Who wouldn’t like to live in a world without consequences? Where you could go back in time and start all over again. Where we could be fully in charge of whatever happens. Where life would give us lemonade instead of lemons.

The reality, however, is way different. So when someone asked “What are the hardest pills to swallow in life?” in an AskReddit thread, it surely hit very close to home for many people.

The responses started flowing in, with one uncomfortable truth being spilled after another.

Discover more in “Some Bells Can’t Be Unrung”: People Share 40 Hard Truths That May Be Hard To Swallow

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#1

Labrador retriever lying on floor in dimly lit room, illustrating hard truths people may find hard to swallow. That a dog’s life is not long enough

anon , Chalabala Report

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    #2

    Person feeding two cows from a bowl in a green pasture, illustrating hard truths about life and perspective. Animals are worthy of moral consideration

    Mountain-Return7438 , Mint_Images Report

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    #3

    A diverse group of people standing in a circle, sharing and discussing hard truths in a bright office space. No one really knows you. They know their own version of you.

    PamelaJWiley , Rawpixel Report

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    #4

    Man in navy suit holding folders outside modern glass building, reflecting on hard truths that may be hard to swallow. Arrogance is not extreme confidence, it's the opposite of confidence and it shows your insecurities. If people call you arrogant, they are not intimidated by your confidence, they see what you are so desperately trying to cover up.

    zazzlekdazzle , andreonegin Report

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    #5

    Two men wearing winter clothes sharing a handshake at a train station illustrating hard truths people share. Some relationships or friendships are meant to be temporary. Appreciate the memories and lessons they give you, but when the time comes you have to let go and move on

    alexandria-haynes , peus80 Report

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    #6

    Person crumpling paper with charts and graphs on desk, illustrating hard truths that may be hard to swallow. It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose

    Unreliable--Narrator , Farknot Report

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    #7

    Three happy students holding books and backpacks outside a brick building, sharing moments of hard truths and life insights. Not only is incompetence frequently left unpunished, it is sometimes also richly rewarded.

    amvoloshin , bernardbodo Report

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    #8

    Young couple embracing on a city street, illustrating the hard truths about relationships that some bells can’t be unrung. Being in love isn’t enough to make a relationship work.

    VogTheViscous , peus80 Report

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    #9

    Two people arguing after a car accident, illustrating hard truths people may find hard to swallow. Just because something is not your fault doesn’t mean it’s not your responsibility

    User , monkeybusiness Report

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    #10

    Young woman in a thoughtful moment, reflecting on hard truths that may be hard to swallow during a serious conversation. Bad things happen to good people. Sometimes for no reason at all, completely randomly.

    Important_Outcome_67 , bialasiewicz Report

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    #11

    Man in a business suit counting money and talking on phone in modern office, illustrating hard truths about success. Two justice systems; one for the rich and one for everyone else.

    Professional-Ad-1611 , sofiiashunkina Report

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    #12

    Man with glasses holding a box of belongings, opening a door, representing hard truths that may be hard to swallow. Nobody is obligated to be in your life. Years of commitment and love can go up in smoke because someone decided they were done with you.

    Elijahb88 , AnnaStills Report

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    #13

    Elderly man in plaid shirt sitting indoors, hands clasped in reflection, depicting hard truths people share about life. When you're young and healthy, it's hard to imagine being anything but. When you lose your health, it's mind blowing how quickly things change.

    Ennion , Pressmaster Report

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    #14

    Young man covering his mouth with hands, expressing shock and disbelief while sharing hard truths that may be hard to swallow. Sometimes when bad things happen to you it’s your own fault.

    SIRUNKLYDUNK2 , jm_video Report

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    #15

    Protester wearing mask holding a wake up America sign among a group sharing hard truths in a public demonstration. The world does not revolve around america.

    FuriousRageSE , drazenphoto Report

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    #16

    Woman lying on bed looking thoughtfully at Newton's cradle, reflecting on hard truths and life challenges at night. Life gives you the test first, then the lesson.

    User , stokkete Report

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    #17

    Woman in denim jacket showing grief beside hospital bed, reflecting on hard truths that may be hard to swallow. The people you love the most in life will die, sometimes sooner than you could imagine, and the only thing that will come close to healing that wound is time.

    orange150 , ckstockphoto Report

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    #18

    Older couple having a serious conversation in a modern kitchen, illustrating hard truths that may be hard to swallow. No one will love you the way you want/expect them to. I feel like a lot of relationship problems, at least the minor ones, come from a miscommunication of love. We love in our own way, and find ourselves expecting the same kind of love when that’s just not possible. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s hard to remember sometimes.

    imjust_ro , Wavebreakmedia Report

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    #19

    Man drinking water by the kitchen window, reflecting on hard truths that may be hard to swallow in daily life. Nobody is 100% *good* no matter how much you lie to yourself.

    User , vadymvdrobot Report

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    #20

    An older man looking thoughtful and worried while a woman in yellow offers comfort, reflecting hard truths being shared. you can’t help people who aren’t willing to try and help themselves to quote a music artist i like “you don’t take the advice you f*****g use me for”

    oreggino-thyme , monkeybusiness Report

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    #21

    Person with long hair sitting on a rock at sunset, reflecting on hard truths that may be hard to swallow. Sometimes things just change, it’s nobodies fault but they change.

    User , Pixabay Report

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    #22

    A man and woman sitting by the water, reflecting on hard truths that may be difficult to swallow. Accepting the fact that the person you thought you'd spend the rest of your life with might not be the one.

    IAmMyth , south_nostalgia Report

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    #23

    People come and go from your life and sometimes you’re the reason why.

    RebootKing89 Report

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    #24

    Group of diverse young people outdoors sharing positive moments symbolizing hard truths about life and growth together. If you want a great life, great friends and experiences, you have to seek them out for yourself, and nurture them. They aren't randomly assigned to you, and no one else will take care of it but yourself (ofc also partly depending on other people, but you have to have agency)

    fluffyegghead , Rawpixel Report

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    #25

    Two medical workers sitting on the floor, one comforting the other, illustrating hard truths that may be hard to swallow. You will probably have to be ok with losing in nearly all aspects of life

    offcommy , DragonImages Report

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    #26

    Not everything will happen according to your plan.

    JascnBriel Report

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    #27

    Elderly man packing office items into a box, illustrating hard truths about change and acceptance in life. That your boss and coworkers won’t care how hard you worked the second you leave the company. Enjoy life. Go outside. Have a picnic. Don’t work so hard.

    iStillPlayPS3 , stokkete Report

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    #28

    Woman in glasses sitting at a laptop looking stressed, reflecting on hard truths that may be hard to swallow. Some bells can’t be unrung. And you have to live with the fallout from decisions you made and things you did when you didn’t know this fact.

    the_digital_merc , astakhovyaroslav Report

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    #29

    Tabby cat biting a human hand, illustrating hard truths that may be hard to swallow in a candid moment. You can't force a cat to cuddle

    User , kseniasol Report

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    #30

    Older woman jogging near the beach, illustrating resilience and facing hard truths that may be hard to swallow in life. Doesn’t matter how fit you are, you get old and your body starts to break down. It s***s. Hard.

    Barrrrrrnd , javi_indy Report

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    #31

    Older man in a suit sharing hard truths with a younger woman in an office setting during a serious conversation. Bad people win frequently. Some people in leadership position are not good leaders. Some who are not in leadership are good leaders. People will take advantage of your hard work. Many people get to where they are because of nepotism.

    VStarRoman , Pressmaster Report

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    See Also on Bored Panda
    #32

    Two women at a table, one distressed while the other offers comfort, illustrating hard truths that may be hard to swallow. That sometimes even if you tried your best, you just weren't good enough.

    Noctis012 , seventyfourimages Report

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    #33

    Young woman in a gray sweater, sitting at a table with a glass of water, deep in thought about hard truths. you only get the one life, so dont wait for things to be perfect

    Gryffindorq , vadymvdrobot Report

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    #34

    Elderly woman looking sad and reflective through a rain-speckled window, conveying hard truths and emotional weight. That no matter who you are or what you do, the wide, wide majority of people (like me) will be a memory for one generation and then utterly forgotten.

    bunkerburner , bialasiewicz Report

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    #35

    Woman in casual jacket checking time on white smartwatch, illustrating hard truths about time and life realities. You’re going to not exist in a very short amount of time that will feel like it went by in a blink.

    gleafer , seventyfourimages Report

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    #36

    Woman in striped shirt looking at phone through window, reflecting on hard truths that may be hard to swallow. That lot of people you have are just there for the fun times, when accidents and life trauma happens most of the people you thought of as a safety net will just vanish. Like how you think as a new parent that if something happens to you, there are this village of close friends and tight knit relatives and family that will be there for the kids. It’s really tough to accept the idea that it’s really not like that.

    ToppsHopps , stevanovicigor Report

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    #37

    Problems need to be solved. Most of them don't go away if you ignore them.

    PurgaznNings Report

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    #38

    You aren't as unique as you think, so probably you aren't much different compared to the other 100 people that someone may have met that day. The "I'm built different" dialogue goes on everybody's head.

    anon Report

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    #39

    Man in beige hoodie showing frustration while talking on phone, illustrating hard truths people may find hard to swallow. Being cynical is not the same as having healthy skepticism. It doesn't make you seem smart, but rather short-sighted and just angry that the world didn't just award you everything you feel entitled to because you are so gifted.

    zazzlekdazzle , OlgaSmolina Report

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