How often do you read some inspirational life lessons by someone, and you wonder, “What have they done or experienced that gives them the authority to say that?” “Where is the proof that this works?”
Ok, maybe that is just me, or it’s me thinking about myself when I try to share some inspiration on my blog.
I then read the book “The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life” by Edith Eger.
Edith survived imprisonment in a Nazi concentration camp. Her parents were murdered her first day there. Edith says that “each moment in Auschwitz was hell on earth. It was also my best classroom.”
I imagine that unless you were there, we would never know the horrors of what the survivors were put through. One thing she said that brought me to tears was, “Distress is a constant threat and uncertainty like we had in Auschwitz – when we took a shower, we never know what was going to come out of the spigot, water or gas.”
And if she can come out the other side and learn from the experience, then there is very little that we shouldn’t be able to get through to.
While reading this book, what struck me is that the inspirational life lessons she is sharing are similar to the content I like to write about. I found myself pumping my fists and getting excited, yelling, “Yes! I believe that too!”
I strongly encourage you to read her book, but here are a few of the life lessons that I will continue to believe in and share because now I know that they can make our lives better.
25 Inspirational Life Lessons from “The Gift,” by Edith Eger
“It’s not what happens to us that matters most; it’s what we do with our experiences.”
“We do not change until we’re ready. You’re ready when you’re ready, when something inside shifts and you decide, “Until now, I did that. Now I’m going to do something else.”
“The ultimate key to freedom is to keep becoming who you truly are.”
“The whole reason to step out of victimhood is so we can step into the rest of our lives.”
“Releasing ourselves from victimhood also means releasing others from the roles we’ve assigned them.”
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“This is how we release ourselves from the prison of avoidance – we let the feelings come. We let them move through us. And then we let them go.”
“The opposite of depression is expression.”
“Embrace the joy of achievement. The joy of working hard. Of nurturing our gifts. Not because we have to. Because we are free to. Because we’re blessed with the gift of life.”
“Our childhoods end when we begin to live in someone else’s image of who we are.”
“To choose love is to become kind and good and loving for you. To stop rehashing the past and stop apologizing for not being there to save everyone. It means saying, “I did the best I could.”
“Love means that we practice self-love, that we strive to be generous and compassionate toward others – and to ourselves.”
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“Healing can’t happen as long as we’re hiding or disowning parts of ourselves. The things we silence or cover up become like hostages in the basement, trying more and more desperate to get our attention.”
“Loving yourself is the only foundation for wholeness, health, and joy. So, fall in love with yourself! It’s not narcissistic. Once you begin to heal, what you discover will not be the new you but the real you. The you that was there all along, beautiful, born with love and joy.”
“But you can’t want something for another person. You can only discover what’s right for you.”
“If you have something to prove, you are still a prisoner.”
“If you take back your power and still want to be right, then choose to be kind because kindness is always right.”
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“Fear and love do not co-exist.”
“Listen for the I can’t, the I’m trying, the I need to, and then see if you can replace these imprisoning phrases with something else. I can, I want, I’m willing, I choose.”
“I’m all for positive thinking, but it goes nowhere unless it’s followed by positive action.”
“If you’re perfectionistic, you’re competing with God.”
“Stress is actually a good thing. It requires us to face a challenge, to find creative solutions, to trust ourselves.”
“But to stop bigotry means you start with yourself. You let go of judgment and choose compassion.”
Related Post: How To Stop Judging Others and What To Do Instead
“We’re born to love; we learn to hate. It’s up to us what we reach for.”
“We never know what’s ahead. Hope isn’t the white paint we use to mask suffering. It’s an investment in curiosity. A recognition that if we give up now, we’ll never get to see what happens next.”
This may seem like a lot, but these lessons are only the tip of the iceberg. As a clinical psychologist, she weaves in stories of her patients and her own past.
So much inspiration comes out of this story of living through hell.
Take a moment to think about what you are struggling with. Learn from these life lessons and reach out for help if you need it. Make the most of this life you are living today.
I’ll leave you with one last lesson
“People often ask how I can ever forgive the Nazis. I don’t have the godly power to anoint anyone with forgiveness, to spiritually cleanse others for their wrongs. But I have the power to free myself. So do you.”
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So inspirational, Laurie!! Thank you for highlighting these life lessons today! I’ll print some out and post in several places at home, car, etc. to inspire me daily! ? You are marvelous, you know!! ?
Thank you Connie! You are so sweet. Yes, keep those lessons handy to remind you of your greatness!