Challenging the Status Quo

Definition

Status quo - the existing state of affairs, especially regarding social or political issues.

Learning from our mistakes

A life lesson is something that we are profoundly changed by. These lessons are defining moments. The concept is based on the idea of learning from our mistakes. Life lessons can occur in any area. We learn different things each day. However, not everything will affect our behavior for the rest of our lives. This is what separates a life lesson from everything else that we learn.

We are all on a journey called life and in this story, I will share with you 62 of my life lessons thus far.

Spirituality

1. You never get to fail. You keep redoing the test until the lesson is learnt.
2. Spirituality is a journey and not a one-day event.
3. Spirituality is about a personal relationship with whoever you believe in.
4. You can be saved but not know how to live a victorious life.
5. Going to a place of worship does not make you spiritual any more than sitting in the garage makes you a car or going to Burger King makes you a hamburger.
6. If you only study and take no action, then you will get stagnated. Be a blessing to someone.
7. The government and your boss can not save you.
8. Good and bad co-exist. Evil is not a figment of someone’s imagination.
9. Some spiritual people behave in non-spiritual ways.
10. Not forgiving someone hurts you not the other person.
11. Do not give your money to a place of worship that does not have an outreach programme.

Personal

1. There is always something to be grateful and thankful for so count your blessings.
2. Life is not fair and it will never be.
3. Self-doubt is one of our worst enemies.
4. You can choose how to react to any situation.
5. It is never too late to begin again.
6. It is ok to be afraid. However, you can act in spite of the fear.
7. You will never have all the answers. That is why Google exists.
8. There will never be another you in this world, so stop trying to be someone else. Own it and be true to who you are. In the words of Dr. Seuss, there is no one You-er than You.
9. You are not perfect and no matter how hard you try you will never be.
10. Mind your own business and do not concern yourself with matters that do not concern you.
11. It is easier to face the truth about someone else than it is to face the truth about ourselves.
12. Do not try to keep up with the Jones – it is just not possible.
13. Stop waiting for everyone’s support and approval.
14. You can never make everyone happy, so stop trying.
15. Everyone will have an opinion about how you should live your life. You only live once (YoLo), so live the life that you want.
16. Que sera sera – whatever will be will be. The future is not yours to see.
17. Karma is a b****. What goes around comes right back around.
18. Success can have several meanings. Find your own definition.
19. To experience success in any area of your life takes hard work, determination, and consistency.
20. You will never be ready and it will never be the right time. Whether it is getting married, having kids, starting that business, or taking that long overdue vacation.
21. You always have a choice. However, you may not like the consequences of your available choices.
22. You need a plan even though things never go 100% according to plan.
23. You need to have a plan for your life. If you do not, you will end up following someone else plan for your own life.
24. If you want to know what you will be like when you grow up, look at your parents. If you do not like what you see, then break the pattern.

Relationships

1. Your parents are not psychic and their sole purpose is not to make your life miserable. They have been around life’s block a few times so they have learnt a thing or two.
2. Treat everyone with love, compassion, and respect because we are all on a train to the same place (death). In the afterlife, you will not see separate lines for the blue-collar versus the white-collar workers.
3. Genuine people are very hard to find, so when you find them, cherish them.
4. Good friends are better than pocket money.
5. Good relationships are grounded in great friendships.
6. Your life does not have to revolve around him or her.
7. You can not control someone’s actions. You can only control your own.
8. Not all relationships or friendships are good for you. Sometimes you just have to let them go.
9. Never judge a book by its cover because you can not know what someone has been through until you walk a day in their shoes.
10. Do not punish the enter world for the wrong that was done to you by a few persons.
11. Everyone will not see the world the way you do. Nor will they do things the same way in which you would do it. There are several ways to skin a cat.
12. Not all people of the same race, nationality, or religion have the same views or beliefs.
13. Everyone in your life serves a purpose. People in your life will fall into one of 4 categories: lifts, thrusts, weights, or drags.
14. Stop criticizing and use half of that time to give genuine compliments and praise in order to build up someone else.
15. No matter how busy or broke people are, they will always find the time and money to do what they think is important.

Education

1. Education is the pathway to freedom.
2. You never stop learning.
3. There is way more to life than good grades and passing exams.

Money and Career

1. You can be anything you want to be. There several career choices other than lawyer, doctor, actuary, indian, and chief.
2. Money is important and it is not bad. It is the love of money that is evil.
3. Money really does not grow on trees.
4. It is possible to have a large income and still not have a clue about money.
5. There is another way other than the rat race.
6. Myth: work all your life and save so that you can retire rich and then start to enjoy life. Lesson learnt: life does not start when you retire. It is going on right now, so start enjoying it!
7. Your boss is not your friend.
8. After you finish school, your report card is useless. It is your personal financial statement that will matter. A banker or an investor asks for your statement, not your grades.
9. The bank will never go broke. They can and do print their own money.