48 People Reveal The Harshest Life Lessons They Learned the Hard Way

Never put your education/ job / plans etc on hold for a boyfriend / girlfriend especially while in college, especially when you’re 19.

Working harder at work doesn’t lead to more pay.

You can do everything right and fail. Others can do everything wrong and succeed.

That saying NO can save you a lot of trouble down the line.

Many people in "leadership" positions are anything but leaders.

You can have a loving family, great friends, and financial security but still feel isolated and empty.

Just because you're blood related to someone, doesn't mean that you owe them anything. Toxic people are toxic people and you are not required to give them a single ounce of your attention if they are hurting you.

Buy a good mattress and a good pair of shoes. You spend lots of time on those.

That life can take a loved one at any time so cherish those you love, make time for family and friends, and tell people you love them often.

You can't make someone love you by giving them more of what they already don't appreciate.… Still chewing on this one.

I think, oddly, the lesson I learned is that there is no such thing as 'too late in life' - at 26, I was homeless, out of rehab, and broke. Things have changed dramatically for the better.

Listen to your grandparents' stories and ask them as many questions as you can about their lives and family history, etc. All 4 of mine passed when I was too young to truly appreciate any of the above.

Anyone can become 100% disabled in the blink of an eye. Nothing can prepare you for that.

That the disappointment of your parents will be far shorter lived than the unhappiness you'll endure by trying to make your life fit their perfect picture.

Happiness is enjoying the things you have, not the things to come.

Use all your vacation time and don’t feel bad about it.

You will lose somebody unexpectedly at some point, and it is going to hurt.

I’ve accepted the past, look forward to the future but always strive to live in the present.

Sometimes the problem is you.

Not everyone meets their person.

When someone shows you who they really are, believe them the first time.

My grandfather told me when I was younger, "some people are just born evil and sometimes it's impossible to see them coming." He was right.

It *looks* like other people are blessed with motivation and self-discipline and make stuff happen. If you sit and around long enough, the angel of self-discipline will float to you and bless you with the desire to do healthy, productive stuff that will benefit you in the short, mid, long term. False. You have to get off your couch and do what you don't feel like doing right now. That's the lesson I had to learn.

You never know when your last conversation with someone will be.

I give compliments freely & generously. Compliments are a mood enhancer not only for the recipient, but also for me. And a small tip for the recipient of a compliment, never, NEVER turn it down, just say "Thank You.”

I am not embarrassed by my emotions. It’s my emotions that make me human.

Don't overpush yourself working at a job that would replace you without a second thought.

It is okay to walk away from toxic family. I am not the monster they paint me as. I can't fix or save them. I can only protect my kids.

I have learned to live each day as if it's the last. After all, it might be the last.

Some people just won't admit they're wrong. Don't waste time trying to get them to accept it. Wasted too much of mine own time trying to correct people.

Listen to your gut instinct. If something feels off about a person or situation, there’s a reason. Believe it the first time and walk away.

Look after your knees and your teeth.

2 things:
- Just because someone is a relative doesn't mean they can be trusted.
- Don't listen to the opinion of people who's advise you wouldn't take.

You have to create the life you want for yourself. Letting go is a part of life. It isn’t about collecting things you’ll keep forever but experiencing and enjoying them while they’re happening.

After loving my spouse, my parents, my children & grandchildren, and my friends, I have now started loving myself.

No matter how much scientific evidence you show some people, they refuse to believe anything that doesn't fit their narrative.

Sometimes the people who seem the happiest are the ones that are struggling the most. Be kind, be kind, be kind. I've lost two friends who were always the ones smiling and trying to make everyone around them happy. I think because they understand such deep pain, they try to make sure their loved ones don't ever feel the same.

No one is going to save you. You have to save yourself

Your health can evaporate quickly.

You shouldn’t care what your high school experience was good or bad or what your classmates think of you because who cares about high school after 18? If high school was your peak you have a despicable life ahead.

I keep my aches and pains to myself unless specifically asked. It’s nice to share but only when invited. We all have our health issues as we get older but that doesn’t mean we want to hear a non-stop litany of everyone else’s physical ailments.

I walk away from people who don't value me. They might not know my worth, but I do.

That you can't please everyone so you shouldn't worry about trying to.

That a death in the family brings out the worst in people.

People don't want to hear your opinion, they want to hear their opinion come out of your mouth.

I have learned not to correct people even when I know they are wrong. The onus of making everyone perfect is not on me. Peace is more precious than perfection.

I have realized that I am not “Atlas”. The world does not rest on my shoulders.

I leave my waitress a nice tip (preferably in cash). The extra money might bring a smile to their face. They are toiling much harder for a living than I am.