Do you ever notice how older people tend to have a lot of wisdom? That’s because they’ve lived through so much and picked up a lot of lessons along the way.
Some people say that there are lessons you can only learn through many years of living – but what if that wasn’t the case? What if you could be armed with that extra knowledge now?
Here Are 10 Things That Most People Take A Lifetime To Learn
1. Be Kind To Yourself
A lot of people strive to be perfect, even without realizing it. They berate themselves over every single failure, they always expect more out of themselves, and they feel guilty for stopping to rest.
But we’re all human beings, and expecting flawlessness is unreasonable. You’re setting an unhealthy and unattainable standard for yourself, essentially dooming yourself for disappointment from the get-go!
Yes, it’s important to always strive to do your best. But that doesn’t mean that you should shun the very idea of being human. You need breaks and you’re going to experience failure every so often, and that’s okay!
- Learn to be gentle and kind to yourself, and find the beauty in the human experience.
- Take self-care days.
- Comfort yourself after upsets.
- Build yourself up with positive affirmations.
- Forgive yourself for errors.
- Most importantly, be compassionate to yourself – you deserve that!
2. Don’t Overwork
Many people spend a lot of time chasing their dreams and hoping to hit it big. You might focus on furthering your career to the point where your entire life is consumed by the concept of chasing after an ever-elusive level of success.
Working hard is great, and it’s good that you have that worth ethic and drive. But make sure you aren’t overdoing it and neglecting all other aspects of your life because of it. Your career is important, but so is family, so are your hobbies, and so is your own quiet time for relaxation.
There is not a single person in the world who, on their deathbed, wishes that they’d clocked more hours at the office or worked a little more overtime. You’ll want to spend as much time with your loved ones as you can instead of squandering the time you have on burning the midnight oil and missing family dinners.
3. Gratitude Is Key
It’s important to appreciate what you have. Many people make the mistake of concentrating so much on what they lack or what they wish they had that they forget how privileged they are.
There’s always something to be grateful for! Whether it’s being glad that you read something that could help you later on, being thankful for a good meal, or anything “minor” that’s good in your life, there’s no shortage of ways to be appreciative. Here are some ideas of areas you can be grateful.
- Having a job that pays your bills
- Knowing that there are people who care about you
- Having a strong character that overcomes adversity
- Your bed, water, heating, electricity, and other small luxuries
- The good state of your health
- Good memories you have
- The lessons you’ve learned from a mistake
This kind of positive thinking isn’t just for show. It can actually make you happier and even allow you to have better success rates. Making it a daily practice can be tricky, but start small. End your day by naming three things you’re grateful for. Before you know it, you’ll find good things everywhere you look.
4. Failure Is A Lesson
If you don’t make mistakes, you’ll never learn or grow. Life is all about falling down and picking yourself back up again, even when it’s difficult, and even when it’s the last thing you feel like you want to do.
Every single mistake and supposed failure makes you stronger. It arms you with new knowledge, it makes you smarter and sharper, and it ensures that you won’t make the same error again. Basically, you’re onto the next step in the staircase of life – and that’s a good thing!
- Don’t let a fear of failure stall your progress.
- Don’t allow it to pull you away from taking risks.
- Embrace each mistake and recount the lesson it has taught you; actively apply it in your life.
- Then, move on. Your mishaps shouldn’t weigh you down; they’re meant to teach you something and help you fly.
There is no correct way to succeed and no clear path in that direction. Your best bet is forging your own path. In the process, you’re guaranteed to mess up. But if you react in a positive way and keep learning and growing, you’ll soon find the success that you seek.
5. Be Kind
Compassion is free, and there isn’t quite enough of it in the world. That’s why it’s important to take the time to just be kind to those around you, no matter who they are. This is something many people don’t learn until they’re old and grey – so start now!
There’s something precious and wonderful in learning that it’s more important to give than to receive. Do so willingly, expecting nothing in return. Search for opportunities to be kind, such as:
- Smile at people as you walk by them.
- Give a gift to someone you care about.
- Compliment someone respectfully.
- Offer to pay for the meal of someone having a bad day.
It’s very easy to get swept up in bad news and begin to think that the whole world is cruel and depressing. Doing kind things for others is a great way to make a small difference and improve your positive thinking. After all, kindness begets kindness.
