Are you feeling overwhelmed? You know you’re stuck but don’t see the way forward. It seems safer to do nothing and stay average instead of risking the unknown.
Having guiding principles provides a roadmap to help us make decisions, set goals, and live meaningfully. These principles act as a foundation and help us live in tune with our values and dreams.
Here are some timeless principles that can help guide you through any situation.
1. Attitude is everything.
When I decided to fight back and find a new purpose after years of Depression, it wasn’t easy. I had to give up the security of government benefits and push myself into the unknown.
I began Trading and Investing in the Stock Market. My sensitivity to money was high, and every good and bad day felt like a roller coaster of emotions. If I lost even a few hundred pounds, I would sweat and shudder like my life was at stake.
But I knew this was part of my journey out of the abyss. I kept at it and educated myself. Education dispels fear every time.
Before long, I was reaping the rewards of my positive attitude. My biggest success was making a thousand pounds in 5 seconds. I couldn’t do that every day, but my results have followed a steady path upward, and at this point, I have no money worries.
A positive attitude is developed by overcoming life’s obstacles instead of retreating. When you approach life with courage, the fears that dominate you melt away.
2. We’re stronger together.
Forget all the fake social media people claiming to have thousands of friends. If you have one or two people you can trust, you have all the riches in the world.
My family is small — my mum and partner — but they mean everything to me. They have seen me through the worst times when I was suicidal with mental illness. Through their patience and care, I’ve bounced back to where I am today.
Networking also helps with business. In the writing world, I’ve had some “lucky” breaks because I made myself known to the right people, appeared in the right places, and took an interest in their work.
Human connection is fundamental to our well-being. Investing time to nurture meaningful relationships with family, friends, and colleagues pays dividends.
The best way to gain more relationships is to practice active listening and empathy and show compassion. Just be a good person.
3. The real purpose of money.
When I was 17, I got a part-time job in a grocery store. On the first day, I was introduced to the kitchen chef, who proudly proclaimed that she hadn’t missed a day of work in 20 years.
It’s a great work ethic for her employers, but I found it sad and perplexing. Is that how the success of one’s life should be judged? Working yourself into the ground without respite, for minimal reward, just to be able to brag that you were willing to do so?
For me, money buys freedom. You find a way to earn money that is as fulfilling as possible and earn the freedom to enjoy life the way you want.
I’m far more impressed by the entrepreneur who works 20 hours a week doing something they love, helping others, and then they get to do what they want.
You weren’t born to sleepwalk through life as someone else’s passive income.
4. Don’t let the education system destroy your love of learning.
Every day I finish better than the day before. Maybe I’ll learn something new, read a book, or write an article.
School knocks the love of learning out of you, but it’s your job to get it back. Some people reach their 20s and are already set in their ways.
Stay curious and open-minded. Always look for opportunities to learn new skills, gain new knowledge or listen to other perspectives. Don’t get angry if someone disagrees with you. Maybe they know something you don’t.
Embrace feedback providing it comes from a reliable and kind source, and learn from your mistakes. Whatever your passion, keep up to date with the latest trends.
At some point in life, you’ll realize it was never about the destination. It was always about the journey, with all its twists and turns.
5. The joy of connection.
As a police officer, it was my job to serve others, whatever the cost.
I covered and hid dead bodies and blood from the public, so it’s just me who gets those visions in my nightmares.
I fought with armed attackers and rolled around in the gutter with them to protect others.
When other people were running away from danger, I ran towards it.
I had to do this on or off duty, and it broke me. But I know many members of the public alive today thanks to my colleagues and me.
You don’t have to go to this extreme, but be there for others. When you create that level of intimacy, you realize the biggest single benefit of being human is connection.
6. The land of ghosts.
Learn from the past but don’t get stuck there. This is where I come up short. I am very much stuck in the past. I relive the horrors of what I’ve seen and experienced daily.
There’s one incident I’ve thought about at least once every waking hour for the past 20 years. When I go to sleep, I see it in my nightmares too.
So there’s no making peace with the past for me. But if it’s possible, you should give it your best shot. To avoid excess pain in the future, you have to heal. At some level, the past is a figment of your imagination. It no longer exists separate from the life you give to it.
Stop living in a land of ghosts.
7. Be part of something greater than yourself.
I thought being a police officer was my purpose. Losing my job due to PTSD caused a Depression that lasted many years and almost ended me.
But I bounced back and realized my purpose was to write. I can help people going through similar things as myself. The better I get, the more people I can help with my words.
It takes a masochist to write the way I write. Nothing is off limits, and I bare my soul. I’ve written articles before that set off three nights of constant nightmares. I’ve finished other articles in tears.
But this is my purpose. If I weren’t raw and brutally honest about my life and my shortcomings, I wouldn’t bother.
You have to find a purpose as strong as that.
Once you have a purpose, you find meaning despite life being objectively meaningless. You gain direction.
Start reflecting on your values and aspirations. Set goals and work towards them with discipline and perseverance.
Contribute to something greater than yourself. This may be via volunteering, mentoring, or other ways to impact your community.
Living with purpose is the route to fulfillment and satisfaction.
Embody the change you want to see.
The world is fast-paced and changing. You can handle the ups and downs of being alive with solid guiding principles.
Whether you believe life has meaning or not, living with these guiding principles will make you feel your life matters.
You’ll always be learning and growing. At the same time, you’ll be looking for ways to help others with your new knowledge and abilities. The good fortune and hard work you’ve put in will ripple outwards and touch more people than you thought possible.
You’ll embody the meaning of the phrase “Be the change you want to see in the world,” and the world will be a better place with you in it.
—
Previously Published on Medium
—
iStock image
