Today we continue the journey through the 7 Universal Laws. This second law is one of the most uncomfortable — yet liberating:
The Law of Reflection
This law simply says:
Everything you perceive in others exists within you.
Both the things that irritate you and the things that inspire you.
You cannot recognize anything outside yourself that does not exist, at some level, within you.
Judgment? It’s a reflection.
Admiration? Also a reflection.
Everything is a mirror.
Ancient thoughts, timeless truths
Advaita Vedanta (Ancient India): “The seer, the seeing, and the seen are the same.”
The Bible: “you who pass judgment do the same things” (Romans 2:1)
Rumi: “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.”
Here’s an example of how Monica applied the Law of Reflection with an entrepreneur client a few years ago.
A true story from Monica’s experience
Five years ago I worked with Lily, an entrepreneur who owned a production business. She had a serious problem: her employees were stealing from her. They took raw materials, pocketed money, sold products and kept the cash, and so on. This had been going on for a long time and it frustrated her deeply, both personally and professionally.
Lily told me how much it hurt, how it pushed all her buttons, and how it made her feel like she couldn’t trust people anymore. Every theft felt like a personal betrayal. It was exhausting. She was constantly on edge, waiting for the next time it would happen.
She tried everything to stop it—installed cameras, did surprise checks, fired employees who got caught, even consulted security experts. But nothing worked. No matter what she did, they always found a new way. It became an endless, draining cycle.
When we started working together I asked Lily, “Can you think of a time when you stole something?” She immediately said no. She swore she had never stolen in her life. I noticed her body language. She tensed up, her jaw tightened.
So I rephrased the question: “Can you think of a time when you took something that wasn’t yours? In what areas of life do you currently steal?” She got frustrated. “No! I told you, I never steal,” she said defensively.
I shifted gears. “Have you always reported the salaries you paid your employees?” She hesitated. Reluctantly she admitted, “Not always.”
I nodded. “So, in a way, you didn’t fully report to the state—and that means you stole from them.” She exhaled and gave a faint smile. “Yeah, I see what you mean.”
I continued. “Have you declared all the bonuses you’ve given?” Another pause. “No,” she answered.
“So, you didn’t pay taxes on those bonuses. That means you stole from the state, right?” She sighed, then laughed. “Yes.” Now she understood where this was going.
Since Lily worked with family, I asked, “Have you ever taken advantage of them? Maybe avoided officially registering their salaries or bonuses because they were family? In other words, did you steal from them and the state?” Another pause. Then finally, “Yes.”
One by one, she uncovered moments where she had done the very thing she resented in others. And then, after a long silence, she suddenly blurted out—”Holy smokes! I have this trait too! In equal measure, just like you said—both quantitatively and qualitatively.” It was a powerful realization—one she hadn’t expected.
And then, something incredible happened. Her employees stopped stealing.
She didn’t install more cameras. She didn’t tighten security. She didn’t fire anyone. She simply changed something inside herself—and the whole situation shifted.
Once Lily saw that she also had the trait she was judging in others, the dynamic transformed. Trust and accountability naturally rebuilt themselves. And suddenly, she was no longer fighting a losing battle with her own team.
There are no mistakes in the universe,
Monica and Stefan
P.S. The story above is taken from the book “The 7 Universal Laws.” If you want to discover more stories and learn how to apply the universal laws to solve difficult problems, read or listen to the book.
(If the link doesn’t work, please go directly to your country’s Amazon website)
More from Monica, Stefan and the Inspired Life Circle team.
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June 9 - Discover the 7 Ways Rich People Think That No One Ever Told You
A live intensive workshop with Monica Ion, founder of the FTP Methodology, for high-achieving professionals whose income, confidence, and growth stalled, despite their effort and ambition.