Okay, I'm only 19, so I'm not ancient, but I am old enough to have learned a few life lessons, and to have changed drastically as a person.

So, what are some things you've learned through the years that you either (A) didn't know before or (B) finally acknowledged as truth.

It can be silly, serious, enlightening, or just plain interesting. :)

Something I've learned this year is that, when it comes to friends, age doesn't matter at all. Kinship transcends all boundaries of time.

I've also come to realize that there is a difference between love and obsession, and that true loves are plentiful, while you only have one soul mate.

I've learned that men will never cease to find fart jokes funny, and that when you piss off a cat, they will crap on your favorite shoes out of spite.

Lol. Have fun all. :)

I've learned that unblemished skin isn't as big of a deal when you have someone who loves you.

hmm wow a hard one.

1.I learned that no matter how much you try you cant make someone love you.

2. No matter how much it hurts and how many times you try you just cant make things perfect and so you have to let go.

3. Being single isn't as terrible as you think (hard one for me to learn) and as long as you keep your friends and family close you can get through the heartbreak.

4. Never take anyone for granted because they could be gone tomorrow and you are left wondering why you didn't tell that person you loved them or how much they truly meant to you.

5. Take a chance and it might be bad and it might be good but you will never know unless you try it.

6. They say if you love someone let them go and if they come back to you then it is meant to be. Well that isn't always true because the one you love most will come back over and over again when that girl he thought was perfect turned out to be trash.

7. College was not the your thing and you never wanted to go but you regret getting all those W's now that you are going back for more than just an excuse to not work.

8. You never know how much you could love something until you have a dog or kids.

9. Guys are jerks but you learn to deal with them and getting close can be ok at times but still guard your heart.

10. No matter how religious your mom is she will be that shoulder for you to cry on when everyone else leaves your side.

Ok enough of that. Sorry if it sounds terrible.

Originally Posted by raeofsunshinelove

9. Guys are jerks but you learn to deal with them and getting close can be ok at times but still guard your heart.

Man, I could write a novel on why I hate statements like that.

Probably the most important thing I've learned is that you always have more. When you think you can't give any more love, time, effort, we all still have the ability to dig down and find that last little bit to push onward.

I've learned not to worry about life so much. I used to get myself really worked up about things not working out how I wanted, feeling like I should do certain things and aim for certain goals and really was quite tough on myself.
Now I've learned that it's better to have goals, but not make them the sole reason for living, make them adaptable, because life's going to do it's thing and whatever happens... happens.

I've also learned to enjoy life. I didn't enjoy life at all when I was younger, so much pressure from...everywhere. From peer pressure to parental expectations to societies expectations, and it ended up making me miserable. Trying to please everyone and getting stressed out all the time made life more of a chore than a joy.
I learned to put me first. To get selfish to an extent. Not to trample over others feelings or anything, but just to learn not to trample over my own feelings. Sounds kind of stupid, but I don't think I ever liked myself very much when I was a teenager. I didn't really know me properly, as I wasn't given the chance to. Was constantly being told to do things all the time, that I never had time to learn who I was.
Taking that time to get to know myself, was probably the best thing I ever did in life. Surprisingly enough, I not only got to know me, but I found I was a decent sort of person to know.
We spend a lot of time in life trying to get others to like us, from friends to partners. But I don't think that as a species we spend enough time getting to know our own selves. Which when you think about it is kind of silly really. We expect, or hope that others will love us, but how can we expect others to do that properly if we don't know and love ourselves?
"Love me!"
"Why?"
erm...dunno
Doesn't really work does it. But it is hard to get to know yourself. We're not really given much time in life to do that. You get a couple of years when you're too young to think about stuff like that. Then you're suddenly shoved into the educational system where you're told how to think about all kinds of things, but you're not given time to learn about yourself as an individual. You learn the stuff like biology and psychology, but when they want it applied in classes, it's mostly using case studies and others as examples, they need to really give people more time to apply those methods to their own selves and I think that possibly it could save a lot of misery.

I'm 23, I've learned that there is beauty in everyone, sometimes you just have to dig a little to find it. But if you can help to bring it out again, you've done the world a grand favor.

If you plan to wait to have a baby until you "have enough money" you'll never have a baby.

If you do things because someone else wants you to, you're doing them for allll the wrong reasons.

People do change. Be it for better or worse.

You truly do have to love yourself, before anyone else can truly love you.

Just because you grew up one way and experienced certain things and that stuff influenced who you are today, your still responsible for who you become, if you use your past as a crutch and an excuse to be a cruddy or depressed person, your failing yourself, willingly.

In my 23 years I've watched friends and family die, been in love, been married, bought a house, had a baby, had pets, lost friends, gained friends, traveled... and many many other things, I've been through a lot and seen a lot. Even in middle school I was told that I was wise for my age. I could make a list of life lessons I've learned that goes on for days, but I'd rather not haha So I'll finish my post with;

There are three types of people in this world, cat people, dog people, and people who don't like pets at all, and those people are a whole breed of their own.

I am 31 and I would say the biggest thing I've learned is this:

Don't make drama.

Most things are not as big a deal as you think they are. In the long run, they don't matter. Sure, it seems like a big thing now, but if you go an make a big production out of everything all you are doing is making drama where there isn't any. Get over it and get over yourself. You are not the center of the universe and probably not even the center of your own life.

Most people will lie to you and tell you that "You can be anything". You have dreams sure, but are they realistic? Nothing is going to fall into your lap. You aren't going to be a doctor or an astronaut if you don't try to be these things. (Heck, even most people who try aren't smart enough or dedicated enough to be these things.) You will probably have a job you don't really enjoy. There are "dream jobs", but realistically- you aren't going to get one. Suck it up and find happiness elsewhere.

It sucks, but you know what? That is life. If you accept it and get over it and don't make drama out of nothing, you'll find that it's not so bad.

I'm only sixteen, but I think I've learned quite a lot in the past few years. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that I can put it all accurately into words, but I'll try.

- This is a bit of a difficult subject for me to talk a lot about, but at age fifteen, I was involved in some very dark, very negative things, and I let that basically take complete control of my life. That sort of thing really becomes an obsession, and I feel that I really messed up a lot of the areas of my life that were very important to me during that time. It wasn't until I finally managed to come to my senses and get away from all of that (as much as you ever can) that I realized how horrible all of those things actually were. I used to believe it was easy to tell right from wrong. Now I realize how convincingly evil can be disguised as good, how enticing it really can be when it offers you everything you think you want.

- I've realized how pointless it is to spend all of your time visualizing certain things in your life working out exactly as you want them to, and yet doing nothing to bring any of that about. That those unrealistic daydreams aren't going to become reality if you just wait long enough for things to magically sort themselves out to bring about that result.

- I've learned that you shouldn't take the people you really care about for granted, because more often than not, you're going to lose them when you start to do so.

- I've finally realized how much my best friend has actually impacted my life. I used to be bullied constantly at school, and most days, I would come home absolutely miserable. Just having her to talk to, though, would always instantly brighten my day. I honestly think sometimes I might have killed myself if not for her. I've also realized that I would be a much worse person these days if not for her; she's one of the kindest people I've ever met, and I think I'd be a much more negative, selfish person if not for her. Things have been a bit complicated over the past year or so, and we're not really as close as we used to be anymore, but it all still means a lot to me. It's taught me really how huge an impact simple kindness from one person can have on your life.

- I've realized how pointless it is to try to make yourself into the type of person you hate, just to make others like you. I spent most of my middle school years trying to fit in with people I didn't really even like; these days I realize I'd really rather be alone than be surrounded with that sort of people in the first place.

- I've honestly stopped caring about trying to hold onto insincere friends that don't even like me or want me around. I've realized that most of my "friends" just use my house as a place to get together and see one another and plan all of the things they're going to do over the weekend without inviting me to. I would've been devastated at this at a younger age; now I honestly can't wait for us to finally just go our separate ways. I've learned that it's better to have just one or two great friends than a whole group of pretend ones.

I'm 20 and I've learned to love each passing day. Even if nothing happened, it's still one more day that you lived. I don't take anything for granted anymore. I tell everyone I love, that I love them, and I don't make excuses not to see people anymore.

Just don't take things for granted because you never know whats around the corner.

Wonderful posts, everyone. :) Let's see if I can dig some more wisdom out of my bottomless pit. :lol:

I have learned that when someone leaves you, there is no use in hoping and praying that they will return to you. They didn't leave you because they wanted to come back to you at the time. If they do end up returning to you, it's probably for the wrong reason. Don't return to them. There are plenty of fish in the sea, and one of them does belong solely to you.

I have learned that there is no makeup technique, and no piece of clothing expensive enough to make your body more beautiful than your soul or distracting enough to cover up a cruel heart.

I have learned that laughter truly does heal all. Those who do not laugh will die an early, and lonely, death.

I have learned that true friends will stick by you no matter how anti-social you are feeling, what accidents or tragedies befall you, and whatever state of life you are in. If you are merely existing, a good friend will make you live.

I have come to understand that no stupid argument or mistake you make is worth losing a good friend over. If you are in the wrong, suck it up. Live with it. Trample your own pride, and apologize before you lose someone you could be laughing with in your old age.

But, on that note. If you know you are right about something. Fight for it. There's nothing worse than letting someone else's bigoted idea prevail over the truth. Never settle for anything that is less than right.

And on that note! :lol: There is no meaning to life. No one will ever have all the answers in the world, and there is always someone better than you at what you think you do the best. Don't let it bog you down. Move on, and do your best to live the way you want to live.

Finally, there is such a thing as karma. Take no revenge. If nothing gets them in this life, there is still death. No one survives that unscathed. Rest peacefully knowing that there is a great equalizer. Don't fear it. There is no reason to fear moving on. Also, the world moves on with you and without you. Accept this and be free in the time that you have.

this may conflict with other things that people have posted here, but I've learned that love (from and/or for another person) is finite. and that if you don't take a chance when you have it, you may very well miss out on a lot of things you want.
Now, when I say love is finite, I'm talking more about a "brotherly, sisterly, motherly, fatherly, ect" sort of love. That, in my opinion isn't exactly "love" so much as the development of a relationship due to necessity (the necessity of living together, usually), and therefore doesn't always come from genuine emotions and feeling. I'm not talking about the love you develop towards a person whom you happen to enjoy being around and choose to be around (ie, a girlfriend, boyfriend, good friend, spouse, ect). I'm also not saying that actual "love" can't come from these relationships, but usually, in my experience, they don't.

a few others that aren't as serious, or are more practical:
Never eat the yellow snow (learned from experience when I was 5)
Snow cones are made by shaving an ice block (that really blew my mind)
Mayo kills lice if you cover your head with it then put a plastic back over your hair
and baking soda mixed with water to make a paste can be put on bug bites and bee stings to remove the poisons from them (especially useful for spider bites and bed bugs)

That no matter what any guy may think, they know absolutely NOTHING about women. You girls are all confusing!

@Lydia: I love your practical ones. :D I'm glad somebody finally posted some.

@Drac: Same goes for us, dude. No matter what any girl thinks, they do not understand men, and never will. You guys are so confusing! :P ;)

I've got more if you want them

Never try to lift more than you feel you can, you'll just end up hurting yourself

don't presume you know everything about somebody, cause the minute you do they'll tell you something shocking

many herbal teas can help with common health problems, and most of them are inexpensive too

don't drink ice-cold water on a really hot day, it'll give you a stomach ache

If you want to go look for "ghosts" or "spirits" don't go by yourself, or nobody will believe what you saw/heard/felt. And take a camera and voice recorder just incase

Don't tell a therapist that you have dreams about giant worms that try to take over the world, especially if they're killed by throwing pediasure at them and drilling into their skulls with power tools

DON'T USE METH!!!! it causes hell to you and the people around you. It may seem fun at the time, but don't (I had a couple of friend who got addicted to meth, I had to watch what happened with them. I never did it myself.)

Stevia extract is a good sweetener, but make sure its the liquid kind otherwise it has a really bad after taste. And don't use too much of it cause its really really strong. Its also better for you than sugar

Almost every processed food you eat is made with corn, especially cereal

NEVER COOK BACON WITHOUT BEING FULLY DRESSED! Cooking bacon without a shirt hurts like hell when you get popped. Just, trust me on this one.

Make sure the food is cool enough to taste before you stick it in your mouth

before punching something, make sure you can handle the damage it can cause to you, and you have the means to repair/replace it

In a fight, never punch someone in the head (except the nose). It causes more damage to your fist than it does to their head.

If you give someone a massage, be careful, especially if they have disks, pins, ect. in the part of the body you're massaging, cause if you screw up, it can screw them up.

I'm only 15, but I've learned a few things. Actually, a lot. But I can only name a few as it is 2 in the morning.

-Society is evil.

-Don't judge others, ever. It's disgusting and extremely distasteful.

-People are always judging you for one thing or another.

-Love yourself even when it's hard (<--- still have trouble)

-Don't listen to people who are just downright rude with their opinions. I'm more than happy to take your opinion on something into consideration and look at it from your view, but if you can't do the same with mine, you aren't worth the energy.

-You never stop learning.

-I, too, am a vessel for manifestation.

-Wait what?

-If you are dreaming of teaching a class of alpacas, you probably aren't at your healthiest. OR maybe you have an active imagination.

-Probably both.

And finally, -Our beloved Hima-papa was most definitely dropped on his head a few times when he was a kid.

for me it's not really with age but with experience...
i learned that i know so little about...everything. when i was younger i thought i knew everything there was to know about the world, but i soon realized that was not the case at all. like sunshiney said, you never really stop learning. and i can't wait to learn more.

i've learned that people put way too much importance in useless things...and i also have a better understanding of nietzsche's "if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you." there are more things i've learned but yeah :lol: