I completed high school, medical school, residency, became board certified in pediatrics, and I still have to take ongoing classes for continuing medical education. I also still have to take
courses to maintain my board certification. CME, and MOC as we call it in medical lingo.
I've read and studied a LOT of academic books…a lot!
But did all these prepare me for life?
Did all these big, complex scientific books arm me with all the tools I needed to face the roller-coaster ride called Life?
Did passing all my exams give me a fixed check mark for life?
NO!
My academic achievements have enabled me to reach some heights. Absolutely no doubt about that. They have certainly given me my daily bread. My voice and confidence as a woman. And they have given me options for achieving different goals in life.
However, without my emotional and spiritual growth and achievements, I would not be who I am today. These achievements have armed me with humility + strength; failures + wins; losses + gains;
despair + joy; disappointments + successes; and I've been able to stand tall through each of those life pairings.
Why?
Because I've been paying attention to growing emotionally and spiritually. Unfortunately, there are really no classroom courses for this. Really unfortunate! We just have to pay attention as we grow and learn from our daily lives.
I've had to become a sponge to absorb all the life lessons being thrown at me daily. I ponder them carefully to use them for my growth.
Key influences around me have been my teachers in the active and passive modes.
My dear parents, friends, family, mentors, life coaches, employees, students, kids, and even my dog have taught me many, many life lessons.
My daughters have taught me to have patience—a lot of patience. I have had to give them space for their own personal and individual growth while giving them the needed support. They have taught
me what true unconditional love really means. They love me unconditionally, and I love them unconditionally. Allowing our kids to grow into their own persons, and balancing that with parental
guidance, is not an easy thing. It requires some major emotional and spiritual balance in a parent.
Since I've had my dog, I've also learned even more of what unconditional love means. This little puppy loves and cares for the three of us beyond imagination. He connects with the three of us differently, understands each person’s limitations, and listens to rules, while at the same time loving us, as we show him love too.
The lessons I've learned from my kids, and now from my dog, have grown me greatly as a person, and it has grown them too. Win-win for all.
My heavenly Father and the Word, however, lead in my emotional and spiritual growth. I dig deep daily in the Word, and I allow these to fill my heart.
Are you still believing that your bachelor's, master’s, PhDs are your passport to your dream life?
Yes. Those are important. Very important. Education is key for life provision. But…
Are you growing emotionally and spiritually?
Are you attending the true-life classes by paying attention to all the lessons in your daily life?
Formal academic education can be pricey. Emotional and spiritual education is free, but the cost to our lives is extremely high.
Without the latter two, we simply cannot make it in life.
I've met and know of people who completed only high school but are extremely successful today because they have a ton of emotional and spiritual education. They utilized the free form of education to reach higher heights—those nonpalpable traits of hard work, humility, versatility, openness, perseverance, kindness, and mentorship that are so essential for life momentum and growth.
And, on the other hand, there are those who have all the degrees in the world but are miserable, feel like failures, and are stuck.
Academic education was, is, and will always be important. Emotional and spiritual education was, is, and will always be essential and necessary for life growth and life momentum.
How are you going to start growing in your emotional and spiritual life?
Will you start paying more attention to all the free life lessons in your daily life?
How about finding one to three mentors? Or life coaches?
How about reading and studying your holy book regularly?
Journaling? That works too.
Reading books that teach you emotional and spiritual growth? (My book Permanent
Happiness is one of those.)
Listening to uplifting and inspirational music daily?
Long walks in nature?
Travel to explore other cultures?
There are many ways to take "classes" in emotional and spiritual education. Many of the classes are free…as listed above.
Start today, and watch your life come together as you grow as a person and fulfill your life purpose.
Academic education—important!
Emotional and spiritual education—essential!
May we all be permanent happy…from a solid, all-inclusive education.