Have you heard of something called life?
So have we.
Life is hard to characterize, for it very well may be what you take it to be.
You didn’t come with an instructions manual when you were born and, like many, are reliant on your caretakers to teach you the ways of life. Good or bad, right or wrong – these are things that you gradually learn as you grow up and become a part of society.
Nevertheless, there are fundamentals that are universal, no matter who you are or where you live.
Here are ten of them.
1. Things are Impermanent
As you grow, you will start to realize that everything in your life is impermanent.
This includes your body which is changing by the second on a cellular level even though you won’t feel it.
Before you know it, you will be staring at an older you and wondering how did time pass by so fast. This is why you should appreciate what you have right now, for who knows when they will be gone.
2. Not Everyone Gets to Do What They Love
Not everyone gets to spend their lives doing what they love.
They do what they are being told or what their parents expect them to. Furthermore, many people are in the job they are in because they need to make a living. This is also why job/skill mismatch is so common.
Those who are lucky enough to do what they desire should thus consider themselves extremely fortunate.
But this doesn’t mean that you should give up.
If you wish to do what you truly want, you will need to put in the work. Having the chance to do what you truly love is a privilege, and it doesn’t come easy.
3. You Cannot Easily Change Other People’s Minds
When was the last time that you changed a person’s mind without much effort? Did you ever consider that it would have been easier to change your own mind than someone else’s?
You’d also be much happier if you are able to recognize that you can instantly change your own thoughts but could take a long time if ever to change someone else’s. Keep this in mind the next time you feel frustrated about someone or something.
You’ll likely be better off as a result.
4. Sadness is Inevitable
It is fortunate that most people are not sad most of the time.
Still, there are times when sadness will creep in when you least expect it.
What you need to know is that the bad times and feelings will pass because time will turn whatever pain or grievances you have into nothing more than memories.
Everything in life happens for a reason, and you need to learn to appreciate them, good or bad. You should, as such, not take things too personally, even if someone does something deeply hurtful to you.
Here is an article we have written that teaches you how to deal with negative emotions.
5. Happiness Needs Work Too
The happiest people are generally those who’ve worked the most on themselves.
Happiness takes a great deal of work. It is the same amount of work, if not more, to be miserable.
So pick wisely.
We know that it is not possible to be happy all the time, but no matter what, keeping your head up even in the worst situations will generally be better for your mental and physical health.
And don’t forget to smile.
6. Fear is Your Friend
Keep comfort close, keep fear closer.
No, we are not saying that fear is the enemy.
Fear is, in fact, a very normal part of life and is present in every life form on this planet. It is what has kept our species alive but has also paradoxically ‘paralyzed’ so many people from taking needed actions.
You need to know that your mind can conjure up all sorts of scenarios, including some very bleak ones. We humans are very good at imagining things, after all.
This makes your ability to differentiate when it makes sense to be fearful and when it does not a very valuable skill to possess.
It is also a factor in determining those who dare to bring out the superhero in themselves and those who do not.
7. Family Always Comes First
Those who have a loving family are truly blessed because there are many who are less fortunate.
Family here refers to anyone who shares your bloodline and those you spend time with.
Yes, we know how easy it is to take those you see every day for granted, especially when life gets busy, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t schedule some quality time together.
Something as simple as a sit-down dinner, a picnic, or a trip to the outdoors can help strengthen the familial bonds that will last you a lifetime.
Treasure them now, for you may not realize what you have until it’s gone.
8. Habits Shape Your Current and Future Self
The magnitude of each action or inaction can either have either little or huge impact on what your future will turn out to be.
What you do today will impact your tomorrow.
Over time, these actions or inaction will turn into habits, requiring only minimal conscious thoughts to perform. Walking and driving are two examples.
Habits are individualized, and they dictate how a person responds to different events.
It, therefore, helps to be aware of which habits are helpful and which ones are a hindrance in your life so that you can make the necessary adjustments.
Forming new habits and breaking old ones will require deliberate effort on your part, including being aware of your thoughts and responses. We recommend that you review your habits frequently so that you can optimize them to suit your circumstance.
9. Failure is Simply a Matter of Perception
What is success and failure other than words one commonly uses to describe an event?
Rather, it is your interpretation of these words’ meaning that really matters, and this can greatly influence your accomplishments.
Check out this comprehensive article that we have written about how to deal with failure for more.
10. You Overestimate What You Can Achieve in the Short Term and Underestimate What You Can Achieve in the Long Term
Your estimation of what you can do over time is, unfortunately, not quite as accurate as your circadian rhythm tends to be.
Just think back to the times when you thought that you’d accomplish something within a certain time frame. only for it to take much longer than expected. We are just not that great at accurately estimating how long some things would take.
Conversely, we also tend to underestimate what we can achieve in the long run.
You just need to keep at it while making whatever necessary changes on the way, and you’ll be there before you even know it.
