The times are a-changing.
And all this time, the motherhood statements that we’ve been told, are all untrue.
Lies.
I’ve heard them from my mother, father, friends, and strangers.
Who all tell me that they’re true, and who tell me that they’re right.
It’s about time we started trusting ourselves more, and finding out the truth for ourselves.
What’s 7 bullshit lies we’ve been fed all our life?
Don’t talk to strangers
My favorite, for the simple reason that to be successful in a lot of areas in our life, we have to learn how to talk to strangers.
And yet, because of this statement repeated early and often growing up, we develop hesitation, and internal obstacles, to talking to people we don’t know.
It’s these people we don’t know who could very well be our next business partner, golf buddy, close friend, even significant other.
Even the word strangers, already has a negative connotation, and conjures up images of somebody out to get you, stab you in the back, take all your money and jewels, and leave you bleeding in a dark alleyway.
Strangers are only strangers until you get to know them. But one thing is for sure, but you don’t recognize and readily accept.
They’re people, we all are. Deserving of the same respect.
Learn to talk to people, learn to talk to strangers, and to treat everyone with the same respect that you expect to be treated.
It’s not about talking to strangers.
It’s about trusting them too easily, and believing at first glance.
You still have to protect yourself.
Doesn’t mean you avoid talking to them.
Find your passion
From the moment I was young, asking what I wanted to be when I grew up, my parents, teachers, and mentors would always tell me to find my passion.
To do that, is to enjoy and throw yourself into a variety of experiences, to figure out which one calls the most to you, which one you enjoy doing, enjoy solving, or enjoy struggling with.
The lie is, that “find your passion” means to find the one thing you will dedicate your life to, and to stick to that for the rest of your life.
Ugh. Pressure.
Finding your passion is not about one thing. It is about discovering the many things that you love to do, and would love to dedicate a part of your life, and then trying out one first, or finding intersections between them, or doing them all, and then deciding.
There is no one right way to live life, and to spend your meaningful days.
You can live several lifetimes, if you very much want to. The key here is to be willing to explore and dedicate ample time for your passions. And the openness to reinvent yourself, when the time comes.
Passion is also not something that we’re born with, but something we also nurture and develop.
You can start out not passionate about the work that you’re doing, or the skill that you’re learning, but as you get better and better, you begin to also develop the passion and energy for those activities.
Kudos to all the accountants out there, whom I know didn’t start out loving numbers, but are now very passionate at what they do.
Not to mention, very excellent at what they do.
What’s not also said often is that passion leads to sustained excellence, which feeds the passion you have.
Money is the root of all evil
Growing up, I experienced this a lot from my semi-religious upbringing, as well as the many charities and foundations that I’ve had a chance to work with.
And I realized, that’s a good marketing message for them. They survive on your generosity to be able to do good in the world.
But ask anyone who believes in that statement, and I can tell that they’re broke, more or less.
Or they feel they don’t have money for what they want in life. But then, they also believe that money is the root of all evil, so if I want to be good, then that means I have to get rid of my money.
Sounds silly, right? Yet millions of people around the world believe this, and still complain that they don’t have any money.
People believe that this is Gospel truth, but in reality, the bible’s quote is different. 1 Timothy 6:10 says:
“For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”
It’s not money that’s evil. It’s the lust, the greed, the obsession, the preoccupation with money, and the accumulation of it.
Again, it’s not the money that’s evil. It’s the people who do evil things with it, to get it, or to keep it.
Money is a neutral indicator of value. It shows us how much value we’re adding to people’s lives, and how much these people who are paying us value our contribution.
Money is also an indicator of the current mindset you have about abundance. A reflection of your beliefs and standards.
It’s a tool to use to make in impact in the world, in our families, and in our personal lives. It flows into our lives, and out of our lives. Like anything, we also have to learn how to attract money, keep money, and grow money, to not only make a positive impact on our families and selves, but in the world.
Make money into your ally, instead of your enemy.
Make good with it, do good with it.
Stay tuned for the second part of this article!
In the meantime, what’s something that you consider to be true, all your life? Please share in the comments below!
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