Nov 29, 2022
Life lessons | Self
7 Life Lessons People Learn too Late in Life
Our everyday habits decide our future selves.
Small intentional choices made over a period of time decide what your future will look like. life lessons are full of wisdom because they are learned the hard way. different phases of life teach us different lessons.
Between B( birth) and D( death), there is C( a choice), we always do have a choice in life. you can choose to decide what is going to be your next step in creating the life you want. utilizing this underrated power of choice every time you make a decision can help you reach one step closer to your ideal life.
I wish I knew these early on in my life. so without further ado let’s dive in —
1. Fear of what others say or think of you is a trap
No matter which part of the world you come from, there are certain ways, norms, and standards to follow. It’s ok to follow all of that but when every decision of your life is determined by how people perceive you, is a red flag.
Often, we are too fearful or scared of stepping out of that comfort zone, because our every decision is scrutinized by others. life is too short to let others decide what happens in your life. The most dominant emotion is that we’ll be judged or laughed at if we do things differently. wake up my friend, look around and see how ephemeral this life is. next sec we could be gone.
Do what you want to do, no matter how crazy the idea is. it’s better to do something crazy than regretting later in life. sing, dance, pick a hobby, start a business, travel alone, do whatever it is but don't settle.
2. You don't have to wait for retirement to live the life you want
I’ve seen my parents wait their entire life to travel and have fun. sadly when they retired there was not enough energy or capacity to travel long distances. they can't eat most things, there is a long list of food that doesn't suit them.
see the idea is to enjoy life while passionately working on something that you love. if there’s something on your mind please do it and don't delay your happiness to your retirement.
You don't get what you want, you’ve to strive for it. I understand it’s not easy to create a life we want for ourselves, but we always have a choice. you’ll be challenged at every phase of your life and if you don't have a voice or an opinion of your own you’re made to believe somebody else’s idea of truth.
3). Taking care of your mind and body is crucial.
I would recommend reading “The guy who sold his Ferrari by Robin Sharma”. ok, why am I asking you to read this book? This book is an eye-opener for those who are too busy to make time for themselves. It’s good to be ambitious but not a workaholic, people learn this lesson the hard way.
usually, after 40, when the vigor starts to go down and your habits start reflecting on your body it’s too late by then. it’s always good to maintain a good balance and give health a priority.
“Do not let illness make you realize the value of health.”
4). Never stop learning and investing in skills even if you get your dream job
I’ve seen so many people in my circle who got too comfortable with the skillset that is required to fare well in their job.
people became so fixated on the position they hold and the money they earn, that they completely forget they can easily be replaced with somebody younger having the same set of skills or worse get fired.
It’s for a reason they say never put all your eggs in one basket.
It’s this fixed mindset that doesn't let them grow in life. if you keep learning and focus on enhancing your knowledge, the sky is the limit for you. interestingly, you’re not dependent on one job. you can always start a side hustle. Thanks to covid, that taught us to not rely on a single income and to have multiple income streams.
5). Not utilizing the power of “compounding”
The best time to invest was yesterday, the next best time is today.
you’re missing out on soo much if you don’t start investing. people have all sorts of misconceptions that investing in the stock market is risky or you have to be tech-savvy to start investing is all crap.
earning and saving is entirely different. you must be earning $1000 a month and spending more than your income. or you could be earning $100 and still saving a decent amount. A penny saved is a penny earned.
Your life’s trajectory will depend on what you choose to do with your money. Whether you keep your money in a savings account for the rest of your life or find a way for your money to grow.
“If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.” — Warren Buffett
6). Expecting toxic people to change
Once you encounter a person who is nothing but toxic the next step is to maintain a significant distance from them or a complete cut-off. while it’s good to give a person a chance to improve. but don't expect toxic people to give up on their behaviors. a snake never forgets to bite because it’s simply ingrained in its nature. recognize the pattern and stay away from them to protect your mental and physical well-being.
7). Negative self-talk can ruin your life
Negative self-talk is any inner dialogue you have with yourself that may be limiting your ability to believe in yourself and your own abilities and to reach your potential.
we’re our own critics, and healthy criticism goes a long way in our self-development journey. because nobody knows you better than you know yourself. but negative self-talk can drag you down and according to recent studies can wreck your mental health and cause depression and anxiety.
People have a habit of negative self-talk, what we say to ourselves( the inner dialogue) helps create our reality.
Do you find yourself repeating statements like—
I’m not good enough. something is definitely wrong with me.
I hate my legs, god why do I even exist?
I’m not good at maths. there is no way I can do this.
“Nobody likes me, I should stop trying to make friends.”
If yes, it’s high time you change your inner dialogue. it’s very personal and potent. which has the capacity to make or break you.
Starting your day with positive statements can change your life. we all have the ability to create our own reality. use this power wisely, even if none of it is true but as you keep repeating those empowering statements you’ll start seeing the difference and you gradually start believing in whatever you say.
Conclusion
There is a hidden lesson behind every failure and every mistake that we do. we must learn from our own mistakes. I hope you learn something from this article and avoid making these mistakes.
Leaving you with a quote to reflect upon —
“If you’re irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished”— Rumi
Thanks for Reading!
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