Life Isn't Fair: Four Essential Truths to Live By
Understanding the Myth of Fairness
Life isn't fair.
There's a pervasive myth that life is supposed to be fair, that there's some grand fairness equation out there balancing everything out. We often get caught up in the idea that fairness is a natural aim of life, leading us to feel indignant and frustrated when things don't go as we believe they should.
However, clinging to the belief that life should be fair doesn't help us. There are four critical life lessons that, when embraced, can liberate us and allow us to live a rich, fulfilling life aligned with our true selves.
Life Truth #1: Life Isn't Fair
The first truth is that life isn't fair.
A significant part of your life will be determined by sheer luck—where you were born, the country, the economic and social status into which you were born, and other factors beyond your control. The personal development world often suggests that you create your entire reality, but this isn't true in the way most people think. You don't create the thunder and lightning, but you do choose the meaning you assign to those events.
This understanding is crucial.
Accepting that life isn't fair means recognizing that things will happen to you and others that are beyond control. What we can control, however, is the meaning we give to those events. Our freedom lies in this choice, not in believing that life should be fair.
Life Truth #2: Privilege is Real
The second vital truth is that privilege is very real.
Privilege manifests in many forms, including economic privilege and access to opportunities, which are not equally distributed. This ties back to the first truth—life isn't fair, and privilege plays a significant role in that unfairness.
You cannot undo privilege, but you can choose not to be an asshole about it.
By acknowledging the privilege you have—whether it's due to your sex, race, socioeconomic status, or the country you were born in—you can approach life with humility rather than hubris. I am deeply privileged as a white female born into a certain socioeconomic status with access to education and opportunities.
Others may have more privilege in certain areas, but instead of ranting about what I lack, I choose to own my privileges with gratitude and not shame.
Life Truth #3: Climbing Out of Poverty is Extremely Difficult
The third truth is that climbing out of poverty is 100 times harder than moving from above the breadline to financial freedom.
The path out of deep, structural poverty is not straightforward. For millions of people, the amount of energy, resources, and regulation units needed just to survive, let alone improve their socioeconomic status, is overwhelming.
A book I highly recommend, "Utopia for Realists" by a Dutch author, explores the economic aspects of the struggle to climb out of poverty. If you're living in the back end of Mozambique, where it takes two days to ride a bicycle to buy one brick to build a house, your challenges are vastly different from those in a first-world society with easy access to resources at a fraction of the cost.
This lesson is important because it counters the arrogance that sometimes accompanies the belief that anyone can create the life they want. Structural foundations matter, and while victimhood is not the answer, humility and a realistic understanding of these challenges are essential. It's not just about teaching skills; it's also about providing access to resources necessary to use those skills effectively.
Life Truth #4: Gratitude and Awareness Lead to a Wealthy Life
The fourth life truth is about how to sit with these sometimes harsh realities and still live a wealthy life.
It begins with recognizing what you already have—your luck, your privilege, and the opportunities available to you. From this place of deep gratitude and awe for what already exists in your life, you can then use your enthusiasm, curiosity, and creativity to explore and expand further.
Gratitude isn't about simply accepting your lot in life; it's about being genuinely filled with joy and wonder at the abundance already present. From this foundation, you can explore what else is possible, and in doing so, you align with the birthright of abundance, wealth, and vitality.
These four truths—life isn't fair, privilege is real, climbing out of poverty is incredibly difficult, and gratitude leads to abundance—may seem daunting at first. However, by embracing them, you can find a deep sense of fulfillment and live a life filled with richness and meaning.
When we recognize our privileges and use them with grace and consciousness, we contribute to changing this amazing world.
Huge wealthy love,
Ann
P.S I'd love to hear from you - share with me what privilege you have chosen to acknowledge and own. Drop me a mail on [email protected] and let's share in our acknowledgement of our privilege.
