much more to come:

• In the western culture, youth is too glorified and the status of the wise elder is undervalued.

• To pick up and process the deeper emotional details of any given situation suggests a kind of mastery of self and life that is a rarity in this world.

• When the mind is quiet, the soul can speak loud enough for the mind to hear.

• Love does not need to be reciprocated to be beautiful. Just the experience of feeling love for another person is beautiful enough.

• Every once in a while, you meet a person you know you were destined to meet. Their mere presence in your life helps you understand you are not as whole as you once thought.

• Some dreams are too late to achieve, but with creativity and intention you can transform your original dream into a new dream that offers you equal, if not more, inner fulfillment.

• If I could do it over again, I would follow my dream.

• There is such a thing as being too late or losing a once in a lifetime love. In a world, where people are content with sexually passionate, exciting or comfortable love for the rest of their lives, they will never know the feeling of a true spiritual connection where the coming together of two loving souls on this physical plane can create a wave of immense love so powerful everyone on the planet will benefit near and far.

• A person immature in the ways of love, lacking the courage to be vulnerable and let love in whether it leads to bliss or heartbreak, cannot make space for others. Every relationship they maintain is full of past hurts, fear, defensiveness or selfishness.   Each and every time you forsake love, a part of your soul breaks off when the person leaves by choice or death instead of leaving a lasting memory of love that can fuel a lifetime.

• A person who can love without conditions and expectations is truly free.

• When a vindictive person takes charge, their actions are for their benefit alone. It does not matter if their decisions are made purposefully or blissfully unaware – the result is still a hung man.

• If you take a regretted turn in life, do not look back in dismay. Instead, keep a watchful eye on the next journey life places before you.   The only way to find your way out of the mist is by looking forward and taking a step in a new direction.

• Guidance is always offered in the ways you will receive it.

• We create our own destiny. There is beauty and fault to this.  You are the only person to blame when things do not go your way.

• Transformation and struggle surely go hand in hand.

• I do not “think” with all my might towards my life’s purpose. I “feel” it from my heart’s center, my gut, my soul and even within my dreams.  My thoughts only devise the plans as a trusted advisor to my soul’s mission.

• Limitations are for losers in life. I choose to think beyond my limitations in the realm of creative intelligence.

• Life is a bumpy ride. You can close your eyes and hold on tight for dear life or you can let go of fear while embracing uncertainty.  The day you do this is when you come to realize you really are the painter of your own masterpiece – yourself.

• Constant worrying of a bad situation takes up all your time and energy needed to discover your solution out of this mess.

• Speak with care for words have impact larger than physical blows.

• There are so many lost art forms in the world. The art of unconditional love.  The art of living your dreams.   The art of being your true self.  If you immerse yourself in certain forms of media or mainstream, you will see so much materialism, superficial love and money hungry people who question your “weirdness” that it will be near impossible for you to thrive.  This is why surrounding yourself with other free-spirited, open-hearted, awakened people is vital to your existence.