They say the truth hurts. And it hurts even more when you have to face the harsh reality of life that you’ve been always avoiding.
The truth is that life doesn’t always turn out to be like you want and expect it to be and, at the end of the day, the world doesn’t owe you anything. You’re responsible for your own life and you dictate its course yourself. You can’t just blame others for your missed opportunities, mistakes, heartbreaks, and failures.
It’s true, truth can hurt a lot, but you need to accept it if you want to be happy, fulfill all your wildest dreams and passions, and enjoy life to the fullest.
Here are the 17 harsh truths about life that will help you get your sh*t together:
1. Searching for happiness prevents you from finding it.
If you want to achieve happiness, you need to concentrate on and live in the present moment. Happiness is not somewhere out there, but it’s right now and right here where you are. Happiness is found in the little things that surround you, and only by living in the present moment, you’ll be able to notice them.
2. No one lives forever.
This is probably the most brutal one. But, it’s the truth. Everyone around you, including you, will eventually die. So, make sure you hug your parents, siblings, partner, friends, and all the people you love and tell them you love them.
3. Money can’t buy happiness.
No matter how much money you earn and have, money will never buy you happiness. Life is about living, not about accumulating money.
If you want to be happy, stop thinking about how you can make more money and start making memories with the people you love and who care about you instead.
4. You can never be perfect.
There’s no such thing as perfection. So, instead of standing in front of the mirror and pointing out your flaws, focus on your qualities and strengths. Be who you are and accept yourself as such.
5. Feelings matter too.
It’s not all about our thoughts and the way we behave. Feelings are important as well. You need to pay attention to how you feel and acknowledge your true feelings.
You can’t be true to yourself and live a happy, meaningful life if you are ashamed of or hide your own emotions. And at the end of the day, our feelings determine many of our actions.
6. Spending money is less effective than spending time.
It’s when you spend time with your loved ones that you feel happy and fulfilled. Whereas, spending money on expensive, meaningless material things can never provide you with true happiness.
When you spend good quality time with and help those you hold dear and care about, this affects them in a positive way and makes your life meaningful as well.
7. You’re responsible for yourself.
Nobody is going to live your life for you. You’re the one who dictates the course of your own life. Don’t wait for your family or friends to solve your problems and achieve your goals for you. Instead, take control over your life, find out what your goals and priorities are, and go out in the world and get them.
8. You can’t make everyone happy.
No matter how much you want and try to make all your loved ones happy, the truth is that all your efforts will be in vain. Everyone is responsible for their own happiness.
But, if you work on making yourself happy, I’ll assure you that this will inspire and encourage all the people around you to live more in the present moment and be more willing and determined to pave the road to their happiness.
9. Worrying is useless.
One day, you’ll realize that all the things you spent your life worrying about and let hurt you are no longer important. I hope you’ll realize that while you still have time to focus on the things that do matter in life.
10. Complaining is useless as well.
Things won’t get better and your problems won’t just magically disappear if you complain and whine about them every day. And the truth is, no one gives a damn about how hard your life is, (except for the people who really care about you).
So, instead of always complaining to others about your life, figure out what needs to be changed and improved in your life and take the necessary action to do that. No one is going to fix your problems for you.
11. Thinking and doing are not the same things.
Daydreaming without taking any action is futile. Success won’t be magically dropped in front of your door. If you want so succeed in something, you have to put your mind to it and find a way to get it.
12. When things go bad, it’s how you react that counts.
Life is not easy, and things will go bad sooner or later. But, what really matters and determines the quality of your life is how you react to them: whether you fight and do your best to make things right or you give up.
13. Ambition is useless if it’s not followed by action.
No matter how driven and ambitious you are or how brilliant ideas you have, if you don’ work hard, they’ll always be useless ideas and you’ll never get where you want to be in life.
14. Relationships do matter.
You may see yourself as an independent, strong, and capable person who doesn’t need anyone to feel happy and fulfilled. But, the truth is, you do.
The relationships you have with others, be that romantic or otherwise, are what provide you with true happiness and make you feel good about yourself. That’s why you need to make sure you always nurture them.
15. Time is the most valuable thing in your life.
Expensive clothes, designer bags, luxurious cars, and all sorts of material possessions don’t add value to you as a person and make your life meaningful. Time is what matters the most.
You’ll never have enough time to hang out with the people you hold dear and do the things you like. So, make sure you use wisely every bit of the time you have in the present.
16. Your knowledge has value only if you share it with other people.
If you know something that could help someone, then share those words of wisdom with them. Don’t be selfish and don’t let your ego prevent you from doing that.
17. Accepting everything at face value makes your life empty.
Life is about discovering and learning new things. If you want to find true meaning in life, you need to look beyond the surface of things, be curious, and ask questions.
