I want to share with you seven guiding principles that significantly contribute to my sense of happiness and inner peace.
These principles have not only helped me lower stress and anxiety, but have also brought me a sense of contentment in my day-to-day life.
I believe they hold immense value and even integrate them into my 1-on-1 coaching. My hope is that sharing this will help you shift your perspective, give you relief, and empower you.
1. Stop expecting perfection
You can’t please everyone and trying to be “perfect” is a colossal waste of time that creates frustration, anxiety, and insecurity. Holding yourself to unrealistic expectations will erode your self-esteem and turns mind against you. Plus, you’re more likely to be critical of others when you hold them to unrealistic expectations – which doesn’t make you pleasant to be around. Instead, lead with compassion for yourself and others.
2. Nothing lasts forever
Clinging onto feelings, experiences, people, places, and things is a recipe for suffering. Good times turn to bad times, and bad times turn to good times. Life is a beautiful mix of dark and light. It’s far more effective to ride the waves of the natural ebb and flow of life instead of trying to control things you don’t have authority over.
3. Your thoughts are optional
Just because you think it doesn’t mean it’s true. So many of our thoughts are programmed for negativity. The good news is you are in charge of your thoughts. This is what coaching and mindset work is all about. When you’re stuck in a negativity spiral, remember that you’re in charge of what goes on in there. Be the boss.
5. You don’t need to be right
Stop wasting your precious time and energy trying to be right. You sacrifice so much inner peace convincing others and defending yourself to people whose opinion you don’t actually care that much about anyway! Let them be wrong. Have a sip of tea, smile, and rest easy knowing that your reputation is none of your business.
6. Life isn’t supposed to be easy
The expectation that everything in life should be easy is bound to end in disappointment. The truth is some things feel easy, and others will be difficult. Embrace the challenges (see below) and savour the joys. Once you quit wishing things were easier, you can use that energy to actually get to work and solve the problem…
7. Problems are teachers
Challenges are an inevitable part of life. But every problem you face carries with it the seed of opportunity. I call these curriculums; they are the lesson plan for your next evolution. Viewing problems as teachers helps turn down the noise of the ego mind and gets you to shift your mindset into something more useful: solutions.
8. Inner peace is more important than happiness
I used to think happiness was the goal of life. I’ve since realized that inner peace is more a enduring, natural feeling. After all, there’s a of pain and negative circumstances in life that I don’t want to be “happy” about, but I have learned that I can make peace with them. Let go of the burden of futile resistance and learn to accept the things you cannot change.
Which one of these seven principles did you most need to hear today? Read it again to let it sink in.
You deserve to live a happy life.
