5 Lessons That Have Changed My Life, Especially My Travel Experiences
The five lessons below have dramatically evolved my life. I now have more direction in life, a decrease in anxiety and stress, more insightful conversations, and deeper relationships. Living these lessons has impacted my travels by giving richer experiences and learning the most I can out of small interactions.
Fruit of the spirit-
Imagine yourself as a tree that produces fruit, let’s say an apple tree. Imagine every person you meet eats one of these apples. What do they receive? What kind of fruit are you feeding the people around you? The kinds of things that affect this outcome include: choice of words, what you find important, your mood, and your intention. All of these things affect the people around you in small and/or big ways. Choose to speak kind words, focus on things that are beneficial, spread positivity, and most importantly: speak, think, and act with intention.
Living with intention-
Do you know what you want out of life? Not what you want to do, or how much money you want to make, or where you want to go. But what you want from life itself. Knowing what kinds of things you want to attract in your life will naturally lead you to them. For example if you hang out with people who party, those are the kind of people you’ll have in your life. Embodying this mindset will give you direction and the things that you truly desire. Also connected to the fruit of the spirit, doing all things with intention will improve what you are giving to others.
Flexibility-
Not everything goes as planned in life, from the small to big things. We can’t control everything and we especially can’t control people. Becoming flexible to the world around you will relieve anxiety, stress, and disappointment. Setting expectations or trying to control something/someone will exhaust you. “Be like water,” and you will move with the natural flow of things. Let go of what you think should happen, or what you want to happen, and accept things for the way they are and appreciate them.
Listen, then speak-
Do you ever find yourself rushing to speak during a conversation? When you realize that you are talking at people and not with them you have the ability to change this. When you do, you will gain better relationships, deeper and more insightful conversations, and you will be humbled by realizing others have valuable things to share with you too. When having a conversation try to actively practice listening and speaking with others, not at them.
Learn from everyone you meet-
Everyone in the world has had a different life experience. We all have information and experiences worth sharing. I believe you can learn something from every person you meet. When keeping this in mind you will naturally follow the above point without trying. When you realize you can learn from anyone, you are much more keen to listen to what they have to say.
