One of the most freeing realizations I've had was when I understood that not everyone was going to like me.
That's just the way it is for all of us, and I learned that it would be unfair for me to dedicate so much time worrying about what others might think.
It changed my life––improved it, I'd say. That, combined with my willingness to take responsibility for my own actions, was crucial to my self-development.
But some people, believe it or not, learn this too late.
People shared their observations after Redditor Vicsilvia asked the online community,
"What are the lessons people most often learn too late in life?"
"The ones who stay with you..."
"Friends will disappoint and drift apart over time - even ones you thought would always 'be there.'"
"The ones who stay with you and grow together over a lifetime are rare."
Back2Bach
This is a big one. Some people you think will be around forever will absolutely not be.
Things happen, and you will more than likely weather at least some heartbreak.
"When my elderly uncle..."
"Don't buy too much crap. When my elderly uncle wanted to downsize, it took him almost a year to empty his big house. Most of his stuff was still brand new."
sonia73quebec
Every time I've moved I've been shocked by just how much stuff I've managed to accumulate.
I've since grown much more conscious of this and try to purge things on a regular basis.
If I'm not actively using it, then what is the point?
"A lot of people act like exercise..."
"Taking care of your body is best treated as a proactive effort and not exclusively a reactive one."
"A lot of people act like exercise is something you only do to lose weight, or sunscreen is something you only wear at the beach in the summer, or that mental health services are only for folks with mental illness, when in fact these are things everyone should be incorporating into their routines throughout their life."
techtchotchke
One of the hardest parts of the pandemic? The lack of gym time. (I genuinely enjoy it.)
But I made do because at least some exercise is better than none. You'd be surprised how quickly bad habits catch up with you.
"Not everyone has to like you..."
"Not everyone has to like you and it's okay if they don't. Don't get hung up on it too much."
TheEvilGoats
Think of how much easier life could be if many of us learned this early!
"It's okay to be the one..."
"Don't tally up your friendships. If you're thinking about someone, reach out. It's okay to be the one who reaches out more often. Especially if you're more extroverted than your friends!"
stink3rbelle
Please reach out! I try to do this, but can acknowledge that life has totally gotten away from me in the past.
Definitely a good idea to get into the habit now.
"I went through this realization..."
"Often people consider themselves logical because they don't feel emotions driving their decisions."
"Turns out, this is usually because they're not good at feeling (detecting) their emotions, and not because the emotions aren't there!"
"I went through this realization for myself at one point."
"Good rationality isn't the absence of emotion. It's understanding the emotions you have on an issue, and accounting for them in your analysis of the situation."
TheBertinator3000
I have never heard this explained in such a manner, but it's succinct and truthful.
Definitely food for thought.
"One of the most common regrets..."
"Your job is not your life. One of the most common regrets dying people have is that they worked too much and didn't spend enough time with loved ones."
DepressedElephant
Yeah, don't slave away for your job. You will pay for it with your mental and physical health.
Most of us learn this eventually, I think.
"Stop worrying..."
"Stop worrying about what other people think. In reality, they're paying far less attention than you think they are."
CatoctinDave
But what if they aren't?!
Just kidding. This is true. Most people are too busy to worry about what a stranger is thinking.
"That making everything about politics..."
"That making everything about politics at every opportunity and never being able to turn that off is a great way to make yourself and the people around you miserable."
MyHeartFeelsLikeWood
I understand this to a degree.
Personal politics can say a lot about someone's values, which is why many Americans over the last few years have found themselves at odds with their family members.
"No matter how much..."
"No matter how much it is portrayed in the media or how much you wish it were so, life is not fair."
"Sometimes there are good breaks, sometimes bad. Good people will die young, bad people will get ahead."
sw33tzmbiejesus
This is unfortunately true, and many of us will feel cheated by it. There is no grand design. Sometimes things go wrong, whether we like it or not.
You'd be surrpised by how much learning you'll do over the course of your life. No one has it entirely figured out.
The sooner you realize that, the more peace you'll find.
Have some experience with life lessons? Have any that were not mentioned here? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!
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