In my last newsletter I talked about 3 ways to win at life’s game of telephone, and how to stop letting other people plant thoughts in our head. Today I want to talk about how to trust ourself and follow our heart.
Whether it’s our own thoughts or the words from other people, it’s just noise. That which goes beyond words is what’s true. People have been developing opinions for thousands of years and it can go on for eternity. But those opinions formed out of words separate us from deep understanding.
Other people’s opinions (and often our own opinions about ourselves) are nothing more than the jumbled, muddled, bungled message in a never ending game of telephone. There is no need to decipher it, adopt it, reject it or obsess over it. (Here’s how I responded to trollers and mean commenters.)
Whatever anyone has said about you or anyone else is not objectively true. The only thing it tells you is what kind of person the commenter is.
Adam Driver has a big nose yet his confidence is magnetic. Ram Dass was bald and happy. Gandhi was poor, Hellen Keller was deaf and blind, Oprah was told she was unfit for TV, Thomas Edison was called “too stupid to learn anything,” and the head of Columbia Pictures told Harrison Ford he had no future in show business.
Now, I am not just calling out people and their negative traits. In fact, I am pointing out what made these people so beautiful. All of the most successful people on Earth were told that some perceived flaw would lead to their failure. Instead of changing, they changed their industry. Their novelty and courage to follow their inner compass finally proved the naysayers wrong.
Do not fall for the destructive words of people who lack your vision. Do not believe the hurtful words of hurt people. Whatever your insecurity, make it your source of pride. You are unique! You are special. What a shame it would be to hide your gifts.
The words of others can only limit us if we choose to adopt their limiting mindset. So we must learn to break free from the mental prison we have built in order to reach our true potential. Here’s how to do that.
Be grateful for your flaws. Love your insecurities. And remember, the universe doesn’t make mistakes, only miracles.
In my latest podcast, I explore what “true spirituality” is and how we can connect to our true selves — and to this universe — beyond the superficial surface where we spend most of our time worrying and stressing about.
Much love,
Todd
P.S. If you were wondering what happened to last week’s newsletter, I am excited to share that I was locked in the recording booth and finally finished the audiobook version of Aloneness to Oneness: 22 Life Lessons to Change the Way You See the World, full of new content and commentary. It is now with the publishing company and it should be available in a few weeks. I’lll share the details here. In the meantime, you can download a free chapter of the book here.
