8 Facts Of Life It’s Time To Accept

In life, we are constantly being taught lessons and it’s important to be open to them. Some are painful, some are grueling, and some we wish we didn’t have to learn, but in the long run, it’s for our benefit.

Ignorance is not bliss

Ignorance is not bliss. I say this because ignorance never lasts forever. The truth always comes out. And for me, the longer something has been hidden, the more it hurts when it’s revealed.

Having a five-year-secret smack you in the face, full-blast, isn’t appealing to me. If there’s something shitty going on, I want to know ASAP so I can handle it.

Patience is a virtue… and it comes in handy

We’re taught from a young age that patience is important. Waiting is ‘good for the soul’… but patience is something I’ve needed a lot more than my mom said I would as a kid.

I’ve always been a ‘go-getter’ and I’ve had to learn to slow down. There’s so much to see in the world, so much to do. So many places to go, so many people to meet. I always feel this rush to go do as much as possible.

But patience is necessary for healthy minds, bodies, and souls. All of the rushing, the whining, the complaining about time, and anger in the waiting… it’s harmful.

Embracing patience really is a virtue. I don’t have it nailed down yet… it’s taking too long.

Show me who your friends are…

…and I’ll tell you who you are.

You are who your friends are.

Birds of a feather flock together.

The actions of the people around you will rub off on you.

The way people see your friends, if you’re with them frequently, will be the way people see you also.

It’s important to choose our friends wisely because regardless of what people say, reputations matter.

We choose friends, oftentimes, based on commonalities. What do we have in common? Those traits, good or bad, are the foundation of friendships.

I have a tendency to talk shit when I’m with certain people. Not often, but around a very few people. I have a friend who is also a shit-talker and known for her abilities. When I’m with her or seen talking to her, I know for a fact that people assume I’m like her.

And honestly? I don’t like that.

I don’t want my reputation to be anything like hers. Nonetheless, when my slight tendencies match up with her full-time tendencies, a fire burns and the wildfire spreads.

My wife had a friend who was a drug dealer, and people automatically assumed that was the entire crowd she ran with.

She’s not a dealer, and she doesn’t stand by that lifestyle, but by hanging out with him, assumptions are made.

It doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t be friends with people based on what they do.

All I’m saying is you shouldn’t be surprised when people clump you together and assume similarities.

People will do whatever they can to get what they want

We’re all running around trying to get shit done, making plans, buying things, trying to live a full life, and it’s easy to trample each other on our way.

9/10 people will do whatever they have to, whether it’s ethical or not, to get what they want.

My dog even does this shit. He will wait until the lights are out and then sneak into the closet to grab another bone while I’m sleeping.

People are no different.

People can and will go behind your back, in your personal and professional life. It’s how the story goes. And this isn’t paranoia, it’s the brutal truth.

When I was in college, we had performances we had to do for our finals. I had a solid grade in my voice class, and one of the other girls downloaded my vocal track, edited the key, and when it came time to perform, to my surprise and everyone else's, the song was three keys higher than I was supposed to sing it.

Why? I had a better grade than her.

She got caught.

But really?

My wife has seen it in her career, and a majority of us have seen it within our families.

Petty people are very real, and they very truly don’t give a shit about you or your feelings.

The people you dislike the most may be similar to you

When you’re looking at someone you dislike or looking down on someone for some other reason, check and see if you have anything in common with them.

I bet you do.

I know it’s true for me, most of the time.

Most of the girls I tend to put my nose up at look a lot like my wife’s exes, who also have similar facial dimensions to my own.

It’s a fact that humans point out in others what we dislike about ourselves. We throw our insecurities onto people who have the same features we believe are flawed.

My mother hates my dad’s mom. They’re two of the most similar people I’ve ever met. Their personalities are identical. It’s disturbing, actually. But neither of them see it, and they’d definitely never admit it.

The grass isn’t greener, usually

Is the grass always greener on the other side of the fence?

I don’t think so.

I think boredom sets in and we start to convince ourselves that it is, but I don’t believe that view is true.

Now, occasionally in a bad situation, it’s true that the other side is better…

But for explanation's sake, let's pretend we’re only talking about people grazing in a scenic, green, lush field.

There’s a fence, and even though their field is fine, they’ve been looking at their own field too long. The grass seems dull because they’ve been staring at it all damn day, every damn day.

But looking over the fence?

Well. The sun is shining on that side of the fence. That’s some sexy green grass we’d all like to take a chomp out of.

Realistically it’s the same fucking grass. The view is different from where you’re at, so instead of dropping the good grass, try changing your perspective.

The YOLO mindset can and will fuck up your life

It sounds nice to consistently throw caution to the wind and just do what feels right at any moment; spend all of your money without considering consequences, and eat whatever you want because ‘tomorrow may never come’…

Ugh.

If by chance you survive until retirement age, wouldn’t it be nice to actually retire and have the financial means to enjoy your last 20 years?

If by chance you survive until retirement age, wouldn’t it be nice to have a healthy body instead of obesity and heart disease?

It’s true, we only live once… but YOLO is a seeming attempt to make that ‘one life’ as short as humanly possible.

It’s important to do things that are exciting. See the world. But responsibilities are also important because if tomorrow comes, you won’t enjoy it if you’re not prepared.

If you say ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’…it probably won’t happen

I’m a pro at saying “I’ll do it Monday”, or “I’ll do it tomorrow”… but when I say those things, what I’m really saying is…

I’m never gonna get this shit done.

It won’t happen tomorrow, or Monday… and unless there’s a financial obligation or an assignment is due, it’ll slip onto a permanent backburner.

Procrastination isn’t your friend. So, if you’re thinking of something, do it in the moment (if you can).

Send the text you promised you’d send your mom earlier that week right when you think of it. Otherwise, she’ll never get it.

Write those thank you cards from your bridal shower when they come to mind, instead of waiting until six months after the wedding…

Get shit done.

The age-old rules and proverbs are sometimes true, and sometimes just said for fun. Make the most of your life without squandering it, and be the best person you can be.

If you'd like, you can buy me a coffee :)

*This article was posted on my Medium account here *