9 Life Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
I often wish I could go back and change those hard situations and mistakes. I know that it’s not good to dwell on the past, but sometimes I have to do it in order to understand those mistakes, learn from them and avoid making them in the future. Every new day is a trial-and-error process but our mistakes and failures are usually our best friends since they show us the right way. Here are a few precious life lessons I learned the hard way and I don’t regret it.
1. People will always judge you and you cannot please everyone
Being yourself is a challenging task as you can be criticized and judged. But you cannot live your life in accordance with someone’s expectations and stereotypes either. I was often told, “I didn’t expect such a thing of you” and it just made me crazy since I heard it from people I hardly knew. People love being superficial and they frequently make judgments without any prior knowledge. That’s why I’ve learned to let it go and live my own life.
2. Honesty always works
I believe that secrets are never long-lived and honesty always works. I am honest by nature and I expect the same from others. Sometimes, however, I’d like to keep certain things back. Each time I hide anything from my parents or best friend I fail! Sooner or later the cat is out of the bag and the feeling of shame is guaranteed.
3. Love without the fear of loss
Human beings are designed for each other and if you think that watching TV on Friday evening instead of having a good time with your guy is great, you are a bit mistaken. I’ve been alone for a long time since the fear of heartbreak or rejection was much stronger than me. But it’s impossible to feel the joy unless you take the risk. Heartbreaks are likely to be common things until you find the right person, but you can see much wisdom in it.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask
How many times have you regretted that you didn’t ask out that very guy? How many times have you received odd and useless presents for Christmas just because you were afraid of requesting something you really wanted? You never show initiative and as a result others get job promotion, interesting projects and higher wage. All this stuff was utterly about me but I understood that voicing my interests is much easier and more enjoyable than I thought.
5. Your social accounts mean a lot
The Internet is not just for fun and it really matters what you post or say on your social account. Your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are wrong places to air dirty laundry about your colleagues or share your recent love affair. You need to establish some privacy even among your friends so that you won’t face the comment or photo that you cannot delete.
6. Don’t neglect your best friend because of mere trifles
People come and go but a best friend is the only one who remains forever. They say that everyone has a soulmate in this world and whenever you find this person you should never let them go. I remember all those stupid quarrels over guys, her constant tardiness, my irresponsibility… Nowadays we live in different cities and we have rare opportunities to meet. You cannot imagine how much I regret that we spent so much time apart because of our controversies.
Read also – Why You Should Listen to Someone Even if You Think They Are Wrong
7. Whatever happens, happens for something good
Mistakes and failures are inevitable. Once you understand this truth you will benefit from it. When I was 16 years old I fell off the bicycle. The fall was very severe and my right arm was injured rather badly. And guess what? I was prohibited from writing and going to school for about a month. Now I realize this is not the case to be happy about, but this is a very exact example how you can turn disadvantages into advantages!
8. Rigid boundaries in an unpredictable life
We often expect things to happen the way we want it and we think that we control our life. In fact, we can hardly control anything except our own behavior. It has taken me years to become adaptable to unpredictable situations that I cannot influence. It’s a vital skill that makes my life less stressful and more bearable.
9. Parents are almost always right
Children hate to admit this, even though the fact is undeniable. My parents were right about everything: my life priorities, my friends and things I would probably regret of. I always wonder that my mom foresees the consequences of my deeds. And I made lots of mistakes because I didn’t want to pay attention to her words.
I still have many things to learn and I don’t afraid to make mistakes. The main thing to understand is that every experience is good, even if it hurts and leaves scars. Wisdom cannot come by itself, and very often we have to pay for it. Do you have any other life lesson you’ve learned the hard way?
