What are some of the life lessons you've learned?

[Anonymous]

There is never better than here.

Happiness is not something to search for and find, it is found within you.

Take responsibility for your actions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm over 50 and have made plenty of mistakes but the best thing I have learned is to not question making mistakes. The lessons about myself and others I learned were invaluable. Like how resilient and creative I am. Or who really loves me as opposed to who just said they did. Mistakes give you a clarity of mind that you can bank on to foresee the future and help you avoid disaster. It gives you humility that helps you empathize with someone else who is struggling to make good decisions without the benefit of support. The purpose of life is not to be happy but to survive. Those moments of happiness are like spectacular sunsets; so painfully beautiful you want to in code them into your dna but the moment they fade so too does the memory. You would have none of the positives in your life without those negatives. If you had made better choices some doors would have opened for you but some would have closed and it would be a mistake to think that would not have cost you as well.

+1 This is what I believe as well.

[Anonymous]

Don't compete with others on the Homefront; temper your jealousy and competition at work- Pettiness doesn't pay off. Always stop and look around you, slow down. Simply your life as much as possible don't get caught up with money and material items. Pray Everyday, always do servic work. Tech your children kindness matters

[Anonymous]

My grandpa used to say "there are no dividends in old age" and "there are no pockets in a shroud"

I agree.

[Anonymous]

The best list of life lessons I have seen is posted on the wall at the Jimmy Johns in Clarendon.

[Anonymous]

Sarcasm is the product of a weak ego.

[Anonymous]

Teeth, feet, sunscreen!

[Anonymous]

OP: my best advice is to front load work with long hours when you are young. At 50, I no longer have tremendous desire to get ahead, or to scrimp on things I want. Luckily, I was a working and saving machine in my 20s and 30s, and now in my 50s I can coast a bit. Oh, and develop a vigorous exercise routine and stick to it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am female, age 56. The three smartest decisions I have made in my life are:
1. Joining the military.
2. Practicing birth control.
3. Joining Al-Anon.

I suppose each of those warrants an explanation.

Joining the military got me away from my dysfunctional upbringing and took me to a better station in life.

Practicing birth control because otherwise I would be like that 19 kids and counting lady. Birth control was kind of a new thing back when I was growing up in the 60s. There were so many families that had four and five kids whom I attended school with. Birth control has just revolutionized the options for life paths for women. What a great invention!

Al-Anon because of my dysfunctional upbringing. And as a young adult I continued the dysfunctional pattern that was "normal" to me. At age 20 I met this guy with a half gallon decanter of whiskey in his hand. My heart went pit-a-pat. Married him. He is in my living room right now. Eventually life got crazy enough that we both were desperate to learn a better way of living. He has a couple decades of sobriety and is active in AA. I have a couple decades in Al-Anon. We both sponsor people, chair meetings, all that stuff. In Al-Anon I have found the role modeling to learn how to live life better. The "parenting" I always wanted. Its like cheap therapy but I don't have to fill out insurance forms, the hours are more convenient, and I can keep attending meetings for the rest of my life. Which is my plan.

I really admire you. Good for you for helping others too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Call your parents. Tell them you love them. They won't be there forever.

Completely agree! OP, you are 33 and I lost my mother when I was 35. Miss her every day.

[Anonymous]

Drama doesn't find you. You either create it or associate with it. Of course, I had to learn this the hard way. I'm 45 and finally eliminating the drama.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am female, age 56. The three smartest decisions I have made in my life are:
1. Joining the military.
2. Practicing birth control.
3. Joining Al-Anon.

I suppose each of those warrants an explanation.

Joining the military got me away from my dysfunctional upbringing and took me to a better station in life.

Practicing birth control because otherwise I would be like that 19 kids and counting lady. Birth control was kind of a new thing back when I was growing up in the 60s. There were so many families that had four and five kids whom I attended school with. Birth control has just revolutionized the options for life paths for women. What a great invention!

Al-Anon because of my dysfunctional upbringing. And as a young adult I continued the dysfunctional pattern that was "normal" to me. At age 20 I met this guy with a half gallon decanter of whiskey in his hand. My heart went pit-a-pat. Married him. He is in my living room right now. Eventually life got crazy enough that we both were desperate to learn a better way of living. He has a couple decades of sobriety and is active in AA. I have a couple decades in Al-Anon. We both sponsor people, chair meetings, all that stuff. In Al-Anon I have found the role modeling to learn how to live life better. The "parenting" I always wanted. Its like cheap therapy but I don't have to fill out insurance forms, the hours are more convenient, and I can keep attending meetings for the rest of my life. Which is my plan.

I really admire you. Good for you for helping others too.

Hi there previous poster! This is military woman who practiced birth control and has 17 years in Al-Anon. Thank you! What a kind thing to say!

This is the 3rd compliment I have received in the last 24 hours that was so sweet and so profound that it has brought tears to my eyes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How old are you? And name some of your life lessons that you wish you could have let your younger self in on.

I am 33 years old, and I realize that I've learned so much about life since 25, so I've been sitting here wondering what life lessons I will learn by 40, 50, 60++. Some of them take the form of regrets, other are bullets dodged. I only wish the older me could tell the me now some of the life lessons I'll learn. I know the experience of it all is much different, but I made one set of mistakes/had experiences, my parents made different sets of mistakes/had experiences. I'm sure other people made different mistakes/had different experiences that maybe the rest of us could glean something from.

Marry well. Don't be the "V8" in any mans life. Love a man who puts you first.

[Anonymous]

When people treat you like crap it is less about you and more about them. They treat most people they meet that same way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am female, age 56. The three smartest decisions I have made in my life are:
1. Joining the military.
2. Practicing birth control.
3. Joining Al-Anon.

I suppose each of those warrants an explanation.

Joining the military got me away from my dysfunctional upbringing and took me to a better station in life.

Practicing birth control because otherwise I would be like that 19 kids and counting lady. Birth control was kind of a new thing back when I was growing up in the 60s. There were so many families that had four and five kids whom I attended school with. Birth control has just revolutionized the options for life paths for women. What a great invention!

Al-Anon because of my dysfunctional upbringing. And as a young adult I continued the dysfunctional pattern that was "normal" to me. At age 20 I met this guy with a half gallon decanter of whiskey in his hand. My heart went pit-a-pat. Married him. He is in my living room right now. Eventually life got crazy enough that we both were desperate to learn a better way of living. He has a couple decades of sobriety and is active in AA. I have a couple decades in Al-Anon. We both sponsor people, chair meetings, all that stuff. In Al-Anon I have found the role modeling to learn how to live life better. The "parenting" I always wanted. Its like cheap therapy but I don't have to fill out insurance forms, the hours are more convenient, and I can keep attending meetings for the rest of my life. Which is my plan.

I really admire you. Good for you for helping others too.

Hi there previous poster! This is military woman who practiced birth control and has 17 years in Al-Anon. Thank you! What a kind thing to say!

This is the 3rd compliment I have received in the last 24 hours that was so sweet and so profound that it has brought tears to my eyes.

Good people. Yes, you are. Thanks for paying it forward.