Life Lessons to Share

The Common Room Members, Inc.
#1

What are some things in life you have learned? It could be deep and serious philosophy, or it could be something light-hearted, funny, and simple advice. You may include special sayings and quotes, as well as your own personal life lessons.

Examples (these are not my ideas, I got them from a Chicken Soup book.)

-Sometimes it’s nice to be important, but it’s always important to be nice.
-Kaleigh Cronin

-Begging works, but don’t rely on it. You don’t always get what you want.
-Melissa Lansford

-If you give your enemy a second chance they might turn out to be your best friend.
-Mandy Tallant

-Never fall asleep during a field trip if your friends have toothpaste with them.-Filipe Romero

-Never put your tongue on a very cold metal pole.
-Joshua White

Well, you get the idea. It will be very interesting to hear advice from other members here, so I can’t wait for your replies! :smiley: Post long lists or short lists, either is fine.

My List:

-Never use a word that you don’t know the meaning of to impress someone. If you misuse it, it can be very embarrassing when people get you wrong. Take it from someone who’s learned it the hard way.

-If someone calls you a loser for no good reason, keep in mind that the real loser is the person who has nothing better to do than insult people.

-Never spray bugs indoors when the air conditioning’s on and the windows are closed.

-Before going on a trip, double check to make sure you have everything. You might leave behind the most important items.

-You can have people of the opposite genders as just friends. You don’t have to get into a relationship if you’re not ready for it or if you don’t want to. Ignore the people who tease about couples, or tell them that you’re tired of them teasing. I’ve been teased about something like that, and I know it’s annoying.

-Make sure you feel comfortable wearing the clothes or shoes before you buy them.

-If you feel like your friends are ignoring you, don’t ignore them back. Try to see what’s going on with them and find out if you can help.

-True friends are ones who like you for who you are.

-Be sure you can keep a promise before you make it.

-A short time of planning ends up in a long time of frustration.

-Never bring someone very valuble to school. It could disappear without a trace.

-Don’t be afraid to speak your mind, just control your speech and choose your words carefully when you do.

-Actions without a dream won’t seem to matter to you. Dreams without action is merely a vision.

-Who you are begins with what you do.

#2

  • Treat others the way you would like to be treated.
    Pretty self-explanatory, but very true. Put yourself in others’ shoes.

  • It’s what’s on the inside that counts.
    A bit cliche, I know, but I have meet many people who are good-looking on the outside, but absolutely mean and nasty and just around unpleasant towards other people, on the inside. And vice-versa. So, in the end looks are not important, it’s your character that is.

  • Everyone makes mistakes.
    When you make a mistake, even though it may be one that upsets you, try to see it as a learning experience. Dust yourself off and keep moving forward.

  • You may influence someone without ever knowing it…
    There have been people in my life who have influenced or encouraged me, sometimes without them even knowing that they have done so. Even if it may feel life at times you are giving without ever getting anything back, sometimes something you do may influence someone to change their life, or help them in some sort of way. Yet another reason to treat others kindly because you don’t know what may happening in that person’s life, and your actions that may seem small to you, could have a big positive impact on them.

Another general rule that I’m trying to live by is to not worry about what other people think, too much. As long as you aren’t hurting anyone, it’s your life and you only have one so try to make it as enjoyable as you can. Don’t focus on the negative, or the material/superficial things in life. Relationships with other people are way more important. And don’t sweat the small stuff.

Also, there is always room for improvement with yourself. Don’t settle into a life of complacency. Always have personal goals, even if it’s just something small. Whether it’s taking up a new hobby you never thought you’d try, or working on your skills with others, there is always room for yourself to push your boundaries and grow as a person.

Try to listen to other people’s points of view so you don’t get so wrapped up in your own way of thinking. There are billions of opinions in this world, yours is only one of them. Learning about others’ life experiences, especially ones totally different to yours, is one of the ways to broaden your mind and point of view.

I think that’s everything… I am trying to live by most of these, even though it’s hard at times. Some may seem cliche, but they have stuck around for a reason.

#3

There’s this thing I heard, something along the lines of, ‘aim for the moon- if you don’t reach it, you’ll land among the stars’. Basically, try your best to reach your full potential, try and grasp things that sometimes may be beyond your reach because even if you fail, you will have achieved something.

Also, don’t ever get comfortable. Don’t start to get lax, don’t let your guard down, because that’s exactly when life kicks you up the rear and catches you by surprise.

#4

Believe in yourself. Just that simple act can make a world of a difference in whatever you are doing. A little self-confidence goes a long way!

Surround yourself with people that support you. Likewise, surround yourself with people who you admire and look up to. Certain traits you admire in those people will start to rub off on yourself.

Don’t be afraid of failing. Important lessons are learned from those failures. The times you risk failure are the times you grow the most.

#5

These might sound like they came out of a fortune cookie, but here are mine.

It is better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

You, just like everyone else, is part of something grand. If one succeeds, you all succeed.

A mistake with stay as a mistake unless an attempt to correct it has been made.

Failure leads to success.

Aim high, follow your deams, and shoot for the moon.

Practice does not make perfect. Practice either makes Permanant or leads to the perfection desired.

#6

Never buy sushi from a vending machine.

#7

A113: I don’t think this thread was meant to be funny. People just want to know what philisophical ideals or golden rules you follow in your life.

#8

Actually, TSS, in the first post it specifies that it can be light-hearted or serious.

#9

Oh, my apologies A113. Man I feel like a stupid idiot right now. I’m sorry.

#10

Real interesting stuff to say, guys! :smiley: I’m glad to read them.
Some, yes, I’ve heard them before, but they are inspiring nonetheless.

A113: Okay, I’ll avoid doing that if I ever come across one.
TSS: Refer to “everybody makes mistakes”.

As I think you’ll notice, my lists are sort of a mixture of funny ones and deep ones.

Like dominoes, a small difference can lead to a big one. It just take time to set it up, and patience if you want to see how things turn out.

Every talker was once a listener. Every writer was once a reader. Every acheiver was once a dreamer.

There are some things in life you should try to understand and figure out. There are other things in life that you should just get over about.

It is better one day as a lion than a lifetime as a sheep.
Metaphor for it’s better as a short time standing up for yourself than forever trying to fit in and contain your feelings.

Know the difference between “meek” and “weak”.

Make sure you won’t land on anyone when you jump into a pool.

Life is like a work of art. Make yours unique.

Don’t bite into popsicles, or eat ice cream too fast.

Most of the time, when someone scolds you not to be selfish, it’s because they are selfish.

Possibilities are more open with faith.

If you love only to possess, then it’s not really love.

Always watch where you’re going. The consequences of not doing so can be as little as a bump, or as painful as having to get surgery. (Been there- not interested in going back.)

Watch what you do with a white shirt.

Don’t approach too close to flowers if the bees are busy.

Don’t be afraid to try something new (unless it’s like, fatal).

#11

Most of these aren’t my own, but I figured I’d pass them on anyway:

-If it’s possible, learn from people who have gone through the same thing that you’re going through right now, especially those who have failed because they’ll tell you what they did wrong. For example, if you’re in school, talk to people who have flunked out. Talk to more than one person and note common themes that they all say. You may find that all failures say “Why, oh why, didn’t I (insert answer here)?”. And that could be the answer.

-Keep a journal. If you don’t, you’ll make the same mistakes over and over again; it’s silly. Also write down good advice.

-Trust your elders. And by elders I mean friends who are much older than you. They have more experience than you do and they’re on your side. They’re probably right, even if they tell you to do something that you really don’t want to do.

-Make friends who are older than you. You’ll learn more. If you only have friends who are younger than you, you start to think that you know everything (which isn’t good).

#12

Actually, my two ‘best friends’ are younger than me - and they know a heck lot of things than I do, from car models to political issues to scientific theories. They aren’t experts, of course, considering their age, but heh, I wouldn’t know half of the things they’re talking about. :frowning:

#13

When I was in high school I thought I knew the reasoning behind everyone’s actions (but now I realize that I really didn’t know), even my teachers. A classmate of mine attributed this to the fact that all my friends were younger or a lot younger than me. Today I think that he might have been right. That’s where the last item in my previous post came from.

#14

I liked this inspring quote (forgot who said it, though):
If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.

I think one can tell what the meaning behind that quote is. :bulb: Oh, and I came up with this message inspired by that quote:

Before you reach the weekend, you gotta get through the week.

Hope you know what I mean by that. :wink:

#15

Here’s some quotes from my profile that I think can be used as life-lessons, if not just inspiring quotes … :smiley:

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
— Antoine de Saint- Exupery

“Man can learn nothing except by going from the known to the unknown.”
— Claude Bernard

“In everything natural there is something marvelous.”
— Aristotle

“Even a small star shines in the darkness”
— Finnish Proverb

"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
— Martin Luther King, Jr.

“One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting
to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.”
— Andre Gide

“When nothing is sure, everything is possible.”
— Margaret Drabble

#16

FONY: I was just recently reading those quotes in your profile. Great quotes there. I especially like the third, fourth, and last one. :slight_smile:

#17

Thanks bright dot-dasher! :smiley: I found them all on one site, and couldn’t help but post my favorites. =)

#18

You can tell alot about a person by the friends they have…

Your first try will always be your best try…

If you loose your keys you can’t start your car…

#19

This one is awesome… :laughing:

#20

We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.