“We can’t become what we need to be by remaining what we are” Oprah Winfrey
When you decide to change and make improvements to your life, your new way of being will encourage others to step up and do the same. Imagine how your inner peace and happiness could positively affect others? The ripple effect would benefit the wider community, and potentially the world, definitely something to work towards in these times of change.
Here’s a set of rules that I’ve created that can overhaul how you live your life.
I’m not really a fan of the word ‘rules’ as it gives a connotation of having to stick within limits, but I make an exception here! I know if you live by these, they will literally transform your life for the better. For the rebels amongst us I would highly recommend that you drop any resistance to embracing these rules
These concepts may initially rile you or challenge your thinking and conditioning. You may have even heard some of them before and felt that you know them or have already put them into practice. Regardless of where you stand with these, there is always room for improvement. I have never yet met a person who acknowledges or lives these one hundred percent of the time. If we did, life would be so easy. It is in doing your absolute best to live the rules that you will be released to feel free and at ease in every area of your life.
I really cannot overemphasise the profound change that you will experience on all levels of your existence when you embody these 5 Golden Rules.
Note I use the word “embody”, and I mean it. It will not be enough to read the rules and get them intellectually. When you embody the rules you associate all of your being into them. You let them consume you and fill every cell of your being. You live and breathe them. I would also highly recommend you do this because it just feels so nice!
Golden Rule 1: Respect How Others See the World
We can get frustrated when we feel others are not supporting us in some way or another or that they don’t get our point of view.
Each person has his or her own unique representation of the world. Two people can go through the same experience but have two completely different representations of what actually happened.
You do not have to like or agree with any behaviour, just respect that it is a person’s representation of the world. This is where you will find freedom.
Golden Rule 2: Practise Non-Judgement of Others
Practice being non-judgemental in terms of not being critical or pass-remarkable and, more importantly, not sharing your criticisms with others.
We all need to judge as it helps us to compare and contrast things in life so that we can make decisions. If we didn’t judge the consequences or options we would never make a decision.
We are all judgemental to a degree, and it can be very difficult to stop ourselves. Typically, judgement is propelled by our need to feel safe, relevant, important and loved.
The people we are most judgemental of are those closest to us. The first person is ourselves. Next on the list are those whom we love most. We judge them because we want them to be their best. We can also judge them because we have a need to control, but whatever it is don’t beat yourself up about it. Just start to practice non-judgement in all areas.
Golden Rule 3: Change Your Perception of Your Reality Instead of Trying to Change the Circumstances
This rule focuses on the fact that it is easier to make changes internally within ourselves and around our reality rather than trying to change people and situations.
I often see unhappy people who believe that if only people or situations around them would change they would be happy. People do not want to change their behaviours to make you happy — they are too busy trying to make themselves happy. The best way to be happy is to change your how you see your reality.
Golden Rule 4: Understand That There is a Positive Intention Behind All Behaviour
Everyone’s behaviour is driven by our subconscious mind in a bid to make us happy — it has a positive intention. Past experiences will again be responsible for the sometimes difficult and destructive behaviour that people engage in. Accepting this means it is much easier not to get caught up in the drama, the story and the negativity. You will notice that you are seeing the world from the elevated view.
Golden Rule 5: Acknowledge That Every Resource You Need to Create Change is Already in You
When you look around and notice the challenges and goals people have overcome and achieved in the history of the world, it is nothing short of incredible.
To overcome challenges and achieve goals we need a set of resources, and we were all born with these resources. Sometimes it is easier to blame others for our situation rather than empower ourselves and make an effort. You have a choice, and now that you are informed you have a responsibility to yourself to create the good life you deserve.
Edited extract from “Wake Up and Change your Life” by Moira Geary, available with an online course from www.wakeupandchangeyourlife.com
Originally published at medium.com