I started thinking about the lessons that I have learned in my life. Some were relatively easy lessons and didn’t cost me much. Some of them have cost me money, time and most importantly health, which unfortunately is not always possible to get back.

I previously wrote about lessons that I have learned from the negative behaviors that I used to have. In this article, I will concentrate on more philosophical lessons that I have learned, state of mind lessons. And most of it I have learned from Tony Robbins. A lot of my breakthroughs came from his lessons and I’m very grateful to him for that. 

I will share with you my breakthroughs below, and maybe you will open something new for yourself as well…

As I have realized only in the past few years, I used to be a pretty negative person. I would always look at the glass and see it as half empty. If someone did something unpleasant to me, I would always assume it was done on purpose. If the weather was not to my taste, I would think right away: “This weather sucks.” If I went to a restaurant and the food I have ordered did not taste delicious to me, I would think or say: “They can’t cook in this place.”

There was a time when we came on a family vacation to an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean. And after talking to people, I have realized that we have overpaid for the trip. That had literally spoiled my vacation. I started noticing everything negative in the resort that was possible to notice to reassure myself that the whole vacation was a waste of money.

And there were many more examples like this in my life until I have learned one of the most important lessons – “Your perception is your reality.”

The quality of your life is exactly what you think of your life and all of the events that are happening. If you think that everything is unfair to you in your life, then your life will be unfair. At least you will see it this way.

If you think that all people are bad, you will constantly feel miserable surrounded by bad people. And I’m not saying that all people are good. 🙂 And maybe sometimes you acknowledge that certain people are destructive and poisonous in your life, that they cost you the quality of your life – it might be a good time to lose them. I have done this with some people and very happy that I did, looking back. It’s not always possible, because some toxic people can be your immediate family. But if it’s not the case, you might want to analyze your relationships.

Whatever you think of your life, this is exactly what your life is going to be. “Whether you think you can or you can’t, either way, you are right!” This was a breakthrough lesson for me, and I hope it can help some of you as well! Always remember – “Your perception is your reality!”

Another very important lesson that I have learned is: “Your past does not equal your future.”

Oftentimes, we live in the past, instead of the present. Especially, when you have experienced some kind of trauma in your past, you can’t let it go. And unfortunately, some people are stuck in the past and live there their whole life.

You also create your future completely based on that past experience. You might be avoiding something amazing because you are stuck in the past.

Without even acknowledging this, some people choose to become a victim in their entire life. Yes, you were a victim when something happened to you in the past, but not in the present. You chose to be either a victim or a strong person who became strong due to that experience from the past.

We don’t forget that experience from the past, but we can look at this completely from a different perspective.

I came across many people who say something like: “I am not going to do something because of what happened to me…” or “This will never be possible for me because of my past…” or “I can’t enjoy life because of what happened to me 30 years ago….”.

I am not downgrading any events or traumas that people lived through. All I am saying is that you can leave it in the past. You don’t have to forget about it. But don’t let that negative experience run your entire life. “Your past doesn’t equal the future!”

I was always looking for external reasons as to why something couldn’t be done, or why can’t I feel a certain way. And guess what, I always found those reasons. If you are really looking for something – You will find it. 🙂 Unfortunately, I was looking for the wrong thing.

In order for me to feel happy, I thought, I needed thousands of different things. And since most of those things were outside of my control, therefore, I couldn’t feel happy.

That was my thought process before. 🙂 But not anymore. Not after I have learned this important lesson: “Everything I need to be fulfilled and happy is within me now.”

We have unbelievable resources within ourselves to feel amazing, happy, fulfilled… Oftentimes, we are not aware of this.

We know for a fact that to change the state of our body, to lose weight, to gain muscles – we need to work out our body. And unfortunately, we often don’t realize that we need to do the same thing with our minds.

In order for us to get that desired state of mind, we need to exercise our mind. And we need to practice consistently. If you want to lose weight, you don’t just exercise once and think that you will have the desired body for life. The same goes for your mind.

You can feel anything you want to feel. And you don’t need any outside factors for this. You are unlimited! “Everything you need to be fulfilled and happy is within you now!”

There were times in my life when I have decided to change something. And I couldn’t do it for some reason, and couldn’t figure out why. I will give you an example of what I’m referring to.

After working for a few years at my first professional job after college, I wanted to find a better job. I thought that everything was wrong where I was working. People were not doing what they were supposed to, policies were dumb, the salary was low, etc.

Only when I have honestly admitted to myself what I needed to improve on, what I was doing wrong; I have found a much better job, everything I dreamt of at that time.

We have a tendency to blame everyone and everything around us when we don’t like something. And then we are wondering why nothing is changing. In order for something to change, we need to honestly admit to ourselves the situation with ourselves. Be your own critic. And then everything turns around.

“In order to change your reality, you must face your reality first.” – It was a very valuable lesson for me.

As I have mentioned previously, I used to look at the glass half empty. I would find negative things everywhere. I was extremely judgmental. And sometimes it’s a very good trait to have, just not all the time, and not to an extreme.:)

I will bring up an example of vacation again. I would find everything that was wrong in the resort we went to. And we would discuss all of those negative things we have found throughout the vacation. And even after we came back.

What we have failed to do was to concentrate on everything that was great there. To appreciate and cherish those things and experiences at that moment. And even after we came back, we would continue to spoil it for ourselves by concentrating on those negative things we have encountered. No wonder we didn’t get any rest on our vacation, because we were too busy concentrating on all the negative crap. 🙂

The lesson that I have learned and that I am referring to is: “What’s wrong is always available, but so is what’s right.”

Start noticing positive things instead of negative around you and your life will transform. Almost always there is something positive where you found negative. “Your perception is your reality.” 🙂

I have written before about my struggle to lose weight and quit smoking. At some point of time, I was hoping there is a quick fix for all of those problems. But only when I have realized something, I was able to transform my life. And that realization was: “Magic pill doesn’t exist.”

If you want to change something in your life, don’t pray for an easy way out and that it will somehow resolve itself. Get involved. Take charge. Do something about it. This is your life.

If you really want something – you will achieve it. But you have to truly want it and take action. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

Always remember: You are unlimited! And You are in charge of your life!

“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”