Important Life Lessons?

[Sunstone]

What's an important life lessson that you learned mostly through experience, rather than solely through someone telling you the lesson?

What were the experiences that taught you the lesson?

 

[klubbhead024]

What's an important life lessson that you learned mostly through experience, rather than solely through someone telling you the lesson?

What were the experiences that taught you the lesson?

It's a sick twisted world out there. Bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people, and there is no such things as karma!

 

[Awen]

What's an important life lessson that you learned mostly through experience, rather than solely through someone telling you the lesson?

Opportunities to show love, appreciation and acceptance to others are there every day. They are there when you wake up in the morning, while you eat breakfast, on your way to work...all day, every day.

Lesson: Use them. You never know when it'll be too late.

What were the experiences that taught you the lesson?

My best friend died when I was thirteen and I became very bitter towards people for many years afterward. I vowed to never allow myself to become close to another because it hurt too much to lose them. It has been a long, drawn-out process, but I have learned to love again. Now, I realise what I've been missing for years.

 

[Jaymes]

People don't pay attention to you nearly as much as you think they do. The most recent time I was taught this was when I cut my hair, and nobody IRL but a few classmates and friends commented on it.

 

[tcprowling]

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif] As we all get older i'm sure we all learn things on the way some funny, some not,here are some of mine.......

AS I MATURE

I’ve learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is stalk them and hope they give in and panic.

I’ve learnt that no matter how much I care some people are just ********.

I’ve learned that it takes years to build up trust, and it only takes suspicion, not proof, to destroy it.

I’ve learned that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you’d better have a big willy or huge boobs.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t compare yourself to others-they are more screwed up than you think.

I’ve learned that you can keep vomiting long after you think you’re finished

I’ve learned that we are responsible for what we do unless we are celebrities.

I’ve learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at the start, the passion fades, and there had better be a lot of money to take its place

I’ve learned that 99%of the time when something isn’t working in your house one of the kids did it.

I’ve learned that the people you care most about are taken too soon. And all the less important ones won’t go away.[/FONT]

 

[tcprowling]

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif] Today at work, the boss wanted to know when Father's Day was.
'Easy,' I answered. 'It's nine months before Mother's Day.'


If my son is getting half as much out of university as the university is getting out of me, he'll be a success.


Father's Day was both a joy and a worry as my kids were growing up. I was always afraid they were going to give me a present that I couldn't afford.


I've got three TVs, cable and a satellite dish; I have three phone lines into the house, a cell phone and one in the car, plus a pager. I use two computers, three ISPs and a fax machine. I subscribe to two daily papers and one weekly one. I watch the news on every channel every evening. And my kids have the nerve to tell me I'm out of touch.


With divorce and remarriage so common these days, pity the poor kids. Most of them know what to buy for Father's Day they just don't know which 'Father' to give it to.


Neither of my kids ever understood my logic. Both of them failed to see why they had to go to bed when I was tired.


A friend of mine had five kids.
When the youngest finally turned 16 and was the last one left at home, my friend posted a sign on the kid's bedroom door: check-out time is 18.[/FONT]

 

[Willamena]

What's an important life lessson that you learned mostly through experience, rather than solely through someone telling you the lesson?

What were the experiences that taught you the lesson?

That everyone needs to make their own mistakes in order to learn and grow from them.

 

[Gentoo]

What's an important life lessson that you learned mostly through experience, rather than solely through someone telling you the lesson?

What were the experiences that taught you the lesson?

Something that I learned on here just recently is forgiveness. I've been having trouble with it and then someone on the forum came into the picture at just the right moment

 

[tcprowling]

Having gone the full nine yards with cancer some years ago AND COMING BACK from that experience, did give me time to reflect on my life. The one big thing that did come out of that was the realisation of how little time I had spent on myself for myself. It occurred to me that for the majority of my life I had always been there for someone else, always fulfilling the expectations of others. In our younger days we are there fo parents and teachers, as we grow we are there for friends and lovers ( Girlfriends etc) and employers, Then it's our spouse and children. I come to realised that for the most part I was pushing aside the things I'd like to do for the sake of others.
Don't get me wrong, this was done by choice, it's apart of the responsibilities of life.However, I don't think God/ nature meantfor us not to pamper ourselves. Life was meant to enjoy, live to enjoy life and enjoy living life.
Now I am doing the things I want to do in life. I look after the most important person in my life, ME! That might sound egotistic, so be it! I am still there for others and am always willing to help, but I have learnt to say NO! and What about me?!

 

[ayani]

through being homeless, i learned to toughen up and think on my feet

from family and friends' deaths and troubles, i've learned that suffering happens no matter how "good" one is or how "undeserved" the trials

through re-discovering faith, i learn how to love others and put myself aside

 

[ChrisP]

People don't pay attention to you nearly as much as you think they do.

Very true. Self consciousness seems to shed with age.

Life Experience... Kiwi Style

Not so seriously speaking.. but yes these have all happened:


- It takes one women to prepare the meat for the barbie, and at least 3 men to get the bloody thing started.

- 1 mouse can wreak more havoc on your living room than your entire local rugby team if there's a woman chasing it

- Americans are loud. Very very loud.

- Large African American men don't mind pale white guys in deathmetal hoodies giving them a wave at 3am... even if they're snorting, have veins popping out of their head and look like they're about to go stoneage on the hotel manager.

- The guy in the hairnet with the cellphone glued to his ear sitting next to the Circle K attendant probably isn't selling rock candy. Or is he.... :rainbow1: Next time I'll ask the woman who didn't blink once the entire time she was talking to him.

But seriously...

- Procrastination is a Global past time

- Children have a love for life that's just plain beautiful and probably what we love most about kids

- ...but all adults want to do is grind it out of them them!

- Nothing polarises people like Music.

- Nothing brings people together like Music

- Most people would rather not know about it if it requires them to think outside the square even a little.

- Fighting only makes enemies.

- The meaning of life is Family.

- Family is a relative term (someone kill me for that pun)

- Everytime things aren't going right, take a walk in a park. There's always something there that'll set you right.

 

[lunamoth]

through being homeless, i learned to toughen up and think on my feet

from family and friends' deaths and troubles, i've learned that suffering happens no matter how "good" one is or how "undeserved" the trials

through re-discovering faith, i learn how to love others and put myself aside

That's beautiful gracie. I'd frubal you but the System *curse you System!* won't allow me. I owe you!

 

[tcprowling]

If we want to know about life ask the kids
[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif] 'Never trust a dog to watch your food.' - Patrick, aged 10.

'When your dad is mad and asks you, "Do I look stupid?" don't answer.'- Hannah, aged 9.

'Never tell your mum her diet's not working.' - Michael, aged 14.

'Stay away from prunes.' - Randy, aged 9.

'Don't squat with your spurs on.' - Noronha, aged 13.

'Don't pull dad's finger when he tells you to.' - Emily, aged 10.

'When your mum is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair.' - Taylia, aged 11.

'Never allow your three-year-old brother in the same room as your school assignment.' - Traci, aged 14.

'Don't sneeze in front of your mum when you're eating crackers.' - Mitchell, aged 12.

'Puppies still have bad breath even after eating a Tic-Tac.' - Andrew, aged 9.

'Never hold a dust-buster and a cat at the same time.' - Kyoyo, aged 9.

'You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.' - Armir, aged 9.

'Don't wear polka-dotted underwear under white shorts.' - Kellie, aged 11.

'If you want a kitten, start out by asking for a horse.' - Naomi, aged 15.

'Felt pens are not good to use as lipstick.' - Lauren, aged 9.

'Don't pick on your sister when she's holding a baseball bat.' - Joel, aged 10.

'When you get a bad grade at school, show it to your mum when she's on the phone.' - Alyesha, aged 13.

'Never try to baptise a cat.' - Eileen, aged 8.

You gotta love that one " Dont pull your dad's finger....." I fell for that one all the time!!!!![/FONT]

 

[YmirGF]

through being homeless, i learned to toughen up and think on my feet

from family and friends' deaths and troubles, i've learned that suffering happens no matter how "good" one is or how "undeserved" the trials

through re-discovering faith, i learn how to love others and put myself aside

Very, very nice thinking gracie.

The only thing I can add is about "feelings". All I can say is that life has taught me not to ignore something when I get that odd feeling in my stomach. By far the worst things that have happened to me in life have happened when I went against what I was feeling. I guess what I am saying is that when you get that little twitch, sit up and pay attention. There is usually a very good reason. If you don't pay attention it is likely it will smack you right in the head... with a 2x4.

 

[Buttons*]

Life lessons at 18?

Worrying doesnt get anyone anywhere

People rarely take their own advice...

This is something I posted once upon a time... I thought maybe it would apply here too....

When I attended Good Shepherd Episcopal School (it was a middle school), I had many great influences in my life. One of my favorite teachers gave me this list titled "Rules for Being Human" and I found it enlightening. I recently found it again, and wanted to share it with you all.

Foster Cline M.D. - Rules for Being Human

1) You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period this time around.

2) You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called life. Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or think them irrelevant and stupid.

3) There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial and error, experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimatley "works."

4) A lesson is repeated until learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go onto the next lesson.

5) Learning lessons does not end. There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. If you are alive, there are lessons to be learned.

6) "There" is no better than "here". When your "there" has become a "here", you will simply obtain another "there" that will, again, look better than "here". (the grass is always greener on the other side)

7) Others are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something that you love or hate about yourself.

8) What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and recources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.

9) Your answers lie inside you. The answers to life's questions lie inside you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.

10) You will forget all this.

 

[lunamoth]

Life lessons at 18?

Worrying doesnt get anyone anywhere

People rarely take their own advice...

This is something I posted once upon a time... I thought maybe it would apply here too....

That's an interesting list by Foster Cline, thank you for posting it. Foster Cline is one of the originators of the Love and Logic parenting program I am taking a class in (and I read his book on Love and Logic parenting a few years ago...lots of good info and I recommend it to all parents and parents-to-be). Anyway, his list certainly reflects his advice on parenting: allow your kids to make lots of mistakes while they are young...to not do so is to deprive them of important chances to learn.

Added: Love and Logic thread

luna

 

[ayani]

The only thing I can add is about "feelings". All I can say is that life has taught me not to ignore something when I get that odd feeling in my stomach. By far the worst things that have happened to me in life have happened when I went against what I was feeling. I guess what I am saying is that when you get that little twitch, sit up and pay attention. There is usually a very good reason. If you don't pay attention it is likely it will smack you right in the head... with a 2x4.

i hear that. for all the bashing that "intuition" gets, one's sense of danger, caution, and care is something you really must stick by and not neglect.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I have learned several times that life can completly change within a second.

 

[Djamila]

What's an important life lessson that you learned mostly through experience, rather than solely through someone telling you the lesson?

What were the experiences that taught you the lesson?

Material things really don't matter at all. You don't have to be upset about losing such things. You'll always find a way to replace them. It's the people in your life that really matter, and material objects that hold sentimental value like family photos and this sort of thing. But, since the war, I can assure you I've never once cried for my lost CD collection or my Levi jeans.

Never be ashamed of who you are, and never try to change it. If people hate you for what you are, that's their problem and it is no reflection of you, or your attributes, at all. Never fall into the mental trap of thinking... well, this is a really horrible thing that I am - a Muslim... or a homosexual... or a Jew... or a Christian... or whatever else. Don't let them do it, they're wrong and you need to remember that.

 

[Cynic]

What's an important life lessson that you learned mostly through experience, rather than solely through someone telling you the lesson?

What were the experiences that taught you the lesson?

In every endeaver, what you achieve is a reflection of your effort. Don't expect to reap much if you've sowed litte. Don't expect a book to be a bestseller if you've given little time and effort to write it. Ultimately what you put in, is what you get out.

Successful people succeed because they don't let failure get to them. They keep trying until they achieve their goals. "Many of life's failures are experienced by people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." - Thomas Edison

If you have to be motivated in order to do something, you won't get far in life. Hard work is doing what needs to be done despite lack of motivation. "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. Accordingly, a 'genius' is often merely a talented person who has done all of his or her homework" - Thomas Edison