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There are many life lessons and other tidbits that would be super useful to us earlier in life – if I was going to add something to this list it would be the fact that it really doesn’t matter what other people think about you.
Age and experience are, unfortunately, the best teachers, but here are 16 things people really wished more of us learned earlier in life.
16. I’m 40 and still figuring it out.
How to manage their finances.
15. I am hyper aware of this with my kids.
To protect their ears, you don’t want to live with tinnitus for the rest of your life because you were exposed to a loud noise once
14. In fact, you probably are.
That you might be wrong sometimes. Some never learn.
13. Too many people never say “I’m sorry.”
Setting and respecting boundaries, how to give a genuine apology, and other such communication 101 skills.
12. Learn to be happy with yourself.
That happiness usually comes from a diverse range of interests, hobbies, and commitments. You are not your job. Your romantic partner cannot be your everything, etc. It’s so easy to get sucked into a life where your career is everything or where you wrap your entire identity around your partner. There is nothing wrong with celebrating your loved ones and being close. And there is nothing wrong with caring about your job…you just need more to thrive.
I see this so often in relationships. Two people meet and fall in love. They each inspire one another based on their interests and achievements, it’s part of what makes them fall in love. But slowly, over time, they let those hobbies go. Stress gets in the way. Bills pile up. And then one day they find themselves wondering why they ever loved this person in the first place. Instead of being sexy and interesting they’re just part of a routine.
TLDR: Diversify your interests and activities to be happy. Don’t rely on a single person, hobby, or commitment to give you everything you need.
11. It’s not all about the money.
That salary amount is not the entirety of an equation when deciding where to work. You have to take into account the cost of living, commute times, the safety of the nearby area, and the convenience of living in the area.
Studies have shown that taking a 20 minute longer commute is as bad for your job satisfaction as a 19% pay cut.
On top of that, wealth = money in – money out. If a new job pays 20k more, but if rent/property prices are 30k more per year, you are taking a pay cut.
On top of that, you have to consider your future. Do you have to move to an undesirable location to work there? Crammed in a little apartment where the nearest services are an hour away? What about air quality? What about noise levels? Is this a place where you want to start a family and raise kids?
All of those play a factor in determining the desirability of a job. I am a firm believer that “my job doesn’t exist outside this city” is a bullshit myth. Even if you’re a super specialized rocket scientist with a PhD in orbital dynamics, NASA is not the only organization with a job opening for you.
10. What if it’s your job though.
Sitting on your ass all day is not good for your health at all.
9. You can get new ones now, but it really breaks the bank.
Take care of your teeth.
8. Especially applicable to the ladies.
That “no” is a complete sentence. Don’t get in the habit of auto-launching explanations and defenses – oftentimes, the people listening will ignore all that anyway and just hear “but here’s an opportunity to dissuade me, look how hard I’m working to get your approval to say no to you!”
7. English class is important.
The importance of writing skills for formal contexts.
Writing is an important skill in nearly any field and the more a career advances the more important it becomes. The lack of adequate writing skill often holds back a career.
Yet many people squander their opportunities to learn writing because they think their class assignments are empty busy work and they figure their skills in spoken English and informal text messages will carry over when they need to write for work.
6. Don’t talk yourself out of it.
That mental & emotional abuse are a real thing .
Red flags.
5. It becomes mundane, but it shouldn’t.
How dangerous driving a car can be.
I survived two car accidents without any scratch, in 3 months. Drive safe and remember “just because you have priority way, it doesn’t mean that they will give it to you” pay attention. Sometimes letting go of your priority is the way to avoid an accident.
4. Hang onto them like grim death.
The value of a good/unconditional friend.
3. Always say “I love you.”
That the cliche “you never know when it’s the last time you’ll see to someone” should absolutely be remembered for every occasion.
My best friend just died in a car accident this past Saturday, and the last time I saw him we got in an argument and he left and we didn’t speak after that.
I’m destroyed by it.
2. Regrets are something everyone has.
That some things can never be undone.
The actions you take and the words you speak will come back around sooner or later.
1. So glad my childhood was lived offline.
What not to share on the internet.
I agree with all of these, don’t you?
Is there something you would add? Share with us in the comments!
