3 Things I Learned The Hard Way
Sometimes we learn the easy way… and most of the time we learn the hard way. When you grow up quick, take on the world at a young age and start making big decisions at a young age that can affect your future and life you have to learn quick, make mistakes and grow from them.
Take my mistakes and learn from them so you don’t have to. Here are 3 things I learned the hard way in life that I will take with me to make future decisions easier.
1. Listen to your gut and follow these intuitions
This is so important and something that can be hard to do. Sometimes your gut and intuitions aren’t following what your current path in life is but you have to accept this and make a decision on it, whether you follow it or not. After reading so many books and trying to drill this into my mind, it’s occurred to me that following your gut will bring you to your path in life. Your gut and intuitions in life that you feel are all for a reason and important to acknowledge even if you don’t act on them.
When you make those hard decisions that follow your gut and intuitions they lead you to the easier way to live and easier decisions. I can now see looking back that those hard intuitions I had about situations, relationships, jobs, etc. we’re all for a reason to bring me to where I am now. Even though they were hard to accept and I didn’t always act on them right away they finally would come through and come into my path and I would see why I had those and they needed to be had to get me to where I am today.
2. Don’t let others opinions of how you should being living your life affect your actual life
From Day 1 of when I started making my own decisions and creating my own life I remember people discouraging me for the decisions I was making. I have never been one that has been discouraged when others don’t agree with the life that you’re creating for yourself - it’s your life and you are the only one that matters and who needs to enjoy it. But I see this affecting so many people and so many people live their lives for others whether it’s the job they want to have, the title they need, the social media they post or the lifestyle they live. Look in the mirror and see if you’re someone doing this.
Once you live life for you and start doing this intentionally. You will start to see your happiness, joy and love for life flourish. You will begin to realize that no one matters as much as you do to enjoy your own life. No matter where this is in your life whether it’s your job, lifestyle, clothes, relationships or food you eat - you are the only one that matters.
When I was 17 and made the decision to move to California and go to college at a local college, not knowing anyone out on the West coast, not having a car to get around in and not taking the conventional route most college freshmen do - I had to hear about it. Let me tell you did I hear about it - from everyone. I was told I was making a mistake, I wasn’t going to be able to have a normal college experience, blah blah blah. But I still did it, I still moved and made this decision for me because I knew it was I wanted to do. I didn’t let others discourage me and cause me to completely change my path. And if it wasn’t for that year in California my life wouldn’t be what it is today. I am so grateful for the growth, uncomfortable learning curves, job I had and friends I met.
3. Always have a backup plan when you’re depending on others
This is something that has gotten me hard. There’s a healthy balance you have to have going from depending on loved ones because you want them in your life and are building a future with them. But on the other end not depending on someone’s thoughts and actions 100% to where if something happened it would affect your life a lot for your current situation.
Always have your back and put yourself first because you are who matters and you always want to put your situation and self in the best situation. You don’t always want to have a plan B but I think when you do it makes your life easier if or when things begin to crumble.