While we all learn at our own speed throughout the years it seems things become harder and harder. As we grow we connect more and more with the people and world around us.
Even now I know that my life has gone through far more twists and turns than I would have wanted it to. The older we get the more mistakes we realize we have made. Regardless of how long your life has been thus far, these are things that you will learn eventually whether you have already faced some of them or all of them.
The list you will find below is something I have been meaning to put together for quite some time and it really brings a warmth to my heart that is completely incomplete. You see, no matter how many things I add to this list or how long it ends up being there will still be more to add as time goes on. Even when I am no longer of this world and have passed on from old age or whatever this universe has in store for me it will still be an incomplete list.
44 Lessons I Spent My Whole Life Learning:
(Please keep in mind they are in no specific order as each is just as valuable as the next.)
1. Some people won’t like you and there is nothing wrong with that.
Sometimes people won’t like you and you might never know why. They will refuse to have anything to do with you and you can’t change it. This is just how it is sometimes and you need to accept it.
2. Your heart is what you should be listening to.
If you listen to the voice of others and try to think with your mind all the time you will fall behind. You should be listening to your heart. Go where it pushes you.
3. The only person who you truly hold power over is yourself.
You are in charge of your life. No one else gets to make the decisions in your life. Don’t let other people hold you back.
4. We all make mistakes.
Mistakes are going to happen no matter what. We all make them and whether we own up to them or not they do happen and there is no avoiding them.
5. Perfection does not exist.
Perfect is not possible. There are no perfect people because perfection does not exist. Stop putting other people so high up, we are all the same.
6. Just because you’re old doesn’t mean you’re wise.
Wisdom and old age do not go hand in hand. Some wise people are much younger than I am and some old people are much less wise than you might think. These two things are not mutually exclusive.
7. You cannot find happiness in another person.
Other people are not going to complete you. You have to find happiness on your own. It comes from within your being, not theirs.
8. The impossible is possible.
The impossible is much more possible than you might think. While it seems hard it can be done. Even in the most peculiar situations.
9. Worrying does no good.
Worrying only creates more chaos within your mind. It doesn’t do you any good or the person your worrying about. The quicker you learn this, the better.
10. If you don’t get the sleep you need you will feel like shit.
If you don’t spend the time sleeping that you need to you are going to waste away. Sure, some people don’t need as much sleep as others but we should all take care of ourselves. The body you have is the only one you get.
11. There is nothing wrong with speaking your mind.
If you want to say something, say it! Stop holding back the words you’ve played out time and time again. What do you have to lose?
12. You cannot please the whole world.
If you go through life thinking you can please everyone you are going to be very disappointed. This world is a crazy place and you can never truly please everyone. Someone will always dislike the things you are doing no matter what those things are.
13. Tomorrow is not promised.
Tomorrow is never something we know we will get for sure. You might go to bed tonight and never wake up again. This is something we face each and every day.
14. Holding onto the past is a waste of time.
If you hold onto the past you are also holding yourself back. The past cannot be changed and should be let go of. If you can’t accomplish this your life will not mean as much as it could.
15. Sometimes we are wrong, no one is ever always right.
We all go through different things in life and sometimes we are wrong. There is nothing wrong with being wrong. If you are the kind of person who refuses to admit when he or she is wrong you need to change. Not one single person on this planet is always right.
16. We all die at one point or another.
Unfortunately, no one lives forever; we are all going to pass away at some point. While it might suck to think about it is also something worth coming to terms with.
17. ‘Things’ won’t hold your hand when you’re crying and in pain.
The things you spend your money on will not be there for you when you are at your weakest. People matter and we need to remember that. If you don’t take care of those who take care of you they will move on.
18. Friendships are important and should be nurtured.
If you are the kind of person to ignore your friends when you find a partner you need to stop doing that. Relationships sometimes come and go and you need to nurture your friendships all the same. If you stop connecting you will end up alone and no one wants to be alone.
19. Taking care of your body is important.
Your body is important. We only get one and it should be taken care of. Eat right and exercise for yourself not for anyone else.
20. Making memories is important.
If you go through life working and going through the motions you won’t make many memories worth keeping. When you are old and everyone else is gone the memories you make will be all you have left. Make as many as you can.
21. Being kind will get you much further than being full of hate.
Being kind is important. If you are an asshole you will find your self-isolated much quicker. It doesn’t take much to show others kindness and it gets you much further in life.
22. Age really is just a number.
Chances are you don’t feel as old as you are right now. When we age we don’t feel it until it’s literally hitting us in the face years down the road. Age is not what most think of it as.
23. There is nothing wrong with being weak sometimes.
Sometimes we show weaknesses and there is nothing wrong with this. It just proves that we are human. There is nothing wrong with letting your human side show from time to time.
24. Living with passion will make life a million times better.
If you live your life with passion it will feel so much more full. Don’t let anyone hold you back. Get out there and do whatever ignites the fire in your heart.
25. It is never too late to chase your dreams.
There is never a time where it is too late. You can always go do whatever you want if you truly want to. If you’ve been wanting to do something, get out and do it.
26. Being able to let go is a skill worth having.
Being able to let go is something that you will be able to apply to your life time and time again. It is a skill that comes in handy and something most are not capable of. I spent years working on it myself.
27. Anger is a waste of time.
Being angry is not something we should do. We should always do our best to let go of anger, because anger is nothing but a waste of time.
28. You can handle anything that life throws your way.
Life is not going to bring you to something you cannot get through. While it might be hard you will come out on the other side. Believe in yourself as best you can.
29. If you are not honest with yourself you will wilt.
If you are not honest with yourself your life force will begin to wilt. The more open and honest you are with yourself the more you will thrive. We all want to thrive.
30. We all get old and no cream is going to change that.
There is no changing your age. We all get old and there is nothing we can do about it. Accepting it and continuing on through it is important.
31. Working hard is great but we still need to make time for fun.
Making time for fun is also something that makes memories you will use later in life. Don’t waste your years doing nothing but sticking to the status quo. Your years are worth more than that.
32. The small things do matter.
Stopping to smell the roses and so forth is as important as Hollywood makes it out to be. While it might sound cliche being mindful and living in the here and now will make a difference in the quality of life you live. There is nothing wrong with going for a walk in the park.
33. It is important to be as open as possible.
Being open with the people in your life will build lasting connections. We love authenticity and when you are open you are exactly that, authentic. Showing your true self-gets you much further than you might think.
34. Your mind is powerful.
Your mind is a very powerful thing. It does more than you know and is capable of huge things in this world. Don’t sell yourself short.
35. The things you say do affect the people around you.
The things you do in this life make a difference. Don’t say anything you wouldn’t want repeated. Sometimes we forget the power of our tongues.
36. Success does not come without failure.
We must fail if we want to succeed. Sometimes we are not able to do things on the first try. The more you try the closer you get to success.
37. There is never enough time.
There is never enough time in this life. Our lives are much shorter than they seem. While they may feel long, they are over in the blink of an eye.
38. Change is going to happen whether we want it to or not.
Change happens no matter what. You cannot avoid it and you cannot stop it; it must be accepted.
39. Life is too short to spend it living out other people’s dreams and expectations.
Life is much shorter than we realize. If you spend it living out the expectations of others you will never be happy.
40. If you don’t give up, there is still something worth fighting for.
If you don’t give up you will always have hope. Hope is what keeps the world going. It is something we all need more than we realize.
41. Debt is not worth it.
If you get yourself in debt you will only feel terrible throughout the years. It is a looming shadow that covers everything. It is not worth it.
42. You don’t have to be married to be happy.
You can find happiness without being married. If you want to be single, be single. There is no set in stone rule to life.
43. We should always question things.
Question everything, this world is full of lies. A lot of people don’t realize that the things we see and hear are not always as they should be. Get to know yourself and do your own research.
44. We never truly stop learning.
We are always learning. It never stops and we can never truly know everything. Life is a lot more complicated than we realize.