Life Lessons that everyone should know

life lessons that have stood the test of time

1. Life is now

We keeping waiting for that amazing thing to happen in the future that will be the key to our happiness. But this is it. Right now. Life continues to be a series of right now. So learn to love right now, and you'll have an amazing life.

2. Fear is an illusion (mostly)

Most of the things we fear never happen. Or if they do happen, they are rarely as bad as we fear they will be. For most of us, fear is the worst thing that will happen to us. Reality isn't as painful.

3. Relationships rule

At the end of the day, what matters most are the people in our lives. Put them first every single day. Before work. Before the computer. Before your hobbies. Treat them like they are everything to you. Because they are.

4. Failure is good

We try so hard to avoid failure, but failure is the real evidence that we've tried. If you avoid failure, you avoid taking action. Expect and accept that failure is part of the experience. Learn from it and move on.

5. Friendships need care

One of the top five regrets of the dying is that they let their friendships fade away. Friendships need time and attention. Nurture them like a prized garden. The payoff is so worth it.

6. Experiences first

The pleasure and positive memories afforded by great experiences far outweigh material things. If you're trying to decide between the new sofa or the family trip, take the trip every time.

7. Kindness matters

Small expressions of kindness have an enormous positive impact on other people. It doesn't take much to be kind. Practice it every day, in every situation, until it's your natural way of being.

8. Age is a number

When you're twenty you think fifty is old. When you're fifty, you feel thirty. Our chronological age doesn't have to define us. Don't allow a number to hold you back or prevent you from being the person you are inside.

9. You define meaning

A meaningful life is what you define it to be. If you neglect to define meaning, you won't experience it. Decide what makes life worth living for you, and then design your life around that.

10. Risk expands you

To make positive change in your life, you often must take risk. You must tolerate some level of uncertainty. Taking thoughtful, calculated risk strengthens your change muscle and helps you grow.

11. Change is good

Life is change. We shouldn't resist it. Remaining stagnant is in opposition to the natural order of life. Flow with change. Embrace it and regard it as an adventure.

12. Thoughts aren't real

Every moment of the day, we have random thoughts floating through our brains. Many of the thoughts are negative and limiting. You don't have to believe them. They aren't the truth or the whole truth. Thoughts can become our reality, but only if we let them.

13. You can't control others

We want people to think and behave as we do. We want them to accommodate us and live the way we think they should live. We want to change them. But with awareness, we realize we can't and shouldn't try to control others. Instead, embrace differences and honor the uniqueness of the people in your life.