This year I’m turning 57. I still can’t believe that in only 3 short years I’ll be 60. Where did the years go? I feel like I blinked and there it was, more than half my life done already. I’m not complaining at all. I had a pretty colourful life up to this point (and I look forward to even more colourful years ahead!) and learned an awful lot of important life lessons, 10 of which I want to share with you now.
To whoever is reading this right now, I don’t know who you are or how old you are but one thing I know for certain is that these life lessons can apply to anyone, everyone, right now, no matter how old you are.
There are always lessons to be learned
Right from the day you are born, you start learning lessons. Though I’m not 100 years old, I believe that even at that age there are still lessons to be learned. We don’t have all the answers and we don’t know everything, so if you think you do just stop. You don’t.
I believe it’s so crucial in life to keep an open mind and to constantly be aware of people, places, things, events, issues and conversations around you. Listen with your mind, not just ears. Pay attention to life and all the lessons it is offering you.
We all have different views and opinions on things. This is what makes us unique and wonderful, however it can also be your downfall if you keep your mind closed to all the important life lessons that are sometimes right in front of your face.
If you keep your mind open and continue learning lessons, this life truly can be a beautiful thing.
Before we get to the 10 lessons to be learned, I want to share a couple of really powerful quotes on life lessons that truly inspired me to chill out and live the best life I could.
5 Quotes on Life Lessons to inspire you
- Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Steve Jobs
- In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility. Eleanor Roosevelt
- Wherever you are, be there totally. If you find you’re here and now intolerable and it makes you unhappy, you have three options: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it totally. If you want to take responsibility for your life, you must choose one of those three options, and you must choose now. Then accept the consequences. Eckhart Tolle
- It happens to everyone as they grow up. You find out who you are and what you want, and then you realize that people you’ve known forever don’t see things the way you do. So you keep the wonderful memories, but find yourself moving on. Nicholas Sparks
- In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on. Robert Frost
I have to be honest, there are probably a million more awesome quotes on life I can add to this list. I don’t think enough people truly absorb the inspirational messages that are in these quotes. I used to write them out on sticky notes and paste them all over my house. I read them every chance I got.
Never underestimate the power of inspirational quotes on life lessons.
You might really enjoy this YouTube video called Life Lessons From 100 Year Olds. I loved it!
Let’s get on with this….
10 Important Mid-Life Lessons To Embrace
Life Lesson #1
There is no such thing as failure. The word failure has stopped so many people from trying and doing new things. If you don’t at least try something, how will you know if you succeed or even like it? The only ones who fail are the ones who never try.
Don’t be afraid to do something that’s totally out of your comfort zone just because you think you may fail. What if you fly? Wipe that word ‘failure’ from your vocabulary right now. Dp that thing.
Forget failure. It’s an illusion
Life Lesson #2
Forgive everyone who hurt you, right now. Forgiveness will set you free. I can’t tell you how many times I hear people say “Oh he/she doesn’t deserve my forgiveness”. You’re right. They don’t. But you do. You must release all the anger, hurt and frustration you feel towards someone and the best way to do that is through forgiveness.
Anger and hurt (grudges) are toxic. You will never find inner peace or true joy and happiness if you continue to carry them around. Please let go of all toxic emotions you are holding towards another human.
Forgive for you, not for them.
Life Lesson #3
Life isn’t hard. Your perception of life is hard. How we react to things, events and people is the underlying factor on how easy or hard life really is. Your reaction is everything. Choose to react with patience and see things through the eyes of love and watch how fast life suddenly becomes easier.
Life can be super easy and fun too! It’s all in the way you see things and how you let them control your life. Always remember, it’s your life, you have control. Don’t let things control you.
How you see things can make life hard.
Life Lesson #4
Not everyone wants you to succeed. Especially your friends and family. This is kind of a tough life lesson and I’ll be honest, it does hurt a bit. Yes our family and friends want the best for us, but they’re afraid for us too. They want us to stay safe and not do anything crazy like start a new business/move cities/start a new career/move in with a new partner and so much more.
You have to do what your heart calls you to do and not worry about who is on your team or in your circle. Once you are on your path, the right people will show up and sadly, some may drop to the wayside. That’s ok. Stay on your path whatever that looks like for you.
It’s your path to walk, not anyone else’s.
Life Lesson #5
People really do change. Too often we don’t give people chances, we shut them out, we shun them and look down on them. You have to stop doing that. 10 years ago you wouldn’t have recognized me. I was selfish, greedy, evil and ugly (on the inside). Then I hit rock bottom and my whole world exploded. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. I changed.
Don’t judge people on their past. We all have a past. Some of us truly want and do change, some of us don’t. You’ll recognize the ones who did. Leave their past behind them and don’t bring it up again.
Give people chances.
Life Lesson #6
Everyone deserves kindness and respect. I’m a firm believer in ‘look for the good’ no matter what. I get that not all people are good people but there is good in everyone and we all deserve to be treated with kindness and respect.
The way you treat people says a lot about you and nothing about them. Read that again. Try to think back to a time someone was really rude or mean to you and how it made you feel. Don’t forget that feeling. No one deserves to feel like that ever. Regardless.
Be kind to everyone.
Life Lesson #7
Lend a helping hand more often. The single mom down the street, the senior lady in the grocery store parking lot, the homeless kid on the sidewalk, the animal shelter. There are a million ways to help the people around you. Find one!
Remember the world is changed by our example not our opinion.
Instead of judging the single mom who is struggling with her kids, why not reach out and help her or the kids? That homeless person on the street has a story and you may not understand it but that doesn’t mean you can’t help him/her. That one little thing you do for someone can make a world of difference to them.
Help more people every day.
Life Lesson #8
Family isn’t always blood. This is a tough but very important life lesson. Unfortunately, I’ve lost a lot of family in the last few years because I believe in what I stand for. Sadly my family doesn’t. That’s ok. Remember we all have different paths, beliefs, voices and visions. There are things we won’t put up with anymore and things we need to let go of.
Sometimes those things are family members. Stay true to who you are. The right people will gravitate towards you and before you know it, they will become family. And that’s ok.
It’s ok to let your family go.
Life Lesson #9
Don’t place too much weight in your plans. Life has a funny way of proving us wrong (or throwing really weird obstacles in our path). I’m not a huge planner of anything really and so many people laugh at me because of this but I know first hand that life has a weird sense of humor.
You can spend days, weeks or months planning something out only to have something totally random get thrown at you and poof, plans gone down the drain. Learn to roll with it. Adapt. Be flexible and open minded! I’d have to say this is one super important life lesson to be learned.
Be flexible and adapt to changes.
And the final important life lesson which in my opinion is the most brutal and crucial one is this…
Life Lesson #10
Everything is temporary, even life. The good times end and the bad times end. Nothing is permanent. Whatever horrible thing you are going through now will eventually come to an end. In a year from now you may be laughing about it.
Even the really good things you are going through now will come to an end. That’s why it is so important to embrace and cherish all the good, and not get too wrapped up in the bad. Remember Life Lesson #3? Don’t get too freaked out if you are in the middle of something bad right now. It will all be over soon. Trust me on that one.
Embrace the good and don’t stress over the bad. Everything is temporary.
Learning lessons is for all ages
It doesn’t matter how old you are or what stage of your life you are in either career wise or relationship wise, learning lessons never ends. We must continue to grow and evolve as human beings in order to live the best life possible, one of joy, inner peace, freedom and love.
In my 56 years of life I can’t believe how much I’ve learned and how many life lessons I still learn to this day. I embrace my life now with so much love and anticipation for the years to come.
Learning is growing. Knowledge is power. Life is as beautiful as you want it to be.
I hope you enjoyed these important life lessons. Do you have some of your own you’d like to share? Drop them down below. Here’s to our growth and expansion.
About the author:
Iva is a retired hairstylist turned freelancer from Northern Ontario Canada living a life of freedom, peace and joy in sunny Guatemala. Her two main goals in life are to inspire people around the world with her blogs and to feed hungry little bellies in the poor town she now calls home. Follow her here on Pinterest or head on over to her website Amazing Me Movement and sign up for weekly in your face inspiration!