Who Will Cry When You Die - Chapter 1 and 2

Who Will Cry When You Die (WWCWYD) by Robin Sharma was the first self-help book that encouraged me to take a leap of faith in myself. I had a lot of unresolved anxiety and could not get rid of it.  What came after reading that book was a stream of growth and learning that I am incredibly grateful to have undertaken. WWCWYD has 101 lessons. I recommend the book if you’re looking for practical steps that are easy to implement. To give you a preview of the lessons included, I will summarize each chapter and provide personal examples. Hopefully, the information here will help you in your journey. 

Chapter 1 - Discover Your Calling

Bring more of yourself in your work and focus on the thing you do best. Be the change you want to see most in your life. 

I had a lot of anxiety with teaching. I couldn’t pinpoint the source of my anxiety. But even though I felt like I established myself and got into a groove, I had a lot of unexplained anxiety. I had a strong desire to be and do more for my students. I wanted them to learn. But I wanted ALL of them to learn. It took me a while to recognize that everyone is in school for different reasons. And everyone has different lifestyles which influence their dedication to school.  Once I accepted that reality, I adjusted my teaching style. I worked with my students rather than for them. I incorporated meditation and created class rules with them. It worked out great! The meditation centered them for the lesson. I got little to no complaints about grades or any punishments because they set the rules. And I bonded with my students because they could see that I wanted them to succeed, but ultimately it was their responsibility. 

Chapter 2 - Every day, be kind to a stranger

A meaningful life comprises a series of daily acts of decency and kindness that add up to something truly great over the course of a lifetime. 

Implementing this lesson was a little more challenging for me. I thought that I needed a grand gesture to show kindness. One that the person would remember. But ultimately it came down to just being kind to customer service representatives or expressing gratitude when someone does anything for me. So from cooked meals to giving me the best deals, I learned that small acts of kindness go a long way. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you for stopping by!  Please feel free to share your opinions and experiences with these lessons in the comment section. I would love to read and respond to them.

See you next week!