10 Important Life Lessons Thus Far

In my short time on Earth I have discovered some pretty wonderful life lessons that I like to keep around as a constant reminder to myself. Most of these are common sense and maybe even trite, but also easily forgotten.  It is important to remember the things that inspire us and keep us sane when our brains get carried away with negative thoughts. Here are some random bits of wisdom that have made me who I am.

You will never be exactly like anyone else – You will never draw exactly like your favorite artist. You will never look like your favorite actress. You are you and while it is okay to borrow bits and pieces of other people you admire, attempting to copy them wholly and completely will just lead to frustration and disappointment. Accept the fact that you are your own person and love that.

You have not missed something crucial – Every time I learn something new I have a nagging voice in my head that says “I totally think you missed something really important”.  Then I begin to doubt myself. I lose my concentration and start to look for that thing I’m convinced I missed. I guess the point here is: trust yourself.  Trust that you are capable and even if you don’t know everything, you will learn along the way.

Follow your own path…really – If I had a puppy for every time someone told me a choice I have made was wrong, I would be a very happy girl. Numerous people told me that going vegan was a bad decision, people made bets that I would not sell all my possessions and move across the country, I was scolded for paying twice the tuition to go to the art school I wanted to go to. I ignored everyone, followed my heart and in the end those decisions were the best I ever made. Do what you want to do. If the college/marriage/kids route is not for you.. don’t do it. If you want to spend the day laying in a sunbeam eating sorbet – go for it. You are the only person living your life.

Do your own research – Don’t ever believe what someone else has to say, especially if it is something profound to you. Many people have their own agendas which my not be jiving with yours.. at all. If someone tells you they sell lemonade on the moon, research it yourself and find your own ways of getting there. That is the whole reason why Google was invented… right? On a related note: don’t believe everything you read on the internet.

It’s not pretty unless it was painful – This is a lesson I learned in circus training. In order for a pose or sequence to look pretty it requires a ton of strength, concentration, awkward flexibility, and a lot of practice. It quickly became clear that when a performance looked absolutely beautiful,  it took a whole lot of pain and suffering to get there. This is true of anything in life. The path to success is not filled with daisies and butterflies.  It is hard and long and painful.  But in the end if you have truly worked hard, everything will be beautiful.

Your heart knows better than your head – Sometimes logic can get you into trouble.  You can “logically” talk yourself out of things you really want to do and into things you don’t. I’m a huge fan of following your instincts and living from the heart. When faced with a decision in life, feel the answer instead of thinking about it.  This always leads to a positive outcome.

Know your worth – In all aspects of life, don’t put yourself on sale. You are an amazing valuable person, don’t ever settle for something that “will do.”

Love without dependence – It is ok to love everything. I love the moon and stars and strangers and music. But I don’t depend on them.  Love completely and without any expectations. Don’t depend on anybody or anything to make you happy or fulfill your needs. You are the only one who can do that.

Don’t speak your thought process – At one time I thought everyone was fascinated with every random thought that went through my brain. They weren’t.  They’re still not. Don’t speak just to hear yourself talk. Listen to others and try to keep your words relevant to the conversation and not all about you.

There is nothing to be afraid of– We all have our fears we need to overcome. But being frightened of small things and stuff we don’t have any control over is a waste of  time. So, you might make a fool out of yourself? Who cares? Everyone else is so worried about themselves they won’t even notice or remember your embarrassing moment.  Actively try to overcome your fears. Jump into them without thinking. You will be so happy you did.

I know most of you are the go-getter type that really try to make a difference in the world as well as your own lives (or else you wouldn’t be vegan!). Do you have your own life-lessons? I’d love to hear what is important to everyone.

image by Cole Rise