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One thing that life has taught me in my 37 years is how impactful a small shift in behavior or perspective can be.

My demeanor and mood can instantly change the moment I think differently.

Here are some unconventional approaches to life that have changed my life:

None of us knows

It's easy to think that those people who are seeing success in their lives and crushing their goals know more than we do. They may have honed their skills in certain areas and may be more prepared for the future, but they don't know what's coming. No one knows what the future will bring. As such, we're all at a significant disadvantage, thanks to the reality of uncertainty.

Why is this good news? We're all connected in our humble limited capacity. None of us can say we know what we're doing. Anything can happen. This is empowering. We all have the same 24 hours and have zero clue about what will happen next. However, how you handle the not knowing is what's down to you. Will you cower, or can you ease into it?

Life is meaningless

Meaning isn't an occurrence in nature like a sprouting leaf or an orangutan birthing a baby orangutan. Meaning is a man-made concept and therefore NOT a thing. But this is wonderful news because instead of moping around wishing that one day a ray of sunshine will break through the clouds and spell out what meaning is for you––you can create it for yourself. Like when early man sparked fire and labeled it 'magic,' you can create 'meaning' for whatever you want.

Stop waiting for life to give you meaning, and make it for yourself. You create it all.

Our true selves are more powerful than any of us can imagine

The human experience is fascinating when you take a step outside our swirling monkey minds and look at what's happening and what exactly is dictating the show. Most of the time, we're living in a world of illusion. We're viewing and experiencing reality as a digital interpretation viewed, like in a cinema, inside our heads. All is electrically-sparked interpretation. What's really interesting is what happens when you start entertaining the idea of who you are beneath your personal thinking, concerns and plans.

Ramana Maharshi popularized the question: Who am I? His query nudges us towards an exciting realization: we are not our thoughts or bodies, for that matter. We are pure awareness. What does this mean for you?

All is primitive

Many of us get down on ourselves because we compare ourselves to others. We create these made-up rules around what progress is and feel inadequate when we fall short of the measurements we've made out of thin air. There are no geniuses. Instead, we see people who have sharpened very ordinary human capabilities through the channeling power of time and focus. Humans are consistent chimps. The illusion of genius, however, is attainable when you can humble yourself to the idea that things take time, with an almost relentless unwillingness to deviate too far from your path.

You are not the Grand Canyon. But you can create it when you develop the unwavering tenacity of the Colorado River.

Assertiveness is cultivated

Something I can often forget but that brings me new motivation every time I realize it's there is simply choosing to be assertive. There is a beautiful, fresh, driving energy to assertiveness that makes the impossible possible. And the key thing to remember is this: we can't wait for assertiveness. No one will come along, squeeze our cheek and endow us with assertiveness. We choose it, the same way we choose confidence and happiness as and when we need it, like a cold bottle of beer in the fridge.

You are not your story of how shy, lazy and mentally ill you are. You are more than that. By getting out of the way of your thoughts, standing tall and being who you need to be, you will create more in your life than you imagined.

No one owes you anything

Want to know a sure-shot way to spend your life miserable? Expect things from other people. Blame others for your misfortunes. It's an alluring life approach because it seems to empower us. We feel temporarily relieved of our responsibilities. We can enjoy watching another carry our burdens for a while, except that we are the ones who lose the most in the end.

No pity is ever genuinely granted to those who have victimized themselves. There is only suffering and a vague sense that one's energy is draining from their soul. The moment you take full responsibility for everything in your life is the moment you find true relief.

The burden may now be yours to carry, but now you have the strength to lift it.

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