Life hasn’t always been easy for me.
There have been a lot more unsettling downs than optimistic highs. There have been tremendous amounts of failures, risks, defeats, collapses, breakdowns.
But, no matter how dark it had seemed at times, and no matter how desperate I’ve been, some of the best lessons I’ve learned in life originate from some of the most disappointing heartbreaks I’ve experienced.
After all, you know how it goes… What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger and gives you the courage to keep moving on!
So, here’s to life!
These are 12 brutal, yet beautiful lessons life has taught me:
1. No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to please all of the people all of the time. Trying to satisfy other people’s needs will only get you lost in the process. So, please. Take care of yourself first. It’s not selfish. It’s called self-care.
2. Unfortunately, most of our life is spent worshiping false ideals and chasing goals that don’t satisfy us. The day you realize that the only goals you should chase are your and the only future you should focus on is yours, you’ll finally start to live.
3. The aging process is inevitable. We’ll all grow old and eventually die. There’s no escaping from that. Your body is constantly changing even though you don’t notice it. But that’s all part of the natural process. Don’t try to reverse it. Don’t try to force it to be something it isn’t. Embrace every part of your life. Change your mindset and see the beauty in your aging process.
4. We’re all fighting our own battle. You don’t know what life is like for that boy on the street. You have no idea how many tears that girl hides under her smile. When you understand that, you’ll finally free yourself from judgement.
5. Believe me, you’ll regret the years you spent berating your looks and your body. Love yourself no matter how imperfect you are. Flaws are the best part.
6. Rare are those who really see the things you do right. Rare are those who appreciate your efforts, and really see you for who you are. The rest of the people are actually counting your failures making sure they demotivate you enough to stop you from trying.
7. Stress, fear and worry are eating you alive. You mustn’t let them take total control over your life. Physical health is important as well, but if you can’t find the way to maintain a peaceful life, it’s all in vain.
8. We’re not here for a long time. Each and every one of us has an expiration date. So, live your life. Don’t be afraid to do the things you love. You don’t owe anything to anyone.
9. Don’t live for tomorrow. Do think about the future. Without plans, you cannot possibly grow and move forward. But don’t ever forget that this present moment is everything we have right now. The past is long gone and forgotten. The future is far from where you stand and it’s truly unpredictable. But the present? The present is right there in front of you. Seize it and enjoy it!
10. Passion is important. Whatever you do in life, do it with passion. If your soul is not on fire and your heart doesn’t pound with excitement throughout the day, then what’s the thing that keeps you going?
11. Mistakes are not failures. It’s not something you should be ashamed of. Making mistakes is how you grow and learn the most important lessons on life. You fall 5 times, but you get up 6. It’s something we should all have courage to do. For it is only through persistence that we’ll achieve the things we truly desire.
12. The only person you can rely on is yourself. It sounds disappointing I know. But, there’s no one you can trust more than yourself. Unfortunately, life showed me that sometimes you cannot even trust the people who pretend to be your friends.
Photo credit: Aarp.net
