1. Acceptance is the Gateway to Peace 

True acceptance was a major lesson I learned in the last decade of the 2010s, and it was from this acceptance that I found lasting, genuine peace in all areas of my inner world. I found that by accepting everything as it is and acknowledging the gift in the present moment, peace will surround me.

Simply being appreciative and grateful for what is already in front of you is the key to lasting joy. 

One of the best books I read in the 2010s was Loving What Is by Byron Katie. She describes her process known as “The Work” much better than I could!

2. Values are Personal and Subjective 

3. Achievements do not Lead to Happiness and Fulfillment

As much as we all attach value to achievements, awards and financial success, these things do not bring lasting happiness nor fulfillment. In the last decade, I learned how more important it is to be, rather than do.

To be present, be aware, be appreciative.

I spent 2010-2017 focusing on achievement, on being the driven go-getter that defined my youth. I was taught from a young age that to escape poverty and be loved, I had to make something great. I had to do great things to be noticed, appreciative and loved. But upon reaching my mid-twenties I realized that what was shown to me as a child was not the answer, the real answer, to lasting happiness.

Long-lasting happiness comes from simply being. Being the watcher of your mind, being aware of what lights you up, being surrounded by people who lift your spirits. It is not in fame, or money or success, as many peers and teachers – and still, today, my family – continually tell us it is. 

What I’ve learned from 12 years of focused drive and achievement-chasing, is that those who chase after achievements – and only success and achievements – get burned out in the end. Those who drive themselves out from stress and to-dos and this hustle culture our western world has placed such an importance on, get tired, eventually ill and they quit. 

Achievement-chasing is lonely, draining, and never-ending. The shiny penny chasing never stops.

In the 2010s, I learned the importance of ignoring the noise and living life to my values.

4. Relationships are What We Remember 

    “…likened to a wild horse that has been captured and tamed. Though the horse must be broken to accept the saddle, if it is done properly, it doesn’t lose its heart. Lovingly transformed from its wild state to one of domesticity, it ultimately develops a symbiotic relationship with its master. Even though tame, such a horse can exhibit a pride, stature, or bearing that commands not only respect or affection but reverence.”  – The Secret Language of Birthdays (my Bible)