The 12 Most Important Things Most People Learn Too Late in Life!
We will all regret things at the end of our lives. Things we have done and things we have not done. Being able to talk to elderly people about life at the end of their days is a great gift that gives us wisdom and a whole new perspective on everything. If you get the chance, take it. Of course, we benefit most from their failures, as we can take an example here of how better not to tackle life.
It is never too late to change course, but the sooner we realize for ourselves the meaning of our existence in this world, the better, of course. Old, sick and frail, we don't have many more opportunities for a carpe diem moment. In this article, we'd like to present you with 12 truths that many people unfortunately don't realize until far too late in life.
1. There is more potential in you than you think
Who has never heard these sentences? "You can't do that. That's not for you. Don't do that, you'll embarrass yourself." Or "You can't make a living at that." These and other negative beliefs actually keep us from following our star more often than you might think. Very few people have enough courage to do their own thing against all odds, no matter what the cost.
At some point, we ourselves believe that we are too stupid, too weak, too cowardly or too ugly for those ambitions that name deep in our soul and are just waiting to be unleashed and let us take off to an unprecedented flight of fancy. Unfortunately, it's usually our parents and our partners who want to keep us grounded with such knock-down comments, when they should be the wind beneath our wings.
2. What others think about you is none of your business.
Care what other people think and you will forever be their prisoner. This wisdom of Lao Tzu actually says everything there is to say on this point. A small addition perhaps: the probability is somewhere around zero that friendly, praiseworthy and well-meaning thoughts are present and other people spread roses for you in their minds.
3. Do not make your happiness dependent on love
Humans unfortunately have a very strong tendency to always focus on the things they don't have or can't get. We can be successful, popular, rich or enlightened. If we cannot add this one thing called love to our trophy collection, everything else is suddenly worthless in our eyes. This results not only in great unhappiness, where in fact there would already be a great deal of happiness at the start.
The consequence of this tunnel vision is namely a lazy "settling" relationships. These are often entered into only to have finally achieved the class goal to the outside world. We prefer to suffer only in order to finally be able to cross this to-do off our imaginary list as well.
4. Show people that they are important to you.
You don't have to embrace the whole world, you don't even have to like them. But the few people in your life that you are truly devoted to should know about your feelings. There are many wonderful ways to paraphrase this, even for emotional flat-earthers and the extra reserved among us.
5. We only have one body
Health and lifetime are the only costs on our karmic balance sheet that are non-negotiable. Both cannot be bought with money. Both have an expiration date. Therefore, the earlier in life we make an effort to be mindful of our bodies, the longer they will remain in good condition.
6. Financial security - the earlier, the better
Old-age poverty is not a marginal phenomenon or a phenomenon of economically weak countries; on the contrary. The proportion of people in the population who have to spend their retirement waiting in line at the food banks and shopping at the charity market is alarmingly high. Many do not realize until it is too late that they have neglected to make timely provisions for their later years.
Unfortunately, the thrill of the quick shopping spree is much more powerful than the well-behaved filling of the savings account or a donation of food for the piggy bank. Thinking and acting long-term here, however, is absolutely worth it.
7. Live your life, not the life of others.
This is another insight that can't be stressed often enough. Don't try to fulfill the expectations and desires of others. You don't live your life vicariously through them. Put up with disagreements rather than let them distract you from your dream and calling.
8. Don't be too hard on yourself.
Forgive yourself for whatever. It does no good to spend a lifetime at odds with yourself and flagellating yourself internally. Regret is a meaningless emotion beyond the deathbed that will only destroy you, but will get you nowhere.
9. Thoughts and feelings deserve attention
Just like our bodies, our hearts and souls want to be given the attention they deserve. It never doesn't matter how you feel, but you must not center your world around your emotions either. They pass, just like everything else in life. Your thoughts, on the other hand, are powerful tools that have no small influence on destiny. Learn early to steer them in favorable directions, or they will eventually turn against you.
10. It doesn't pay to hold on to negative feelings
Revengeful feelings, disappointments, anger, fear and rage are the worst companions imaginable. They constantly tug and pull at our peace of mind, wanting to take us away with them into that darkness from which they spring. Leave these apocalyptic horsemen behind you as soon as and as well as you can. Letting go and looking forward are the two most important exercises for a successful life.
11. No one has the right to treat you badly.
When you tolerate bad behavior, you tacitly agree to let people treat you that way. Draw clear boundaries and be sure to demand the respect you deserve. It's not about trudging through life with a clenched fist and elbows ready to fight. It's about appreciation and being at eye level with each other.
12. Work to live, not the other way around
Get an overview of your monthly expenses. Take a look at one quarter and then think about how liberating it would be to work in order to live and not vice versa. There are so many things we don't really need in our everyday lives, but we cram our existence full of meaningless things to numb ourselves and give us a short-term feeling of happiness. But after the kick is before the kick, and this spiral of pointless spending goes on and on.
Today’s Conclusion: Happiness lasts the longest
Let's face it: the best things in life, like a sunset or a walk in the rain, are completely free. If you can be happy without having to spend money on it, you've already taken a significant step forward on the path to enlightenment. Life is unfortunately short, at least it always seems that way in the end. So let's use every day as if it were our last. That's it for today.