Life lessons take you through the highs and lows of life. It is not perfect, but far from it. Many go through it day by day, while many of us have (in some sorted opinion) the perfect plan laid out.
The tunes that you wish to make out of life depends solely on how you play the strings.
Your productivity depends upon your struggle and hard work, your destiny
depends upon how good you are to others, and your life depends upon how well and early you learn the lessons that it spreads along the way.
Life appears, especially at a young age, either like a battlefield or a comfortable cushion. Nothing in between. As Plato says; “ For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories”. However, it happens more or less because, despite so much support and advice around us, we fail to recognize our strengths and weaknesses. It could be because what we learn from those around us comes from ‘their’ life experiences, not ‘ours’. For us to learn, we must first experience life. No matter how inspirational people are around us, how motivated we are at the starting point of anything, life for us begins when we start truly going through it and living it.
“Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans”.
John Lennon
Somehow, most of us happen to skip through to spending a life that we assume to be the best. However, between designing full-proof plans and implementing them in a more material manner, we forget to live through it. To live is to give it a meaning, not portray it as a valuable painting for others to comment upon. Undoubtedly, it does revolve around some very important people close to you, but how would you make life happen if you don’t work on it for your own sake first?
Like Ferris, from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, puts it “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”. Circumstances often lead us to places that we would not rather be in, however, it is important that each one of us faces the storm to appreciate the calm.
Moreover, sometimes it is hard to figure out what things in life are the most important. Now this is quite a relative term. “If we ask someone living on the edge of starvation, the answer is food. If we ask someone dying of a cold, the answer is warmth. If we put the same question to someone who feels lonely and isolated, the answer will probably be the company of other people.”
Jostein Gaarder, Sophie’s World.
Thus, at the end of the day, we all learn invaluable lessons. And more often than not, we find ourselves wishing ‘if only I had known that earlier. Here are 10 life lessons that we all go through, however, realize a little too late.
Related: 8 Habits of Highly Productive People for Quick Career Advancement
First Of The Life Lessons Is That ‘Nothing In Life Should Be taken For Granted‘
Nothing in life should be taken for granted, no matter how minor or unimportant it may seem from afar. We are only given one life, and that is all we have to make the most of. We often fail to appreciate whatever it is that we have until it’s no more, it includes family, friends, health, and so much more.
Life can change from sunset to sunrise; however, it depends on the circumstances if the change would be in your favor or against you. Now once that change has taken place, it cannot be removed from the past nor can it be denied. One must accept the change, and make the best out of it. The struggle also comes in here as a requisite.
Thus, taking things in life for granted is the worst thing one could do to life. It is indispensable that we take good care of our lives because let’s face it; once you grow up to a certain age, you are on your own. No matter how supportive your parents are or how loving your family is, your decisions are what yield results in the end. And the despairing part here is that some do not even get to know of parents, let alone a family.
“We will not know the worth of water till the well is dry”.
Thomas Fuller
Life is precious, whatever you have is invaluable, thus make sure that whatever decision you take, you do not regret it. You may fail, you may fall, but you learn.
Related: 8 Golden Rules to Follow for a Successful, Happy Life
Life Lesson 2: If You Want To Earn It, Learn It
Now we all have some dreams and aspirations. We all wish to be at the top of the world, figuratively of course, and we all want to make history. However, somewhere along the way, we forget that skills are an important part of life. Learning new skills is what gets us through to new horizons.
An effective skill set, with an efficient YOU, is what triggers stability in life. It requires strenuous efforts, discipline, and a belief in self. When you realize the enormous potential that you carry, you lead your life to a place where success comes to you.
“Once you stop learning, you start dying”
Albert Einstein
Learning is the biggest and greatest alternative to just being idly by. Learn whatever it is that comes at you, because life may take you there one way or the other. Why else would you have crossed paths with it?
And always remember that it takes repetition; tiring, frustrating, and never-ending repetition. However, it is always worth it in the end.
“The key to success is consistency. And right now, the only way for you to actually take action is to believe in yourself”.
Zak Frazer
Life Lesson 3: Only You Have The Answers To Your Life’s Problems
Let’s face it;
“The answers that you are looking for are not going to be found in your parents’ house”
Jordan Peterson
Finding answers to many questions that may come across as hard in life is solely your responsibility. You may seek help, you may seek advice, however, you must go through the process in order to completely and fully get to the answer.
In order to develop a sense of insight in life, you must decide your level of involvement in your life. And that, ideally, should be a nice 101 percent.
No situation or circumstance is above your mental ability to reason. No matter what is before you, your ability to think critically and analytically runs way faster than you perceive.
It is your life, lead it and seek answers. Because at the end of the answers is where life truly starts. And as it is your life, it is your responsibility to cater to it in many ways. It is also important to your personal development in life.
Life Lesson 4: Identify your values, and remain resolute
It is important that you are aware of what matters the most in life. It is necessary to ponder over your values and remain resolute and determined, no matter what. Almost every time, mostly at young ages, we agree to things that happen to be the exact opposite of our values. We are often influenced by others and take the completely opposite path. It not only defies our values, but also risks our sense of understanding.
Worthiness of one’s life and self are what makes a personality, it is the innate as well as developed abilities to stand out and stand up for self.
With an improved sense of one’s values, you can determine various ways to self-development. It also helps make better decisions with a clearer thought process.
Furthermore, the trick to this valuable life lesson is not only determining the values. It also requires conviction in the face of disturbances and distractions. Values hold no weight against life if they keep changing, here consistency and confidence in practice is required for greater results in life.
Life Lesson 5: It is okay to lose sight of the purpose
“You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore”.
Christopher Columbus
Let’s take the ocean as a metaphor for life.
Note: You are the only crew member and the only passenger on the vessel.
The ocean goes on and on, but it does have a shore. The calm waters represent the highs of life, when life is tranquil and does not require much effort to get through. Now, that is because the weather is nice. In the case for life, you have the undying support of your family and friends – because you are a child.
Now when you grow up, you hit the crazy currents that take you places of their own accord. These are the lows and difficulties in life. How you get to the shore, and in what condition, depends a lot on how you decide to move through the currents and deal with the bad weather conditions.
Here, the things that hold you together are your;
- Confidence
- Perseverance
- Strategy
- Will-power
With a combination of the above, you are more than likely to get to the shore with a handful of life experiences. Do not be baffled by confusion, stay strong.
“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained”.
Marie Curie
Life Lesson 6: Take care of yourself
“Those who know how close the connection is between the state of mind of a man — his courage and hope, or lack of them — and the state of immunity of his body will understand that the sudden loss of hope and courage can have a deadly effect.”
Man’s Search for Meaning
Life at the end is precious. Sadly, most come to realize it a little too late in life. Take care of yourself, not only financially and in a material sense. Your physical and mental state of the body are deeply interrelated. When you take care of one, the other follows. And care here means that you;
- Exercise
- Meditate
- Hope
- Think Positive
Practice and spread positivity both internally and externally, and make sure whatever you do, you experience it to the fullest.
Life is to be lived and relished, despite the many problems that remain.
That is life for you.
