13 Shocking Life Lessons You Wish You Were Told Sooner

Some things in life cannot be changed, and you wish you knew them sooner. Everyone is human, so it makes sense to make mistakes. Your journey is filled will hardship, ups and downs, and challenges, but it doesn't mean you can't be happy. Sometimes you wish someone was there to give you some advice or life lessons that will guide you in the future. As much as we want to change our past, it's impossible. But you can make yourself truly happy in the future.

Although you can't turn back time, you can live a better life in the future by listening to other people's advice. Those ahead of you can share their wisdom, mistakes, and journey with remarkable insights and knowledge that you can apply to your life. Below are life lessons based on what most people wish they knew earlier.

If you are ready, let's dive into the 12 shocking life lessons you wish someone had told you sooner.

1. You Can't Please Everyone

No matter how hard you try to please the world, you can't please everyone. No matter what you do in life, there will always be haters you cannot please. It's impossible to make everyone happy, no matter how hard you try. You're bound to upset someone along the way, whether intentionally or not.

Being a people pleaser eventually leads to burnout and resentment. You'll never truly be happy if you always put other people's needs before yours. It's okay to say “no” sometimes and put yourself first.

Stop trying to please everyone and focus on pleasing yourself. As long as you're happy with yourself, that's all that matters. Don't let other people's opinions dictate your life because it is your life, not theirs.

2. No One is Perfect

Humans were created to make mistakes. In this world, everyone makes mistakes on a daily basis. No one is perfect. To avoid mistakes, learn from someone who is better than you. Sometimes you get caught up in being Miss Perfect that you forget that you are even human.

Mistakes are made so that you can learn from them. Your life is a learning experience. If you strive for perfection in your younger days, you know the pursuit is futile and draining. (I have tried to be perfect for years, and it became a burden to my health; I had to learn to let it go.)

Don't strive for perfection, as it's an unattainable goal. Accept yourself for who you are, flaws and all. Work on improving yourself, but don't beat yourself up over your imperfections. Everyone has them, and they're what make you unique.

3. No One is Immune to Failure

Failure can happen anywhere and any day. It is bound to happen to you at some point in your life. No one is immune to failure. Failure is a part of life, and everyone experiences it at some point. Life is like a game. When you lose, you fail, and you have to start over. Even if you fail, it is not the end of the world.

Failure makes you stronger, more confident, and a better person than you were before. Maybe in your younger days, you may think that failure isn't a word in your dictionary but only success. Without failure, how are you supposed to learn? What would life be like if the world was perfect without worries, problems, or mistakes?

Those who have experienced the most success in life are usually the ones who have failed the most. They've learned from their failures and used them as motivation to keep going. So don't be afraid of failing. You need to embrace it and learn from it if you want to be a better and stronger person than you were the day before.

4. Your Happiness is Entirely Up to You

Your happiness is up for you to decide. Whatever decision or action you take, it is all up to you. No one else can make you happy, and no one else is responsible for your happiness. If you aren't happy, then you are the one to blame. No one can control your life.

Back then, you may have thought an outstanding career and things you own would make you happy. It may or may not today. Achieving happiness can be difficult to obtain because happiness comes from within, an internal feeling that has nothing to do with your external circumstances.

So if you're unhappy with your life, it's time to pivot and change that. Don't wait for someone else to make you happy. Only you have the power to do that.

5. You Can't Change the Past

Stop brooding about your past mistakes or experience because you can't change no matter how much you think about it. You can't change the past, but you can surely change your future. This life lesson is hard to accept, but it's true. No matter how much you want to change what's already happened, you can't do it. The past is in the past, and there's nothing you can do about it.

If you look back in time, you'll probably remember those bad decisions and experiences you had and wish you weren't part of. You might feel bad now and then, and it's okay. The world didn't end yet. Now that you know what mistakes you made, you know what to avoid in the future.

All you can do is learn from your mistakes, forgive yourself, and move on. Don't dwell on the past or let it define you as a person; what's done is done, and there's no use dwelling on it.

6. Life is too Short to Worry About the Little Things

Life is too short so live like there is no tomorrow. Stop worrying about the little things. There's no point in worrying about things you can't control or don't matter in the grand scheme. Worrying does nothing but stress you out and make you unhappy.

Unfortunately, most of you didn't give your younger selves a break. You worry about the smallest things that don't matter. Don't waste your time worrying about things that don't affect you.

Worrying about things you can't control will only drive you crazy and stress you out even more. Instead, focus on the things that are important to you. Life is too short to waste time worrying about things that don't matter.

7. Ask for Help When You Need It

Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. You may have thought that asking for help meant being weak or incompetent in your younger years. But that's not the case. Do you think it's dumb to ask someone for help on a problem you don't know how to solve? Of course not!

In this world, everyone needs help daily. Whether you are having health issues, business problems, family problems, finance security, etc., everyone needs help. From time to time, there's nothing wrong with asking for it. It's a good sign because it shows that you're willing to admit when you need help and are not afraid to ask for it.

The next time you need help, don't hesitate to ask for it. The worst that would happen is getting a NO for an answer. But more often than not, people are happy to help if they can.

8. Give Yourself a Break

Life is a roller coaster and that's normal. Everyone has their own issues and problems they are dealing with. Having balance in life seems impossible to some people, but it's not. Whether it's work, family, or vacation, you want to have it all.

But that's not the case. You try hard to be the perfect boss, the lovable spouse, and the trustworthy friend, but you end up not being one. You are far from perfect, and that's okay. Accepting your imperfections is a life lesson that will help you lead a much happier life. There's nothing better than being comfortable in your skin. You tried your best throughout the year, so you deserve a break. Think about all the accomplishments that you achieve in your life that most people couldn't. You did more than enough so give yourself some slack.

As long as you do your best all the time, you should be proud of yourself, even if it's not perfect. Don't be so hard on yourself and live your life to the fullest. You want to work hard, but also enjoy life along the way. This is one of the most important life lessons that most people neglect sometimes.

9. Never Stop Learning

You can never stop learning until the day you die. An important life lesson that most people think is not necessary. Just because you graduated from school doesn't mean your learning days are over; you're still learning new things every day. Whether it is a new hobby you are getting into, investing your money for the first time, or starting a side hustle for extra money, it is new when you are starting out as a beginner. When you start a new venture, you have to learn the foundation to become more advanced.

Never stop learning because it helps you grow as a person. The more you learn, the more you realize how much there is to life. There's always something new to learn, and there's always room for improvement.

So even if you are 29, 45, or 65, there is always something to learn. You should embrace new experiences and challenges, and be open to new ideas and ways of thinking. The more you know, the better off you'll be.

10. Be True to Yourself

It's easy to get caught up in what other people think. You may have been more concerned with fitting in, being better than others, or being like everyone else. If there is something that you want to do in life but have no support from others, you should listen to your heart and go for it. You'll realize overtime that being yourself is more important.

If people don't support or love you for who you are, then they are not worthy to be your friend. Finding your true self is one of the hardest life lesson because you don't know who you are sometime. It takes work and time to explore your human nature.

With social media these days, you start wanting to be like others and forget who you truly are. Social media is good to have, but it can be a curse too. It's more important to be happy with who you are than to please others. So don't worry about what other people think. Do what makes you happy and be you.

11. Never Give Up

Giving up should not even be an option. There will always be times when you feel like giving up, whether on a project, a relationship, or your life. But it's important to push through and never give up. What will your life be like if you gave up today? Will you be happy in your current state?

If you're about to give up, take a step back and assess the situation. There's always a way to tough it out and come out on top. Avoid making rash decisions and always think things through before making a solid decision. Good things will come if you push through and be patient.

However, this is not to say that you shouldn't move on from situations like a toxic relationship. If something is not working out, it's okay to walk away. But don't give up on your dreams and goals.

12. Never Settle

Settling is something that you should never do. Whether in your personal life or career, settling is not an option. If you're not happy with something, don't settle for it. Always be open-minded of what's to come in the future. Yo never know what opportunity can come your way.

There's always room for improvement, and there's always something better out there. So never settle for anything less than what you deserve. If you're not happy with your current situation, make a change. Don't settle for something that doesn't make you happy.

13. Be Happy

What's the point of life if you not truly happy? According to research, 27% of Americansn forgotten what it means to be “truly happy” and 45% fo Americans said it's been years since they felt true happiness. All humans deserve to be happy. It might be a long journey to find it, but everyone should always be looking for ways to make them happy.

Life is more meaningful when you are happy. If you don't live your life to the fullest, then what was the point of being alive? If you don't know where to start to find happiness, you should start to someone like a therapist to get you back on track.

Whether you are lost in life or feeling unfilled, it is up to you to find your happy place. You only live once, so make it the best life you ever had!

Closing Note

It's easy to wish we could go back and change the past, but that's not possible. We can't change past events, but we can learn from our mistakes. These life lessons I hope will help you and your future journey. Sometimes you wish you had someone to tell you these lessons beforehand, but if you don't have one, I'm here to tell you today.

Embrace these life lessons and use them to improve your life. Be true to yourself, never give up, and always keep learning. These life lessons will help you lead a happier and more fulfilling life.

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you in the next post!