PERSONAL GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Written in 2011.

1. Set Goals, then go with the flow. Take the path of least resistance. That doesn’t mean the easiest route, but let things happen. Everything happens for a reason. Don’t force it. This also means knowing when a path is ending and it’s time to find a new path. Create a road-map for yourself but be prepared to change it. The world will give you what you want but it will not completely conform to your vision of it. The true experience of how this vision plays out is one of life’s surprises to enjoy.

2. Continuously look for opportunities (new paths). When you find one, put energy towards it, see if it opens up more as you work with it. This is where hard work comes in. Work is one ingredient to success. Work is necessary to materialize your dreams in the physical world, where thoughts, ideas, and dreams become reality. Opportunities can be (1) a problem that you can solve that others may not be able to (2) a person you meet who has a common interest or goal (3) someone who has entered your life that needs help (4) an idea you have (5) an interesting new field or area to learn. Realize you may be an important piece to another person’s path and that this may be a gift or a responsibility.

View your life and its events symbolically. What do events in your life mean when you compare them with your life’s path?

3. Ignore distractors. You will encounter people who have a warped sense of reality and/or other personal issues. Their behavior stems from control or insecurity issues and generally manifests in the form of unrealistic expectations, bullying, sabotage, jealousy, rumors, negativity, etc. Their intent is to steal your energy and spirit to fill their personal void (which is insatiable). Do not let these people alter your path, affect your spirit, or even change your mood. There are times when you need to protect yourself (and protect others) and come from a position of strength. Feel no obligation to help these people in any way. By not allowing them to affect you, or your direction, you are reducing their power and further actualizing your vision.

If someone is in need and you feel like you can help them, but the situation doesn’t feel right, you can choose to ignore them. Do not feel guilty about this. The situation may be better suited for someone else to address.

4. Treat the world as a playground. Have fun, explore it, experience it, share it, take care of it. Whatever path(s) you end up taking professionally and personally, choose to make it fun, stimulating, and intriguing.

5. Continuously improve the relationships in your life. After interacting with someone, they should feel better about themselves than they did before you met.

• Be quick to forgive. Sometimes people can’t see the light and they make bad decisions. If you forgive them, you’re making it easier for them to grow and learn. Tell them you forgive them.

• Trust people until they violate your trust.

• Respect everyone.

• Don’t judge people. You have no idea why they make the decisions they do or if your decisions would be any different if you were in their shoes. ‘Should’ is a horrible word. Don’t use it for yourself or for others. Whenever you use this word, you’re either judging yourself or judging others.

6. Balance Family, Work, Health, Spirit. Be sure to put yourself first. This is not selfish, rather it’s the opposite. You can’t take care of others unless you take care of yourself first. Once your needs are taken care of, give freely, share, and encourage. Believe that you are worthy of all of the material things and positive relationships that come your way.

7. Live in the moment. Recognize moments of joy. Ask yourself: How many true problems do I have right this second? Unless you’re hungry or tired the most common answer is none! Recognize that the best moments in life are often unplanned. The best moments are often shared with someone else. Life happens in those moments between doing what you think you should be doing.

8. Be positive. Turn away from negative people, situations, unless you can influence the situation otherwise. For everything that happens, there is something positive. For the horrible event where nothing about it seems positive, look for an opportunity to learn or grow personally, spiritually.

9. Maintain integrity with every decision. Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. Life will test your integrity over and over again. There will be small tests, where you stand to gain a little by loosening your integrity, and there will be big tests, where you stand to gain a lot by compromising integrity.

Maintaining your integrity can only be achieved when you view your life and its events symbolically (where you can identify a situation as a conflict between a ‘want’ and a moral value).