Lessons People Learn Too Late in Life
Life is a continuous learning experience. Throughout our lives we keep rising and falling, picking up important lessons along the way. Some of these lessons come from experience, yet there are others that we learn watching others or reading in books for example. No matter how much we learn from the books there is a significant difference between practical and theoretical experience. Furthermore, there are many life lessons that we simply cannot learn until we face certain situations in our life. Most people would say that there are some lessons that come too late, catching us off-guard and unprepared.
We can’t go back and change the past, but we can always heed advice from people who are older, wiser, and more successful.
“If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” — Lao Tzu
As amazing and liberating life can be, it is also precious, fragile, and can be lost in an instant. This makes it even more important to cherish every moment you’ve been blessed with. As we get older, we all learn valuable lessons. Looking back to your younger years, you may have thought, “I wish I knew then what I know now”.
The following list unveils some of the most important lessons in life that people learn the hard way.
Everything Is Temporary
Everything in life is temporary. No matter how much we want something to last forever, it will eventually end. Even if a couple is married for a lifetime, one of the spouses will eventually pass away first. Same goes with pets, jobs, and anything else we care about. When we are young, it’s all too easy to take things for granted. Remember that you only have a limited amount of time to spend with your parents, friends, and family.
Money Can’t Buy Happiness
“Money can’t buy happiness” is an old phrase that you have probably heard before. Money can help with a lot of things in life. There are plenty of problems that would be solved if you only had enough money to throw at the issue. However, money cannot buy love. It cannot buy true friendship, and it will not make you happy 24/7. Even the richest people in the world still have bad days and still feel disappointed and upset over things going on in their lives.
Our everyday habits form our future selves.
What you do today is one more action toward who you will be tomorrow. When that action is replicated over the course of a week, you begin to scratch the surface of change. When that action is replicated over the course of a month, you begin to notice a slight difference.
Good things don’t come easy
If you want to have a good life with a successful career, emotional satisfaction, and trustworthy friends you have to work hard. Luck can take you only so far and the rest is entirely up to you, the amount of effort you put in every day, and the ability to learn from your mistakes. Don’t think for a moment that someone else is going to fight your battles with the same vigor and devotion as you would.
Never Stop Learning
Some people go through life on the easy route. People who hate learning in school are eager to drop out or graduate. After school, they immediately want to start working and are not interested in learning anything new. These people are often very close-minded. Without a sense of curiosity in life, you really miss out on so many amazing and interesting things.
Stop Complaining
So many people complain about small everyday things. They might complain about the weather, traffic, or the quality of the meal that they ate last night. If you’re reading this right now, it means that you were living in a first-world country. You have access to the internet and you are an educated person. This means that you have so much more than so many other people in the world, and you have things to be grateful for. By focusing on gratitude instead of complaining about your life, it will become significantly better.
Forgive Others (Even if You Never Get an Apology)
We have all been hurt by someone in our lives. Holding grudges can be one of the most toxic things to deal with. Unfortunately, the people who hurt us the most you might never give you an apology. And if you wait around hoping for someone to say they are sorry, it is likely that moment will never come.
Life Isn’t Fair
Unfortunately, life isn’t fair. Someone might cheat their way to success, cut in line, or get away with a crime. We can choose to either let this get us down or simply realize that it’s a fact of life. There is no use in getting upset over this. In fact, karma might eventually catch up with this person further down the line.
Learn to Put Your Ego in Check
Sometimes, our pride can get in the way of a lot of things. If we worry too much about feeding our ego, we can become too self-centered. That can get in the way of our success and happiness.
Treat Yourself With Love and Respect
If you are being treated badly by the people around you, remind yourself that it is because they already have this preconceived notion in their mind of who you are. This does not define who you truly are, and it’s still possible to change your circumstances. Start by loving and respecting yourself. Forgive yourself for your past and begin to treat yourself like the person you want to be.
Live Without Fear
It’s useless to be afraid of things and to let them hold us back from doing what we want to do. Most of the time, fear is in our minds. And once we actually go to take action on these things, the fear only lasts a moment and we are fine. Think about every time you were afraid to get a shot at the doctor’s office. The fear of needles is often more painful than the needle itself.
Live and let live
We often try to help people when we see they’re making a mistake. This type of behavior can lead us into all kinds of troubles and misunderstandings. Don’t force your ideas onto others, let those who want your help and guidance seek you out. Sometimes it’s best to stay away and let them come to you or you might seem intrusive to others.
People Aren’t Thinking About You As Much As You Think
Some people go through life feeling self-conscious about themselves. They may be afraid that people are staring at them, judging their clothing, or a number of other things. In reality, most people are just thinking about themselves. Ask yourself what is in your mind most of the time. Probably 80 to 90% of your thoughts are consumed about your own life. So what makes you think that other people are wasting their time worrying about you?
Know Your Destination
There are certain paths in life that are very clear-cut. For example, if you want to be a doctor, you go to college, then medical school, then take on a residency at a hospital. You’re a doctor. But for some career paths that are non-traditional, like a YouTuber, there is no formula that every single person can successfully follow. A lot of people have big hopes and dreams, but they give up trying because they get caught up in the “how”. Without knowing every step of the process, it can be very scary, and many people give up before they even start.
Family Matters More Than Friends
When we are young, our friends mean the world to us. We would rather ditch family dinner in favor of spending a Friday night out. But at the end of the day, your family are the ones who love you unconditionally. Friends come and go when we graduate school, switch jobs, and break up with boyfriends and girlfriends. But your family is forever.
Material Things Don’t Matter
So many people are trying to become rich so that they can buy the things they want. But at the end of the day, these are just things. Remember back to the moments when you desperately wanted the things that you have right now. Maybe getting that thing was exciting, but did those material things really make you a happier person
Don’t Let Fear of Embarrassment Stop You From Being Yourself
Whenever you try something new, there is always the chance that you might embarrass yourself. And some people are terrified to let their friends and co-workers know if they secretly have a guilty pleasure. At the end of the day, other people’s opinions of you don’t matter. You only have one life to live, so you should live it any way you want to.
Don’t Sleepwalk Through Life
There is a famous Warren Buffet quote; “Look for the job you would take if you didn’t need a job. Don’t sleepwalk through life. You really want to be doing what you love doing.” This is absolutely great advice. There are some people out there who wake up, go to work, and come home just to zone out in front of the TV. This is sleepwalking through life.Instead of just continuing to go through the motions every day, start to do things that you feel passionate about. Remember that you only get one life to do things you want to do.
For every action, there’s an equal opposite reaction
Before you say something or act in a certain way, think about the consequences. A person could be unprepared to hear some truth or won’t respond well to our gesture, no matter how good our intentions are. Treat each word with caution.Take these pieces of advice as guidance, not as a rule. Your life is your own and you know what’s best for you. However, keep in mind that morning is wiser than the evening. Enjoy life!
Eventually, Things Get Better
No matter how terrible a situation may be, there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel. Something can feel so incredibly painful that we cannot even imagine being happy again. This can lead to depression, especially if we do not have a good way to cope with the bad times.
Happiness Is A Choice
No matter how tough things get, happiness is always a choice. Obviously, this is easier said than done. It’s not possible to turn off sadness or angry in a split second just because you choose to be happy. But you can choose how long you mope in your sadness. If you struggle with depression, try to “build a ladder.” Start at the smallest rung by thinking of something happy and positive. Keep going by adding more and more reasons to be happy. Eventually, you’ll find you are in a better mood.Your lifetime is a series of developments and personal growth.
Take Care of Your Health
Most people in the United States coast through life eating and drinking whatever they want. Suddenly, they are diagnosed with cancer, diabetes, or heart disease. Finally, people begin to care about eating right, but by then it’s already too late. As we grow older all the parties, drinking, smoking, and eating fast food take a toll on our health. Start developing healthy habits while you’re still young and healthy. Take regular checkups with your doctor and dentist in order to prevent future problems.
Age is Just a Number
When we are in our 20s, it feels kind of like a race to get things done before we turn 30. Many people feel pressured to get married, have kids, or buy a house before they become “too old” to do so. They might also feel that if they have not accomplished something by a certain age, it becomes “too late” to change their situation or try new things.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help
A lot of people are afraid to ask for help because they don’t want to appear weak. Or maybe they want to have the pride of knowing that they accomplished something all on their own. Unfortunately, if you’re too stubborn to ask for help, this can sometimes hold you back from succeeding. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you really need it.
Remember To Enjoy Life
This piece of advice sounds very simple, but most of us truly need to be reminded to enjoy our lives. As we get older, we are expected to be very serious and professional. Suddenly, we have tons of responsibility weighing down on us. Even if you have a lot to worry about, it is still important to enjoy life to the fullest. If you have not taken a break in a long time, go on a vacation. Or at the very least, go somewhere fun in your local area. Life is meant to be so much more than work.
A Lifetime Is Not Really That Long
Last, and certainly not least, is that life is unfortunately not as long as we think it is. When you consider that we sleep at least eight hours per night, we are at work eight hours a day, and you may also be commuting, this leaves very little time to actually be our true selves. And as we get older, time seems to go by much faster.
It’s never too late to become what you wanted to be or might have been if you start now. Being happy takes practice. Whether it’s you learning to let go of your ego, or forming more self-loving habits…it takes practice. You only have one life, work as hard as you can to make it your best life.
Originally appeared on Moneyppl by Shannon— the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.
