As we all enjoy our unique human experience, we find ourselves burning the candle of life too quickly while trying to exist in society and keep up with the times. So much so, that we often forget the most important lessons we came here to learn – the lessons that our inner spirit is trying to teach us during our relatively short stay here on this beautiful planet
Here are 11 Things Your Soul Wants You to Learn While You’re Human:
Learn to Be Compassionate
Loving and understanding people and their individual journeys without holding them in judgement, is the greatest gift you can give someone and yourself.
Just accepting people for who they are and offering help when they need it, cheering them on, and most importantly showing respect and love have effects way beyond you and them.
It’s easy to get started by simply choosing to smile at everyone who crosses your path.
“If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
Learn to Be Inquisitive
Being inquisitive is more than just asking questions, it is having a genuine curiosity about the world around you. The happiest and most successful people are those that are actively curious.
When you are inquisitive, you recognize that there is always more to learn, and you want to be in a constant state of exploration into topics that will help you grow.
Learn to Be Optimistic
How you look at things has been linked to your success. A primary reason for this is because when you have a positive outlook, you are more resilient. The most important characteristic of being human is being alive, and optimism can play an important role in many aspects of life, including in the recovery from illness.
Multiple studies have investigated the role of optimism in people undergoing treatment for life-threatening diseases. Studies show optimistic people experienced less stress and have more of a “fighting spirit.”
If this is true for people facing possible death, just think how it can affect everyday challenges.
Learn to Be Mindful
Mindfulness is simply the focus of your attention on the present moment, but it is anything but simple. With chaotic schedules, multi-tasking and an over-worked society, it is often hard to remain in the present and not get lost in the chaos that surrounds us.
Mindfulness has roots in Buddhism, but most religions and spirituality practices include some attention towards love, kindness, and appreciation for a perspective on life that is bigger than oneself.
Embrace Confidence
Confidence is knowing who you are, where you are going and the value you contribute while taking action to support your goals. Many people mistake confidence with an arrogance that stems from low self-esteem and comes from a place of not understanding your true talents.
Confidence is an important ingredient in creating a life you love and in shaping the interactions with the people around you. Don’t hide the things you are good at and don’t be afraid to talk about your goals, doing so serves you and those around you.
Learn to Love Life
Where confidence is about you, enthusiasm is about life. Enthusiasm is infectious, and people connect with you based on your enthusiasm for your work and your life.
There are few things more enjoyable than talking with someone who is enthusiastic and passionate about something.
“It is faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes life worth living.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes
Learn to Be Purposeful
There is a lot of talk around finding your purpose and passion, but the reality is that being human and relatable might be all the purpose you need. When you make your actions purposeful and do things that make you feel good, you are living your truth. And there is nothing more human than that.
Realize Your Energetic Potential
What good is having goals, asking questions and taking purposeful actions with confidence without the energy to act? In order to harness your natural energy potential, you must take care of yourself. A healthy body, mind and heart are necessary to keep you operating at your potential.
Learn to Overcome Fear
Everyone experiences fear. It is a common and necessary emotion. The problem is not in having fears; the problem is when you live in fear and allow fear to prevent you from achieving your potential.
“If you don’t know the nature of fear, you can’t be fearless.” ~ Pema Chödrön
Learn to be Willful
Willpower is our capacity to choose what is right for us long term and not give in to immediate temptations. In short, willpower is what keeps us on the path to a happier life. Willpower is sort of like a muscle, it gets stronger with use but can get tired or injured with overuse.
Avoiding the overuse of our willpower “muscle” is why there is so much talk about small changes, small actions and small doses of information. We want just enough to keep us moving forward but not too much that we choose to give up instead.
Learn to Be Grateful
Being grateful is at the core of being human. When things get tough, it can be challenging to remain in a grateful space. We all have those moments. It is gratitude that gets us through this time and makes us even more resilient for the next challenge.
Even when it’s difficult, look for something, anything really, that you can express gratitude for and watch how your perception begins to change. Being grateful and expressing our gratitude is what makes us our best human self.
Being human comes down to exhibiting positive characteristics. It seems so simple when you write it out, but the reality is life is tough. It is our ability to come back to these rules in times of crisis that brings out the best in us.
Here are 11 Things Your Soul Wants You to Learn While You’re Human:
Learn to Be Compassionate
Loving and understanding people and their individual journeys without holding them in judgement, is the greatest gift you can give someone and yourself.
Just accepting people for who they are and offering help when they need it, cheering them on, and most importantly showing respect and love have effects way beyond you and them.
It’s easy to get started by simply choosing to smile at everyone who crosses your path.
“If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
Learn to Be Inquisitive
Being inquisitive is more than just asking questions, it is having a genuine curiosity about the world around you. The happiest and most successful people are those that are actively curious.
When you are inquisitive, you recognize that there is always more to learn, and you want to be in a constant state of exploration into topics that will help you grow.
Learn to Be Optimistic
How you look at things has been linked to your success. A primary reason for this is because when you have a positive outlook, you are more resilient. The most important characteristic of being human is being alive, and optimism can play an important role in many aspects of life, including in the recovery from illness.
Multiple studies have investigated the role of optimism in people undergoing treatment for life-threatening diseases. Studies show optimistic people experienced less stress and have more of a “fighting spirit.”
If this is true for people facing possible death, just think how it can affect everyday challenges.
Learn to Be Mindful
Mindfulness is simply the focus of your attention on the present moment, but it is anything but simple. With chaotic schedules, multi-tasking and an over-worked society, it is often hard to remain in the present and not get lost in the chaos that surrounds us.
Mindfulness has roots in Buddhism, but most religions and spirituality practices include some attention towards love, kindness, and appreciation for a perspective on life that is bigger than oneself.
Embrace Confidence
Confidence is knowing who you are, where you are going and the value you contribute while taking action to support your goals. Many people mistake confidence with an arrogance that stems from low self-esteem and comes from a place of not understanding your true talents.
Confidence is an important ingredient in creating a life you love and in shaping the interactions with the people around you. Don’t hide the things you are good at and don’t be afraid to talk about your goals, doing so serves you and those around you.
Learn to Love Life
Where confidence is about you, enthusiasm is about life. Enthusiasm is infectious, and people connect with you based on your enthusiasm for your work and your life.
There are few things more enjoyable than talking with someone who is enthusiastic and passionate about something.
“It is faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes life worth living.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes
Learn to Be Purposeful
There is a lot of talk around finding your purpose and passion, but the reality is that being human and relatable might be all the purpose you need. When you make your actions purposeful and do things that make you feel good, you are living your truth. And there is nothing more human than that.
Realize Your Energetic Potential
What good is having goals, asking questions and taking purposeful actions with confidence without the energy to act? In order to harness your natural energy potential, you must take care of yourself. A healthy body, mind and heart are necessary to keep you operating at your potential.
Learn to Overcome Fear
Everyone experiences fear. It is a common and necessary emotion. The problem is not in having fears; the problem is when you live in fear and allow fear to prevent you from achieving your potential.
“If you don’t know the nature of fear, you can’t be fearless.” ~ Pema Chödrön
Learn to be Willful
Willpower is our capacity to choose what is right for us long term and not give in to immediate temptations. In short, willpower is what keeps us on the path to a happier life. Willpower is sort of like a muscle, it gets stronger with use but can get tired or injured with overuse.
Avoiding the overuse of our willpower “muscle” is why there is so much talk about small changes, small actions and small doses of information. We want just enough to keep us moving forward but not too much that we choose to give up instead.
Learn to Be Grateful
Being grateful is at the core of being human. When things get tough, it can be challenging to remain in a grateful space. We all have those moments. It is gratitude that gets us through this time and makes us even more resilient for the next challenge.
Even when it’s difficult, look for something, anything really, that you can express gratitude for and watch how your perception begins to change. Being grateful and expressing our gratitude is what makes us our best human self.
Being human comes down to exhibiting positive characteristics. It seems so simple when you write it out, but the reality is life is tough. It is our ability to come back to these rules in times of crisis that brings out the best in us.
