Always Something to Learn
No matter who we are, there’s something to learn from everyone we meet if we’re open to receiving the lesson. It may be a subtle nugget of information or it may be something that we carry with us through the rest of our days, but the key is to be willing to learn even as we grow older. We’re in a constant state of change from birth to death, as is the world around us, so keeping a static state of beliefs doesn’t serve who we are. We’re all teachers. We’re all students.
When I was in my late teens, I felt as though that I knew everything I needed to learn to be the person I wanted to be, but a couple decades later I smile at the youthful ignorance that once defined my life. While formal education environments have been important in my growth, it’s been the lessons outside of a classroom that have really shaped my existence. Whether it’s a networking conversation with a fellow entrepreneur, an intimate discussion over tea with a new friend or sagely advice from an elder in the family, all are ripe with potential to learn more from others.
As we near the end of the calendar year, I’ve started reflecting on the lessons I’ve learned in 2018. While I’ve learned a lot, the most important one by far is to have love and compassion for myself and everyone else on the planet including plants, animals and the rest of natural world. We’re all in this together and dividing lines can be erased by showing love and compassion to all beings, but start with yourself. What have you learned this year?
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