By Francisca Hernandez
Thursday, April 15, 2021
Tears of appreciation welled in my eyes as I was walking my hundred-pound Blue Sable German Shepherd, Mr. Rocky Lobster, a few mornings ago. The tears came as I appreciated the sun’s rays poking into the oak tree branches through the overcast sky.
The overwhelming realization that I was alive to witness such beauty hit me like a wave. To think that almost four years ago, I was on the verge of death, struggling to breathe, and could barely walk Rocky a mere fifty feet.
As I looked away from the sky, I saw a truck with a license plate that read LMK-1444. Then I caught sight of another immediately after that ended in 9444.
I smiled and started thinking of all the lessons life had taught me so far. I guess life lessons are on my mind because this Sunday, I’ll turn 44!
And though I’ve been alive for almost 44 years, I would say I’ve only really been intentionally living my life in the last few years.
I can still remember my clammy hands gripping onto the 16 oz Lone Star beer can as I took a swig and typed my name into the application form for coaching with Clarity on Fire. It was the night before my 40th birthday.​
I thought I was gifting myself with career direction. Little did I know what I was really doing was granting myself a foundation for an authentic intentional life.
In numerology, 4 is the number of structure, solid foundations, and reliability. In Tarot, 4 is the number of the Emperor which symbolizes security, stability, and self-control. But in the seven Chakra system, the 4th Chakra is Anahata or the Heart Chakra, representing harmony, love, and compassion.
I could go on and on about the number four’s symbolism, but here’s what I wanted to share about how I’m interpreting this sign today. Building structure and a solid foundation in my life with coaching allowed for stability and self-control, which let me open and balance my Heart Chakra and express harmony, love, and compassion more readily. And it wasn’t as difficult as I imagined it would be. But that didn’t mean that there weren’t some lessons along the way.
So here are 44 lessons I’ve learned in life over the years. 1. The Universe is always leaving breadcrumbs. It’s up to you to be open enough to follow them. 2. Approaching anything with curiosity can soften it. 3. Just because you desire something doesn’t mean you get it when you think you should (no matter how much in alignment you are).
4. Perfect timing doesn’t always follow logic. 5. Sometimes, taking a step back allows others to take a step forward.
6. Everyone has their own journey; sometimes that includes you, other times it doesn’t. 7. Change is inevitable. 8. Joy is contagious (and sometimes nauseating to those on the other side of the spectrum). 9. You're not wrong for feeling frustrated because the thing you've been working towards hasn't come yet. 10. You are stronger than you think.
11. Clarifying what you want sometimes comes from "negative" experiences.
12. Alignment takes practice, and you won’t always be in alignment, but that’s okay. 13. Just because you’re feeling sad or depressed doesn’t mean you’ll forever feel that way. 14. Just because you’re happy doesn’t mean you’ll always feel that way either. 15. The Universe is always conspiring on your behalf. 16. No matter what you achieve, you will always want more. 17. Wanting more doesn’t make you greedy or evil. 18. Not everyone will like or agree with you and your ideas.
19. Being true to yourself might turn some people off; those are not your people. 20. You don’t have to be an artist to express yourself creatively. 21. Our breath is simple yet impressive and can teach us so much.
22. A tiny bit of silence goes a long way. 23. Instead of setting goals, focus on how you want to feel. 24. Go with what feels right to you every time. 25. Plan as much as you need, but leave space for the Universe to fill in the details. 26. If you open yourself up to it, you’ll notice that synchronicity happens all the time.
27. The first and last 5% of anything is the most difficult.
28. Your inner critic only wants to protect you. Talk it out with them. 29. Do what scares you every once in a while. 30. Write your future self and past self love notes of encouragement. 31. Treat yourself like a precious object whenever you can. 32. There will always be an unfolding of your truth in ALL WAYS. 33. The tiniest acts of kindness can surprisingly be the most monumental in someone else’s life. 34. Overthinking never solves anything. 35. Just thinking about something doesn’t make it materialize.
36. Meditation doesn’t make you pleasant or enlightened, but it does allow you more authenticity.
37. Sharing your feelings sometimes helps others say how they feel. 38. It’s okay to cry. 39. It’s okay to ask for help.
40. You’re not the only one that feels the way you feel.
41. You’re feelings are valid every fucking time.
42. You can’t go back and fix your mistakes, but you can move forward.
43. Honor yourself first and then do all the other things.
44. No matter how many self-help or personal development methods there are out there, you are your only true compass. You are the one to know if something resonates in you or not. At the end of the day, it’s your life. Listen to your heart and honor yourself.
I think that last lesson has been my most important one to date. I’ve had so many spiritual teachers along my healing path. And I’ve learned to view their teachings as a recipe. I take what resonates and leave the rest behind.
And that’s my hope for you too! I hope you find the courage and strength to do the same in your life. Don’t ever follow anyone blindly. You are your inner compass so follow your inner being.
I’d love to hear from you, what are your life lessons? Leave a comment and let me know.
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