10 Life Lessons People Most Often Learn Too Late In Life

We can't always know what will happen in life or when we will need a certain lesson. Sometimes, it's not until we feel like we're at the end of our rope that we realize how important that lesson is. Sometimes, it takes losing something we loved to recognize how much of a treasure it was. It's important to recognize when you need what you don't even know that you need. It's also important to accept gracefully when the lesson is one that makes us want to scream and cry and pull our hair out in frustration. Sometimes these lessons can change the entire perspective of our lives. We are so lucky to have these moments. A new perspective is a privilege. I am grateful for the lessons and growth that come with them!

1. You spend your first 20 years worrying what people think about you. You spend your next 20 years swearing that you don’t care what people think about you. You spend the next 20 years realizing that they aren’t thinking about you. A liberation!
2. Any day on this side of the dirt is a good day. Some people didn’t make the cut last night. I was hit by a speeding taxi as I was walking to a bus stop. I spent a month in rehab with two broken legs, a brain injury, multiple back injuries and other fractures. The night before I was hit, a young, married couple was also hit. They both died. Practice gratitude.
3. A woman I know spends most of her time thinking about how much she hates her thighs. She can give you a detailed report on what is wrong with them. She forgets all the places those legs have taken her, all the miles they have walked for her. It doesn’t occur to her that when she gets up in the middle of the night to pee, those very thighs walk her to the toilet. Spend more time appreciating what you’ve got— a heart that beats, a way to pick up your cup of coffee, the eyes that see that cup and know what color it is. Blessings abound.
4. There are two kinds of people in this world – those who believe there is enough to go around, and those who don’t. Here is an example: If Margo is leaning up against the car kissing her boyfriend, and I think how nice that must feel, do I try to steal Margo’s boyfriend or do I go out and get my own boyfriend? I go out and get myself a boyfriend. I don’t need to steal Margo’s. I know that there is enough to go around.
5. An old Native American woman was asked why she was always so happy. She said that she has two wolves in her heart and they are both hungry— one wolf is angry and evil, the other wolf is filled with love, and that's the only one she feeds.
6. Walk your own path : People like to judge other people. This peer pressure can make you stray from the path you started to carve for your future. Don’t mind other people’s aspirations, don’t ever let someone else’s goals and dreams influence your vision of life. It’s your path and you decide where it takes you and how long it takes you to see it through.
7. Don’t hesitate when you should act : There is an old Roman proverb that people often quote – “Carpe diem” – meaning “Seize the day”. More often than not, we fail to act due to lack of confidence or courage. This hesitation keeps us from moving forward and puts us in a cage of wondering what might have been. Whenever you feel it’s time to act, take action. No matter the outcome, you will end up smarter than before.
8. Experience what you have learned : No matter how much we think we know about some topic, it’s only after we have put that knowledge into use that we get confirmation of the actual level of understanding that we possess. Sure, we could read about painting, learn all the techniques and brush types, colour palettes, etc. but only when we get in front of a canvas and start painting we put our knowledge to the test.
9. Good things don’t come easy : If you want to have a good life with a successful career, emotional satisfaction, and trustworthy friends you have to work hard. Luck can take you only so far and the rest is entirely up to you, the amount of effort you put in every day, and the ability to learn from your mistakes. Don’t think for a moment that someone else is going to fight your battles with the same vigor and devotion as you would.
10. Never fail to try more : Even when we’re feeling most prepared there is a chance we fail in accomplishing our goal. An athlete could lead the entire race only to fall just in front of the finish line and lose. This doesn’t mean the athlete should stop competing; on the contrary, he would work even harder for the next competition. The results will come, eventually.