Some lessons keep returning until we see them. Here is a reflection on the old saying, and on what it quietly asks of each of us.
Key Takeaways
- The old saying holds that how we treat others tends to find its way back to us.
- Connie describes patterns that repeat, sometimes for decades, until they are seen.
- Apologies matter, but she says actions speak louder than words.
- Tradition calls it sowing and reaping, and says it can play out in one lifetime or across several.
- The practical step is simple: notice how you treat the needs of others, and let your actions change first.
There’s an old saying,
“What goes around, comes around”
and, while most people are familiar with the saying, they are always surprised by the negative things that happen to them.
To me, it’s not surprising at all. I see people taking advantage of other people so it makes sense to me that these people will have others taking advantage of them. I also see these same people feeling like victims when the people they took advantage of, suddenly leaves them because they have had enough of this kind of abusive behavior.
A man I knew was always being taken advantage of by family members. They would go into business together and then walk away from the business leaving this man with all the debts. When I advised him not to go into business with family members, he just shrugged his shoulders and said, “they’re family.” Years later, I saw him doing the same thing to someone else so it was no wonder that it kept coming back and biting him in the wallet.
It’s amazing the way people think they can get away with abusive behavior and not pay the piper at some time. Sometimes it takes several lifetimes to catch up with you but sometimes it happens in the same lifetime, but decades later, from your first abusive behavior until the other person walks away from you.
Many decades ago, I watched a man leave his creditors hanging without so much as an apology or a look of remorse. Then I watched when his patients left without paying him for his services. As a doctor, he couldn’t ask his patients for payment before he examined them, so it was interesting to hear him whine and complain about them not paying their bills. And, still, he didn’t see the connection between what he had been doing to others and what was being done to him.
These negative actions can be misconstrued as random acts that keep happening to them but they, very clearly, are not random acts. They are the embodiment of what goes around, comes around. You can’t ignore the needs of others without the same thing happening to you. It’s not possible. It’s a universal law that as you sow, so shall you reap.
You can even say the right words but the actuality is that actions speak louder than words. You can even apologize for your bad behavior but if you do it again, your words mean nothing and, once again, don’t be surprised if, what goes around, comes around. We get what we deserve, however long it takes for us to reap what we have sown.
If you would like schedule a counseling session with Connie go to: Official Site
Written by Connie H. Deutsch
Want to take your SOUL to the next level? Take a listen and subscribe to the Next Level Soul Podcast.
Where to Go Next
If this reflection stirred something, these pages on Next Level Soul carry the thread further. Pick one. Read it slowly. Then notice one small action you can change today.
- Reincarnation: Beliefs, Research and What Past Lives Really Mean explores the idea of lessons carrying across lifetimes.
- Dark Night of the Soul looks at the seasons when old patterns break open.
- The Laws They Don’t Teach Audio Course is a guided listen on the spiritual laws many of us were never taught.
- Spiritual Enlightenment is our guide to the path across traditions.
- What Is Synchronicity? explains meaningful coincidence, and why patterns can feel like messages.
- The Next Level Soul Podcast brings new conversations every week.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does “What Goes Around, Comes Around” Mean?
It means the way we treat other people tends to come back to us in some form. Many people call it cause and effect.
Is This the Same as Karma?
They are closely related. In Eastern traditions karma means action and its results. The saying is the everyday version of the same idea.
How Long Does It Take to Come Back?
There is no fixed timeline. Connie writes that it can take decades within one life, and some traditions say it can take several lifetimes.
Can an Apology Change the Pattern?
An honest apology can open the door. Connie’s point is that if the behavior repeats, the words mean little. Changed actions are what shift the pattern.
What If I Keep Being Taken Advantage Of?
This is not about blame. It is about noticing. Look for the pattern, set clear boundaries, and ask honestly whether the same behavior shows up anywhere in your own life.
Where Can I Learn More on Next Level Soul?
Start with the guides linked above, then explore the podcast and Next Level Soul TV for conversations on karma, forgiveness and the spiritual laws.
