7 Lessons We Can All Learn from Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels is a mere wrestling superstar to most, but to me, he was the catalyst for change that I so desperately needed. Something about him spoke to me so deeply. I watched him, studied him, and after a while, I felt like I knew him. Something about him was so raw, so real, and so easy to get lost in. It wasn’t just a character, it was a piece of him that drew so many in.

Life isn’t fair to anyone, but seeing Shawn overcome his obstacles gave me the strength to tackle my own. I no longer felt alone because I knew that the Showstopper was in my corner, and after watching him my whole life, I know that we can learn so much more from him than the superkick.

1. Sometimes smiles are fake, and that’s okay.

Life deals unfair cards all the time, but sometimes we just have to smile and survive. You might not feel like it yet, but soon that smile will feel real again.

2. It’s not about winning or losing, it’s about having fun.

We can’t take ourselves so seriously because we only end up getting hurt along the way. Take your victories, learn from your losses, and have fun every moment of your life or else you’ll be left wondering what you really lived for.

3. We can’t fight our battles alone.

Friends hold us together. They keep us honest, they keep us real, and in Shawn’s case, they keep us alive. Take care of the ones who love you because, in the end, they do more than you may ever realize.

4. It’s okay to acknowledge the struggle.

It’s okay to have hard days, just don’t unpack and live there. Sadness doesn’t fix anything. Pick yourself up, lean on your friends, and have faith that you’ll get through it because believe me, you will.

5. It won’t be like this forever.

You won’t feel like you’re dying forever. You won’t feel worthless forever. You won’t feel like you’re better off being dead forever. Nothing in life is permanent, and everything can change in the blink of an eye. So, even though it feels impossible now, just remember that the sun will still rise in the morning.

6. Forgiveness is healing.

We all make mistakes, even if they don’t feel like them when we make them. We all have to come to a point in our lives when we realize we’ve hurt people, and the only way to truly heal is to ask for forgiveness.

7. All great things end, but we don’t have to forget them.

Time waits for no one, and the great adventure has to end sometime, but that doesn’t mean we have to forget all the great memories. Hold on to them, tell great stories, use your story to inspire others. That’s what Shawn did for me.

I’ve never felt as close to a stranger as I do with Shawn Michaels. I first saw him when I was 9. I’m now 19. It’s been 10 years, and I would’ve never imagined that the person I’d learn the most important lessons from was a man who wrestled on TV. I know now that life works in mysterious ways, and the people we meet are all put on our paths for a reason. Shawn was put on my path to inspire me, to change me, and to give me the drive and courage to follow my dreams, no matter how out of reach they feel.

Thank you, Shawn, for giving me everything I ever needed. You mean more to me than I will ever be able to say.