Gold Bedroom
These Life Lessons Are Gold
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They say that learning is a life-long process, and it's true. People can be surprisingly clueless in their twenties and even thirties, and many only really start to find wisdom in their forties and beyond. When people look back at their lives during their golden years, they identify some lessons they wish they'd learned sooner. These are the lessons that would make life far easier if people could learn them earlier
A Dollar Saved Is a Dollar Earned
When people look back on life, they always have at least a few regrets: missed opportunities, petty cruelties and more. But one regret that is far too common is not saving enough while young.
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Poverty makes everything harder, even saving, yet the consequences of failing to do so make life even more difficult. Nonetheless, so many people fail to start saving early in life. It's never easy to put away cash that could go toward so many different things in the present, but you'll be better off starting out early.
Nothing About Life Is Permanent
As the years go on, one thing becomes clear: you need to learn to embrace change, because one way or another, everything will. Whether it is the job that you love, your children's adorable tendencies as toddlers, a strong economy or your own health, it's better to accept early that nothing lasts forever.
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While this sounds cliche, being truly open to change and consistently testing your mettle in uncomfortable situations is a critical part of thriving throughout life. On the positive side, the tough times are only temporary, too.
To Complain Is to Waste Breath
People are allowed only so many breaths in their lives, and to waste them with complaints is not only to cheat yourself, but to saddle others with negative energy they do not deserve. Everyone needs to vent once in a while, but lingering on petty grievances will only make you bitter.
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Some people become so used to complaining that they don't even realize what a drag they've become. Focus on the positive and vocalize your gratitude, and you'll find yourself surrounded by the love you give.
No, Really, Life Is Not Fair
Young, idealistic teenagers may be under the impression that life is truly a meritocracy. If you work hard and genuinely possess the skills needed to succeed in a task, they think, then good things are certain to come to you in the form of jobs, relationships, experiences and riches.
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Adults, you are now free to release a hearty chuckle, as you know just how naive these conceptions of fairness truly are. There is definitely value in working hard, as doing so is the only chance anyone has at achieving their dreams, but don't expect fairness along the way.
Fear Is Only Limiting
Many of the lessons on this list are ones that you may hear often but do not truly contemplate or absorb. The idea that is what's holding you back is probably one of them. Fear can be limiting in so many ways, and it's only the select few who truly choose to ignore their fear in service of a full life.
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Whether it's fear of rejection, failure, success or death, there is no force with more power to limit your achievements and experience than fear. Learn to acknowledge your fear and dismiss it.
Family > Friends
Friends give everyone a reprieve from family during the holidays, and they expand our experiences beyond the personal culture of our own household. However, the people who've known you your entire life bring advantages of their own to the table.
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While friends may come and go, family is there to witness your entire life. You might not agree on everything, but the bonds of family, whether blood or otherwise, are hard to break, and that's something everyone should be grateful for.
Money Won't Buy You Happiness, But It Doesn't Hurt
Anybody who says that you can be happy living a dirt-poor existence isn't necessarily wrong, but generally speaking, such people are the exception, not the rule. Studies show that while having more money stops bringing more happiness after a certain point, poverty is unambiguously tied to stress and unhappiness.
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Being poor comes with problems the wealthy will never have to deal with. There's no stress like genuinely wondering whether you will be able to pay to keep the lights on and the roof over your head. Having money never hurts.
You Cannot Change Others
In fact, the only person you have the power to change is you. Whether you're dealing with a selfish lover, an alcoholic relative or spouse or anyone else that you wish would simply change, you'll ultimately realize that you are powerless to do anything about their behavior.
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Once you embrace this reality, you can save yourself countless headaches, failed relationships and years of your life flushed down the toilet in the hope of changing someone that is not ready to do the necessary work.
Love Yourself, Respect Yourself
There are a couple of caveats to this one. Though countless entertainers espouse the virtue of loving and respecting yourself, it's not something that you can simply do. In order to reach a state of true self-love and genuine self-respect, you have to live in a way that falls in line with your values and beliefs.
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Like any form of hollow love or feigned respect, the love and respect you direct at yourself can only grow out of consistent behaviors that make you proud of yourself. Don't let anyone tell you differently.
Carpe Diem
Latin for "seize the day," let carpe diem be a daily reminder not to waste a second of your life. Doing the zombie shuffle through your life is perhaps the most common mistake that people make, and it's one of the things you'll look back on with regret most later.
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If you get to a place where you feel that you have become little more than your work and mindless post-work routines, it could be a signal that you are in a full-blown sleepwalk through life.
The World Doesn't Revolve Around You
This lesson cuts both ways. Not only are you not as special as you think that you are, but all those anxieties you have about others judging you that lead to your worst assumptions when an email goes unanswered or a phone call unreturned are all almost certainly untrue.
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Think about it this way: All those assumptions you hold — that your boss didn't say hi to you so you must on the verge of being fired, or that your friend hasn't called in months because you said something wrong on the last call — plague everyone else, and they're usually nonsense.
To Stop Learning Is to Start Dying
There is a correlation between learning and longevity, and the day that you stop actively seeking knowledge is the day your brain begins to wither. The health of your brain and your body are linked, so if you want to live a long, happy life, then picking up a great book is a good start.
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Darting through your Twitter feed doesn't constitute learning, at least not in this instance. Learning means trying something fresh, keeping your brain on its toes and building new neural pathways. Don't just learn new things; do them in a new way.
Have Goals and Dreams
Make your dream the ultimate destination, whether it's professional, personal or otherwise. Use goals as the rungs on the ladder that you can climb to get to the realization of the dream. Dreams are nothing without goals, and vice versa. Realistic plans of action are how dreams finally come about.
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If you want to lose weight, make your goals incremental levels of weight loss and set a plan to eat better and get to the gym. If your goal is to become the best writer on the planet, do the same. You get the idea.
Instant Gratification Is the Enemy
As soon as you realize that real, consistent sacrifice is the recipe for a fulfilling life, you'll realize that instant gratification is the enemy in all realms of your life. There is no situation where indulgence today leads to a better tomorrow.
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Want to feel smarter tomorrow? Read a book right now. Want to look better tomorrow? Skip your regular cookie and go for a run. Want to feel better tomorrow? Skip that extra late-night episode and get to bed early. Self-denial today equals happiness tomorrow.
Happiness Is a Mindset That You Choose
Everybody has an excuse to be miserable. Most people do not have to look hard to find something that is less than ideal in their life, and they can quickly point to something that is terribly wrong if you ask them to. That's because happiness is a choice.
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While clinical depression is a real phenomenon that can't be dispelled by positive thinking alone, many other kinds of dissatisfaction can be remedied through a proactive approach and a willingness to embrace a new perspective. Whether it's through meditation, exercise, forming new hobbies and habits, calling a friend, or simply choosing to deny negative thoughts, there are well-proven ways to establish a positive outlook. But you have to try.
Being Young Is No Excuse to Trash Your Body
The majority of people act recklessly when they're young. People eat garbage and stay up until three in the morning playing the latest Grand Theft Auto in their teens, drink to excess during their college years and overindulge in comfort foods for years afterward
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To be healthy, a day has to come a day when you realize the error of your ways and make a change. Dedicating yourself to proper nutrition, exercising regularly and taking steps to limit your stress are necessary if you want to live a long life..
Temper Your Expectations
The longer you live, the more opportunities you have to want and have your wants be unmet. If you linger on every unmet desire, however, you won't enjoy the wealth of things you have achieved or found. Be grateful for what you have instead of lamenting what you lack if you want to enjoy life.
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From friends and family to the next sunset or even just a favorite book, there's always something to appreciate. Think about the fact that you can wake up and take a breath each day and appreciate it while it lasts..
Shamelessness Is Underrated
To be fair, a little bit of shame can stop you from doing plenty of dumb things throughout life. But being overly bashful can also hold you back from being your true self, which could stand in the way of everything from love to achieving your dreams.
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Who knows — maybe that boss is looking for someone who will say what is on their mind. Maybe the bombshell you've lucked into a date with is looking for someone with precisely your quirky sense of humor. Be yourself and things will work out.
Material Possessions Do Not Equal Happiness
There's nothing wrong with enjoying expensive items so long as you can afford them. Luxury in and of itself isn't a bad thing. The mistake comes when you believe that material things are a direct path to happiness.
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If you haven't watched Citizen Kane, it's a 101-level lesson in what happens if you mix up financial gain and personal satisfaction. You can be wealthy and have nice things and be extremely happy, but you can have nice things and be utterly depressed, too.
This Too Shall Pass
Just as all things are temporary, the hard times eventually pass. Many people will tell you that life is actually best as you get into your 40s and beyond, as you not only tend to have financial security, children that are growing into independent adults and experience but the invaluable gift of wisdom, too.
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If you are struggling through your teens, early twenties, or even later and feel like your life is headed in the wrong direction, know that things genuinely do get better. You may lose your youth, but you gain things far more valuable.
Look Out for Yourself
There is a basic standard of decency that all people should meet. Holding the door for somebody or being generally aware of how your actions could affect other people is just the right thing to do. But consistently bending over backward for others while sacrificing your own happiness won't get you ahead.
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If you adopt a doormat mentality, then you're almost certainly guaranteed to miss out on potential pay raises, endure romantic partners that treat you like garbage and be generally unhappy with your lot in life.
Know Your Age, But Don't Live It
If you follow the advice in this list, then there's a good chance that age really can become just a number for you. Eating right, maintaining loving and healthy relationships, taking what you want in life without stepping on others and generally living right can make your age somewhat irrelevant.
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You know those people you look at and wonder how they can do so much and look so good despite their age? Those people didn't end up looking 40 by accident. They followed the sage advice of those who came before them, and they reaped the benefits.
Forgive, But Don't Forget
Holding a grudge will eat away at you. This is especially true if the grudge you hold is against somebody that you cannot do without, such as a family member or lifelong friend.
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There is not only no value in holding a grudge, but there can also be serious ramifications — things left unsaid, wounds left unmended, love lost. Forgiving is key, but that does not mean forgetting. The ability to give people a chance at redemption without being gullible to their potential for harm is a critical skill for a happy life.
Check Your Ego
Humility is one of the traits that people often embrace as they get older … whether they intend to or not. The fragility of human existence takes most things from people, youthful pride among them. The sooner you learn to embrace your humility by limiting your ego, the lower your fall from a naive position of pride will be.
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Many of the great fiction authors paint pictures of characters with excessive pride, and the point could not be more clear: pride will get you cut down, hard. Temper your own ego and you will be set up for a happier, more mindful life.
Life Is Suffering
At some point, you reach a stage where some form of anxiety or depression invades your consciousness. Humans have strived to ward off these negative feelings since they existed, and nobody has found the cure for the pain of existence.
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But there are little things you can do every day to ensure that the joys of life outweigh the sorrows. By practicing mindfulness, you can begin to not just appreciate the little things in life, but also understand the transience of the bad things and even life itself.
Be Present in All That You Do
Speaking of mindfulness, the ability to be truly present throughout each moment of your life is the real secret to happiness. When you realize how the constantly-running chatter in your head is distracting you from the beauty of each moment, you have the power to reduce the anxieties of life.
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Granted, there is no turning your brain off, but the more attention you can give to your chosen task, the more you can enjoy each second. Whether you're reading, listening, working, or playing do what you can to be utterly present.
Reach Out for Help
You'll be surprised how often others respond to your vulnerability if only you can muster up the courage to ask for help. Whether it's a family member, friend or complete stranger, make sure that you do not suffer alone. Whether you're searching for a job or coping with depression, it doesn't matter. Ask for help.
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That isn't to say that self-sufficiency isn't a virtue, because it certainly is. But when you truly need help and are at a loss as to what to do next to deal with the problem at hand, reach out for someone.
Travel
While travel isn't a luxury available to everyone, if you're lucky enough to have the funds for it, do it. People make excuses all the time for why they can't or shouldn't travel, but they're often rooted in fear and self-sabotage.
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Seeing how other people live is certainly worthwhile in and of itself, but the real value is in what it reveals about the traveler. Going abroad makes you reexamine your own views and practices in ways that would never happen if you stayed in place.
Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say
As you grow through life, you realize that entirely too many adults are completely full of it. Some people simply do not know how to articulate what they feel or think, but others can't even be honest with themselves enough to comprehend those thoughts and emotions.
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However, a whole other class of people are content to go through life spouting utter nonsense. These people will waste your time, toy with your emotions and rarely provide any interaction of substance. Don't be one of those people. Say what you mean, and mean what you say.
Take Time to Enjoy Life
Staying focused on your dreams is how you make them true, while indulging in every pleasure along the way is how you achieve nothing. However, that isn't to say that you shouldn't enjoy the journey along the way.
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If you don't leave yourself open to new experiences, you won't know what you're missing, while if you don't pause to really process what's going on around you, you won't even get the most out of the experiences you already have. Work hard, be mindful and enjoy the ride.
Source: https://www.smarter.com/article/these-life-lessons-are-gold?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740011%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex
