9 Life Lessons Most People Wish They'd Learned Earlier

By Nicole Yi
StockSnap | Tiago Muraro
StockSnap | Tiago Muraro

Experiences come with age, and it's only as we get older when we realize the things we've done right and wrong. And unfortunately, the most important lessons are learned a little too late. Before we reach that point in our life, we can find out the best rules to live by and start applying them now. Hopefully as a result, we can minimize as much future regret as possible and feel more fulfilled along the way. Here are nine things that are better to learn now rather than later.

  1. Everything is temporary: Times of grief, stress, and sadness won't last forever, but neither will precious moments. Even when you're feeling most hopeless, remember that you will get through it, and when you're happiest, enjoy every single second.
  2. Embrace the tough times: Don't shut yourself out because you don't want to deal with it. The most difficult hardships you'll face are often the greatest life lessons.
  3. Be present as much as possible: It doesn't do you any good to beat yourself up over what already happened — there's nothing you can do about it now but move forward. Similarly, worrying too much about the future is unproductive because you're thinking about what has yet to happen instead of living in the moment.
  4. Money isn't everything: A well-paying job means nothing if you dread going to work each day. Yes, you may be able to live a more comfortable lifestyle, but you won't be able to enjoy it to the fullest when you're miserable in your professional life. And if money is the driving source behind your success, you'll find yourself disappointed when you reach the top.
  5. There's no better education than travel: Take advantage of every opportunity that exposes you to other cultures and new people. You'll learn far more from those experiences than from a textbook.
  6. Happiness starts with you: Your happiness shouldn't be dependent on others because it's no one else's responsibility but yours to help you feel fulfilled. It's not about possessions or status, it's about personal growth and self-love.
  7. Tomorrow is never promised: You are not invincible; take care of your body and place your energy on things you love doing and are passionate about. You don't know when your last day will be.
  8. You only hurt yourself by settling: Don't cut yourself short by staying at a job where you're unhappy or with a partner you know isn't completely right for you.
  9. What everyone else thinks won't matter: At the end of the day, your opinion is the only one that truly counts. You're the one who has to live with the decisions you make, so make sure they're not made based on what someone else wants or thinks.