11 Life Lessons You Don’t Have to Learn the Hard Way

We grow through life as we go through life, and a large part of that growth comes from the life lessons we learn. Some lessons open your heart, and some lessons open your mind, but beware the lessons that close you, for they will leave you blind.

You can attain much wisdom from these life lessons, and the best part is, you don’t even have to learn them the hard way.

Here are 11 life lessons you don’t have to learn the hard way

Life teaches us that positive self-talk is vital to well being.

We give feedback on what we think about ourselves every day.  Whether these are internal thoughts, or through discussions with those around us, pay attention to how you perceive yourself.  If you believe in and affirm your awesomeness, you’re ready to rock this life ahead.

If your thoughts and words about yourself are negative, it’s time to take a good look in the mirror and say “I love you” to the person you see. First accept who you are and where you are, right now.

What you believe you become. We cannot continuously have negative thoughts and make negative assertions about ourselves with an expectation to live a positive life.

Life teaches us to be aware of our thoughts.

Our mind produces 50,000 thoughts per day.  Of course we can’t be conscious of them all, but we can make these subconscious thoughts work to our advantage through constant reminders.  Programming your mind by allowing the right neurons to fire together will create a new positive framework that your brain operates on.

Life teaches us to let go of what no longer serves us.

When the time comes to move forward in life, you’ve got to see the signals.  The Universe can’t deliver what you’ve been waiting for if you’re not creating the room in your life it requires.

I heard a story once of a massage therapist who was ready to quit his job, as it was no longer serving him.  An opportunity came for him to have his own personal working space for clients in a new building, an opportunity to branch out on his own! At nearly the same time, his current place of employment was cutting his hours.

Instead of seeing the opportunity to jump into the next step in his life, he chose to focus on the lack of hours coming from what no longer served him.  Life was MAKING room for the next step.  All he had to do was let go…

Life teaches us that happiness is a choice to be made.

Choosing happiness doesn’t have to be difficult.  It all starts with your first thought.  Were you happy to wake up this morning?  Express it! Your actions are important, but your reactions and your choice to be happy are your very own.  Ultimately, your own happiness depends on you.

Life teaches us to see the perfect moments in life, not the imperfectness of life.

This life lesson was realized most during parenting.  When you have a child, they could cry for 23 hours a day, but if one hour of that day is spent smiling, laughing, and hearing them say “I love you”, it makes everything perfect.

Life doesn’t have to be a loss if you aren’t where you ultimately want to be, or if you are missing a few pieces of the puzzle.  Know that life delivers all parts at the perfect time, and it’s up to us to see those single moments of perfection that have already been placed into your perspective

Life teaches us to keep it simple.

Making things complicated, creating drama, and beating around the bush are all ways to complicate your life.

Keep it simple.  If you miss someone, contact them. If you have a question, don’t be afraid to ask. Or, if you want others to understand you, explain. If you don’t like something, change it, or at least change what you think about it.  Most importantly, if you love someone, by all means tell them!  You don’t want them to be the one that got away.

Life teaches us we’re a lot richer than we realize.

Wealth isn’t measured solely in currency.  In fact, the things that are worth the most are largely taken for granted by society.  If you have a family that cares for you, friends to enjoy, food in your stomach and a place to rest your head, you are far richer than you may realize.  Enjoy and appreciate this true wealth, because just like money, you can’t take it with you.

Life teaches us to see the good ahead.

Bob Proctor once said “It doesn’t matter where you are, you are nowhere compared to where you can go.”

At every level of achievement, there’s a greater milestone waiting to be accomplished.  Your perspective will continually be expanded as you grow.  See that there is limitless good available in front of you, and always look toward that bright shining beacon of possibility.

Life teaches us to say “I love you” more.

No one is guaranteed their next breath.  Saying I love you to those you care for is the most powerful sentence in the world.  Why not take advantage of this power?  Not only is it important to say I love you more, it’s equally important to prove it with loving actions.  It can be as simple as a phone call or a postcard – either way, your positive actions have a positive effect in someone’s life, and in turn, on the world.

Life teaches us to be an encourager.

There are enough critics in the world, aren’t there?  When you aim to uplift people and support their positive vision, you see that there is so much more to life than trying to find the fault.  Even if they’re a competitor in the professional marketplace, it’s good practice to encourage them toward their best effort.  Their mission, much like yours, is to serve someone or something in some way.  Trying to pillage their efforts and tear them down is ultimately a disservice to those who you’re both trying to serve.

Life teaches us to see our true potential.

We all have the same 24 hours in a day, and reaching your goals depends on whether you believe you can.  When you believe that you have the same ability as anyone in the world to attract the life you desire, your potential energy becomes kinetic more and more.  Let your light increasingly shine and never look back!

Life teaches us to express gratitude daily. (BONUS!)

It’s very important to realize the power of being grateful for what we have. Typically, it’s very easy to focus on what is going wrong instead of what is going right. Research shows, again and again, that people who practice gratitude on a daily basis are healthier, happier, and more effective.

Throughout the day, intentionally look for things to be thankful for. If you really want to get into the art (and success) of gratitude, create a list of five or ten things that you are grateful for and commit to that practice daily.

What has life taught you?

How often do you actually say yes?

If it’s often, good for you. I’m almost certain that you’re in a great place in your life. But, if you find yourself saying no often, which is where many people are, do you realize you’re limiting yourself and closing the doorway to your best life?

Now, I’m not talking about saying yes to things that are truly no good for you, or being a “people pleaser” and saying yes to everyone and everything until you are completely (emotionally, mentally and physically) drained. I’m referring to agreeing to new things for YOU! Sieze the day for new opportunities, new experiences, fresh ideas and discoveries that get you out of your daily comfort zone and attain the growth your soul seeks.

The “yeses” that take work (and sometimes, a lot of work) but they completely, utterly, fantastically change your life! This space I’m talking about is where all the magic happens.

Here are 3 Reasons to Say YES More Often

1. You’ll gain more confidence and self worth.

When you say yes more often to what feels good (and is for your highest good) you open up the flood gates of opportunity. Here, you gain more beliefs in your abilities. This newfound confidence will bring even more positive momentum on your journey to success.

2. You’ll meet new people (and build life-long friendships).

All humans are of the same species, so it’s up to us to be open to one another.  And opening your mind to the minds of others can literally change your life.  Releasing the bondage of societal ideals lets you fluently communicate with people you may have never talked with before.  You may even make a best friend.

3. You’ll discover new opportunities, skills, and areas of interest.

Saying yes brings miracles and opportunities that exceed your expectations. Google’s executive chairman Eric Schmidt said it best during his commencement address at the University of California at Berkeley: “Find a way to say yes to things.”

Say yes to invitations to a new country. Or, to meeting new friends. And, say yes to learning a new language, or to picking up a new sport. This commitment is how you get your first job, and your next job. Yes is how you find your spouse and even your kids.

Even if it’s a bit edgy, a bit out of your comfort zone, saying yes means you will do something new, meet someone new and make a difference in your life, and likely in others’ lives as well. … Yes is a tiny word that can do big things. Say it often.”

Saying “Yes” requires work, commitment, and accountability, and sometimes that scares people away, especially if they feel unprepared or unmotivated. But here’s the reality: a positive response will always give you more than a no. A no is guaranteed failure. Nothing is ever stagnant, so a no is usually backward progress. Sure, there is no risk in a no… but there’s no fun in it either. Saying yes can be very fun. In the fun is where you find success”

Say yes to life and watch as life rewards you. So what do you say?

Have you ever considered how to become an everyday hero?

We are filled with gratitude for those who fight crime, save kidnapped children, and protect our humanity. But let us not forget, we can all be heroes in some way, every single day.

How?

Believe it or not, a cape and superhuman powers aren’t prerequisites for saving the world. You could be someone’s mentor without knowing it. Or, you may have just hired someone that was on plan Z before moving into their car. You may have given a piece of advice that turned someone’s whole life around.

It may even be as simple as the fact that you just delivered a hug to someone at a moment that couldn’t have come soon enough. You can do your part.  You can help save the world in some way, even if you only save yourself.

Your super senses are pinging. Your signal is in the sky. The world needs your unique gifts. Go!

ACTIONABLE AFFIRMATION (repeat this in a mirror daily):

I share my unique gifts with the world to help it heal, grow, and love.  I am an everyday hero!

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO BE AN EVERYDAY HERO

So, why is it important to cast yourself in the role of everyday hero? Take pause a moment and think about it.  If you want positive change, you must be the change.

You should strive to become all that you wish to see in the world.

In time, your efforts will be quietly noted. Your children, co-workers, partner, friends, and family will absorb your positivity. And then, you will succeed in implementing that change.

Besides that, you will grow spiritually as a result of this commitment.

DAILY INSPIRATION:

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To do well in life, you must believe in yourself. You are the one person you can truly rely on. Your belief about yourself and your abilities reflect in your personal success and happiness.  When you lack confidence in yourself, others pick up on that, and don’t take you seriously.  And in turn, your confidence can shrink even more.

Belief in yourself opens the doors of opportunity to your dreams and aspirations. It allows you to live your truth and be your best self.  You are an important and integral part of life as much as anyone and anything else. You have a purpose!  When you believe in yourself, the ability to follow your passions and live your purpose is available. You are allowing good things to come to you, and your belief in yourself allows you to act on those opportunities.

But, in this often highly competitive and demanding society we live in, we can feel small, unworthy and far from confident.

That doesn’t mean it’s not possible. It just takes specific skills and habits that must be consistently practiced.

Here are 5 Ways to Make Yourself Believe in Yourself:

1. Reflect on your past success.

If you’re in an emotional rut, use the tools from your past and get yourself out.

Here’s an exercise: Vividly remember a time when you absolutely just kicked butt! You rocked it! You exceeded your own expectation. 🙂 Put yourself there and feel the excitement and pride you had inside. Now, remember you can do it again.

It’s healthy to use the past to your advantage. Too often we easily recall what has hurt us, but we can just as easily allow the past to help us propel.

If you need a bigger boost, repeat the exercise.

2. Seek positive external validation.

Every day we are subconsciously seeking validation, essentially for love in some form. That level of validation depends upon the attitude of the people around us.

If we surround ourselves with positive people who care about us, cherish our strengths, and help us be uplifted, we will flourish. However, if we are around people with negative, limiting beliefs, we can become surrounded in a negative environment, not providing ourselves with the fertile ground we need to grow.

Happy, confident, successful people credit others. We all need positive encouragement. That can be a good friend, family member, or mentor.

3. Transform your self talk.

We create who we are, every day, by our daily beliefs and self talk. Our words are essentially affirmation. It’s important that we talk to ourselves with love and kindness. We deserve our own compliments.

For some that can be incredibly difficult. We can compliment and love others, but… love ourselves? It seems egotistical! But, it’s not.

You deserve your love and appreciation more than anyone else.  Shine your light and love towards every area you feel needs improvement.

Embrace your flaws? But, doesn’t that mean you’re accepting and allowing them to be there?

Actually, loving your flaws releases them and allows them to become whole and well again. If you are having a hard time, switch your focus to another area and come back to it later.

This practice can be achieved easier through daily personal affirmations and mirror work.

4. Give fears less credit, give yourself more.

Fear is merely false evidence appearing real. It’s worry set on fire. It holds you back from believing in yourself more than anything else. It’s an illusion.

Realizing that your fear is not real is the first step (which can actually be hard to do, so when you do you are well on your way).

Transcend the fear with action and do not hesitate. Yep, just like the Latin Proverb – Carpe Diem!

You are capable of much more than you believe. When you conquer fear you allow for more of your true self to shine. Keep up the momentum and declare to conquer a few fears in a specific amount of time (like once a month). In a year, you’ll look back and feel like a completely new you! 😉

5. Celebrate the positive.

Your everyday attitude affects how you treat yourself and others. Strive to be an optimist and see the good in the world. Focus on what you love about yourself and your strengths. Celebrate who you are and the good people you have in your life. Feel gratitude for everything going right and all the blessings on the way. Learn lessons from the challenges you’ve conquered.

A positive attitude is the quickest way to believing in yourself. It bypasses everything else and gets right to the end goal – happiness, love, success, and belief in yourself.

Join the conversation:

Have you overcome negative self-doubt? How? Let us know your ways to Make Yourself Believe in Yourself!

Work – : a job or activity that you do regularly especially in order to earn money: the place where you do your job: the things that you do especially as part of your job. (Merriam-Webster, 2014)

Hmm… We don’t see anything about “fun” or “enjoyment” in the definition of work, do you?

Considering that people spend over half of their waking life working, wouldn’t it be nice to have some fun once in a while? Well, you can and you should. Especially considering 83% of Americans are stressed out at work according to a recent study by Harris Interactive for Everest College.

If we can find new ways to make work more fun, we could lower this ridiculously large statistic as well as build a better environment for all employees. When there’s a positive feeling in the workplace, it extends to  customers as well. Below, here are 20 ways to make work more fun.

 20 Ways to Make Work Fun 

“Be happy for what you have, while working for what you want.” – Helen Keller

#1: Listen to music.

If practical, bring some headphones or portable stereo with you to work. If someone complains, tell them to consider this: researchers at the University of Illinois found that people who listened to music while doing complex analytical work or administrative tasks increased their productivity.

#2: Fung Shui your work space.

Energize and organize your workspace by doing some of all of the following: use colored post-its or paper clips, stack your baskets, use color-coded folders, get a small plant or flower, or have pictures and other inspirational stuff around

#3: Have a stress ball or something else to play with at your desk.

If you work on a computer or talk to people all day, it can get boring and stressful real quick. Having something pliable in your hand, like a stress ball, can help ease the boredom.

#4: Change your screensaver to something happy or relaxing.

Instead of your company logo, change the computer screen to a picture of nature, your favorite sports team or something else that is pleasant.

#5: Use your breaks to their full advantage.

Contrary to the corporate mindset, extended time at your desk does not increase productivity. Long stretches of concentrated work demand that your brain and body recharge, and you should be doing so.

#6: Create special interest groups.

Incorporate passionate endeavors to make work fun by forming a group with likeminded people. Create a fantasy football group, exercise group, political or current events group, etc…

#7: Have a potluck.

Regardless of what anyone says, food is fun. People love preparing food that they know will be enjoyed and appreciated by their coworkers.

#8: Host Team-building events.

Find a way to get out of the office and enjoy each other’s company. This brings your group closer together and provides a nice boost to morale and productivity.

#9: Celebrate milestones and successes.

People love recognition for a job well done and for their loyalty. Concentrate your resources and provide a small cash bonus or some kind of memento that shows appreciation for that individual’s efforts.

#10: Reward prizes for production.

When a coworker achieves or does something beyond the normal scope of their duties, such as making the first sale of the day or staying a half-hour late for their team, have some small prizes for them to choose from.

#11: Work for yourself, either on the side or full-time.

The business-savvy, world renowned Jeff Lerner recommends that you consider doing enjoyable freelance work or starting your own business from home to make work more fun. There are many ways to earn an income, or even multiple incomes, on your own schedule and your own terms.

#12: Have a charity day.

There’s something to be said about a workplace that gives back to the community. Consider a paid day where staff can get out of the office and contribute something to the greater good.

#13: Joke around (a little) to make work fun. 

Send out an email with a good (appropriate!) joke and watch the tension and stuffiness of the workplace diminish. This reinforces the important element of humor in the workplace…and it is important.

#14: Supervisor roasting.

This is a blast. Managers are unique in that eyes are constantly on them, and as a result so are their little quirks. Have a day where a good-natured manager can take a little ribbing and share some laughs with their team.

#15: Teammate roasting.

This, too, is a blast. While not quite as fun or fulfilling as roasting a manager, some good-natured humor directed at your teammate is a good morale booster.

#16: Have a welcome committee.

When new team members join, have them fill out some fun information about themselves (favorite sports team, hobby, TV show, anything), and have the committee take them out to lunch or surprise them with fun stuff for their workspace.

#17: Pick your own schedule.

For team members that deliver excellent results, let them pick their own schedule for the week or the month to make work more fun for them.

#18: Games, games, games.

Some workplaces have video game systems, table tennis, or foosball tables available for people to play on their breaks and lunches, and as a reward for excellent production. This is a huge morale booster and keeps the workplace productive and fun.

#19: Have a movie day.

It’s simple to set up a TV and DVD player, so gather the team or the workplace around and watch a flick. From experience, this is a fun and productive event.

Comedies are awesome, as the team can share and enjoy some laughter – another important part of having fun in the workplace.

#20: Take fun seriously.

Kind of a paradox, yes; but workplaces that mix fun stuff into their workplaces are healthier, more productive, and distinguish themselves from the grind that so many other employers put their workers through.

Taking the idea of fun in the workplace as a serious notion, either by yourself or as a team, brings happiness and joy to a place where it is much-needed.

Add to the conversation: Can you add to the list? We’d love to hear how you make work fun in the comments below.

“I never did a day’s work in my life. It was all fun.” – Thomas Edison