How do you protect your life?
People ask me all the time, "Trent, how do you protect your peace?" Or they ask me, "How do you even find peace in the first place?" Today's message is going to answer that question, because if you've been following me for a while, you know that I think peace is incredibly important. I am on a mission to help as many people as possible find peace, and more often than not, that can be accomplished by cutting out three things.
How do you protect your life? Number one is easier said than done, but you have to stop letting your good heart keep you in toxic situations.
You have to stop letting your kindness be taken advantage of. If you can't protect yourself, people will hurt you—that's just the reality we live in. I talk a lot about growth, but regression is also possible. Even though I am a firm believer that learning is always possible, regardless of the situation, not everything is meant for your life. It's going to be hard, but you owe it to yourself to cut toxic people out. Stop believing promises. Remember—consistent actions over words.
The second thing you need to do is stop believing in presentation. Stop trusting in illusions, because not everything is as it seems. One great example is social media. Far too often, people present themselves falsely, and we end up falling for it! People will show you the versions of themselves that will impress you, even when that isn't who they truly are. in my own life, I'm used to people promising me the world. I'm used to people saying all the right things, only to then be exploited by them. I'm used to people studying me until they understand what makes me happy, then using that information to use me. I'm not saying to build a wall to keep everyone out, but if you value your peace, you need to trust actions instead of words. People will present what they believe you want just so they can take away what you need. You need to stop letting your guard down, because your heart is too important to risk.
The third thing you need to do is stop falling for is potential. Potential can be met, but far too often, we treat potential as reality. We stay in toxic relationships and situations because we're in love with the potential—we're in love with what could be rather than acknowledging it for what is truly is in the moment. When it comes to relationships, falling in love with potential is dangerous, because once we show toxic people that we're satisfied, they no longer need to try to be better.
Finding peace is a lot of work, and I won't lie to you—it will result in some heartbreak. You will lose people and feel pain, but let me tell you something—a year from now, you'll be grateful you chose to protect your peace.
It all starts with you.
