The greatest advice I can give anyone is to not take advice from anyone. Listen to the voice of your heart, the voice that is uncontaminated by the ego. You will many times need advice to find the right voice, but once you do, listen to your heart.
Shaykh Nuh Keller said, “Do not let the opinions of people interfere with the directions given to you from God.”
Shaykh ibn Ata’illah said, “The most ignorant of all people is the one who abandons the certitude he has for an opinion people have.”
Growing up I was usually the youngest cousin in my environment, and I was given opinions left and right about what to believe, what to seek, and how to perceive the world. Many times these ideas burdened me and made me feel worse about why I couldn’t derive happiness from them. As I grew older I realized that everyone is on a different and unique life path. Your path is special and different. Follow your own path with inward certainty, and wear a shield against the army of opinions that are coming your way.
