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The Tao te Ching was written by Lao Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher who was born in 571 B.C. and went on to create the book. Do not be misled by the fact that Lao Tzu lived a long time ago; his insights remain ground-breaking in the modern world, and they are more potent and important than ever before. Though many face similar challenges that the rest of us do, but he eventually arrived at a point where he discovered solutions and peace with life, death, love, and loss. If you’re having trouble making sense of your life, here are some of Lao Tzu’s most important lessons that might serve as a guide for you.

Be open to new experiences!

There is one aspect of life that none of us have control over, and that is change. We all live in time, and because time passes, change is a constant companion of our existence. After a sufficient amount of time has passed, even stones turn into sand. This process involves the transformation of solid materials into minute grains that are gentle on the soles of the feet. Some shifts take place gradually, while others take place in the blink of an eye. In either scenario, the person who is able to embrace the fact that change is an inherent part of life is much more likely to experience inner peace. According to the teachings of Lao Tzu, “Life is a sequence of changes that occur naturally and unintentionally. Don’t put up any kind of fight against them since it will only end in tears.”

Refrain from assigning labels!

The development of language was a fascinating and important step in the history of humankind. However, one of its drawbacks is the requirement to classify and name everything, especially people. This is especially problematic when dealing with people. Many of us are led to think, beginning at an early age, that our identities are best described by the labels and categories we have been assigned. During the process, we frequently lose track of who we truly are and experience a profound sense of disorientation in life. An entity and an individual who goes far beyond being categorized by any simple terms. The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu encourages us not to categorize name ourselves. Exist, engage, and simply be yourself without always feeling the need to define (or justify!) who you are, either to yourself or to other people. His advice us to be who we are without the labels we give ourselves. “One who constantly defines themselves cannot possibly know who they truly are.”

Let go of the need for approval from other people!

Caring an excessive amount about what other people think is one of the factors that might contribute to becoming disoriented by society’s  expectations and labels. This shifts the focus of your power away from yourself and places the determination of your worth and identity in the hands of other people. It causes you to seek the stamp of approval before you can experience the buzz of pleasure and satisfaction from everything you do, which causes you to self-sabotage everything you do. The teachings of Lao Tzu encourages everyone to let go of the impulse to seek acceptance from others. “Care about other people’s approval, and you will become their prisoner.”
Give to those in need!

The vast majority of us would want to believe that we are giving, and it’s possible that many of us actually are. It’s a well-known fact that I have a lot of coworkers and acquaintances that are giving with their time and money. However, generosity is more than merely sometimes acting generously or giving things away. It requires a mental change away from asking oneself “what will this get me?” Regarding “how can I help in this situation?” and “how can I give?”

The act of giving is in fact the finest method to get something that is more useful than acquiring material belongings or things. “The wise man does not accumulate wealth. The more he assists other people, the more he helps himself in the long run. The more he helps other people, the more help he receives for himself. “Be of service to people”.

When it comes to being generous, the most generous thing you can do is give other people your time and energy. This is the most selfless act you can perform. During many of the periods in my life when I felt the most disoriented, I was certain that I would never find my way again. It turned out that in order for me to feel like I was more on my own route, I didn’t need to be more discerning or make better decisions; rather, I needed to focus a little bit more on assisting others in finding their own paths. Try assisting a few individuals for a day or two and see how it makes you feel. Despite the fact that our current consumption culture might push us away from this perspective, we are created to be of service to one another, we should give it a shot. The proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes.

Make an effort to be grateful!

Try to talk less and listen more!

There are a lot of individuals in the world who like to talk and who are always trying to sell something, convince someone else, make jokes, or even simply hear their own voice (or read their own writings). It is recommended that you take a break from the din and exercise self-control in order to satisfy your need to be heard, understood, and cherished. In the same vein as the last point about reducing the need for external validation, it is essential to lower the amount of useless discourse that one engages in.

There is a good reason why many of the most knowledgeable gurus as well as spiritual and religious leaders avoid speaking in riddles and parables as much as possible in their public discourse. The reason for this is that rather than constantly talking over what life has to offer, they want to educate their followers the importance and authenticity of listening to what life has to offer and experiencing it. In most cases, the most chatty people are also the ones with the least amount of information. “Those who are knowledgeable keep their mouths shut. Those who speak are the ones who are ignorant.

Never allow your feelings to be in charge of you!

Emotions can be trustworthy, but just like everything else in life, they are fleeting and changeable. It is imperative that one should not simply put their faith in what is beautiful and despise what is unattractive. Some of the most kind people have unattractive exteriors, and some of the most ruthless serial murderers have appearances similar to those of models. It’s the same thing with language and it’s the same thing with ideologies: Many ideologies that have a pleasant sound to them cover over a profound gloom and anger on the inside, but many concepts that seem a little bracing or strange are actually genuine and freeing, despite their first unsettling tone.

“The truth is not always beautiful, nor are beautiful words always the truth”.

Struggle hard to achieve victory!

Hostility and wrath of our adversary wear them down and exhaust itself whenever possible, but when conflict is unavoidable in life, we should embrace it, especially when it comes to battling for essential things like survival or possessions. Being aware of the fact that there are times when it is necessary to compete, struggle for one’s fundamental rights, and live. However, when it comes to instances like these, we should not to let our feelings and passions to get in the way of our capacity to participate in true warfare. It has been said that “the best fighter is never angry.”

Strive to keep your humility!

As you go through life, you could achieve a lot of things, but you might also fail at a lot of things, and you might have mixed feelings about a lot of the objectives you set for yourself. Be humble no matter how many wonderful things you do or how intelligent you become.  The definition of a really wise person is someone who acknowledges the fact that a significant portion of life will continue to be a mystery regardless of how much information we have.

Stay clear of the outrage factory!

Fighting and confrontation should be avoided wherever possible. People who are full of attachment and self-delusion, as well as those who treat others poorly, typically tire themselves out. We may spare ourselves a great deal of suffering and pointless anguish if we steer clear of contentious debates, disputes, and pointless discussions. “If you remove all obstacles for evil to overcome, it will go away on its own.”

Make an effort not to be afraid of conclusions!

Obtaining your bearings!

Finding one’s own “way” in life is at the heart of self- realization. Because it is focused on avoiding rigidity, it does not adhere to any one set of norms or philosophy. The practice of  being focused and harmonizing oneself with a holy, living energy that permeates all aspects of existence, sentient and non-sentient alike. Your life will begin to make more sense, and you won’t feel the need for exact definitions or all the solutions the more you give yourself permission to organically align yourself. You’ll discover the solution you’ve been seeking for inside the intrigue and the natural course of the river itself.

Final Thoughts!