The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Y'know those books you read once and have such a profound effect on you that you read them over and over? I read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho in my 20’s and have re-read it many times over the years. It called to me from the bookshelf again the other day like it had some new illumination it wanted to share or a new epiphany it wanted me to have. It’s the magical story of Santiago whose life adventures teach us about the importance of listening to our hearts and learning to read omens we receive throughout our life in order to discover our life’s purpose. There are so many life-affirming, “a-ha” moments in this book and I wanted to share 5 quotes with you that really resonated with me. They are words I’m sure we can all relate to. I want to know what pearls of wisdom you have received from this book, so please feel free to share below in the comments. 1. “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” I discovered during COVID lockdown that the best and worst of me showed up to the party at various stages. I quickly noticed that when I felt nourished and in a positive place that the energy of the household was in harmony. Like the old parable about which wolf is the strongest, the black or the white wolf - it is definitely the one you feed. 2. “Usually the threat of death makes people a lot more aware of their lives”. This quote resonated with me, as I am sure it will with most of you, that when you are staring death in the face (or see a loved one go through pain), the important things in life come into focus with greater clarity. Isn’t it strange that it often takes the death of a loved one, a diagnosis for yourself or another great change-inducing trauma to make a shift in your actions and consciousness. 3. “I don’t want to change anything because I don’t know how to deal with change. I’m used to the way I am.” Wow - spoken like any person we know that is “stuck in their ways” and cannot see the growth that awaits them when they shift their mindset ever so slightly. Often these people desperately want to change but the fear of failure or the discomfort of being uncomfortable will stop them from realisng that dream. If this resonates with you and you are actually willing to change (but just not sure how) - a chat with a coach is a great place to take the first step. Mel and I offer free chats so please reach out - I know you have the courage to. 4. “That disaster taught me… to understand that people need not fear the unknown if they are capable of achieving what they need and want”. The word disaster caught my eye in this sentence as I love reading insights about rising from the ashes of adversity. I had a mindset shift last year when instead of viewing “the unknown” and “uncertainty” through the eyes of “fear” I instead chose to view them through the curious eyes of an adventure explorer or pioneering social scientist. I know it sounds peculiar, but when the curiosity of what adversity is trying to teach us becomes more powerful than the FEAR, it can result in enthusiasm and, dare I say it, joy. 5. Santiago: “Why should I listen to my heart?”. Alchemist: “Because you will never again be able to keep it quiet. Even if you pretend not to have heard what it tells you, it will always be there inside you, repeating to you what you’re thinking about life and about the world.” Well, ain’t that the truth! That niggling feeling is your intuition and your true heart’s desire. Have the courage to listen to it. Please. When that voice/feeling/vision of “what could be” overwhelms you, call me. I've been there, I know the feeling well. The world needs you to live your true purpose. “To realise one’s destiny is a person’s only obligation” - The Alchemist Grab your own copy of The Alchemist and see what secrets you unearth! Have a happy start to Winter (or Summer for you northern-hemisphere folk!) Love and light to you beautiful souls, Steph xx #CoachSteph The Alchemist - on sale at Booktopia - https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/D71Dq
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