Sep 25, 2022
8 Things I Have Learned in 18 Years of Life
Life is a roller coaster but these 18 years were fulfilling
1. Kinds of People
I have discovered that people can be categorized into three kinds.
Good, Clever & Foolish and Evil.
Good people — These are not angels. Angels do not exist, not in the 21st century. Good people are those who are equally submerged in the sinful waters of an imperfect society but have barred themselves (as much humanly possible) to contribute to it.
They might have the same biases and prejudices as any other person but they are unable to act like a jerk because their default good nature does not permit it. These are usually hardworking and taciturn folk.
Clever and foolish- These are those people who live to survive. They can be amiable when needed and mean when required. This category includes all those people who are selfish or greedy with choice, circumstance, or upbringing.
They usually have an alternative motive behind most of their actions. They are passionate and mostly outspoken. I belong to this kind and I assume so do you. We have ambitions of a successful career and a loving family and we are struggling every day to achieve those goals despite the odds. But these are different from Evil people because they have a humane crimson line. For ex- I might cheat or bribe to achieve my goals, but I wouldn’t kill or intentionally torture someone.
Evil — These are the folks who live to wreak sorrow on others. They are never content and are frequently authoritarian. They take pleasure in inflicting agony on the rest of the world. I refuse to think that anyone is bad by nature.
Individuals who are medically ill, for example, sociopaths, people whose trials have rendered them so bitter that their vile potential begins to tyrannize every essence of rectitude, and people who have been blinded by power are examples of such people.
I prefer to use an allegory of a body of water to demonstrate the above notion. Evil people are the contaminated waters in which turtles thrive. Turtles are clever and foolish creatures who dwell in polluted waterways to subsist and urinate to keep the flow running. Then there are tortoises (good), who prefer to live on land and only venture into the sea when absolutely required.
2. Be Humble
I have a narcissistic personality. And most of the time, my pride has drowned me. It yields NOTHING. Be humble and grateful. People will frequently test your tolerance and provoke you to make them remember their position. Keep your cool and let it go.
3. Maintaining Physical Health
Maintaining physical health from an early age is crucial. Now, I do not mean following a monotonous diet and a strict workout routine diligently. Rather, taking meals on time. Reducing junk but not completely eliminating it and most importantly keeping your vitals steady.
I know at least 10 seniors who had completely devoted themselves to studies and careers so much so that they kept ignoring their debilitating bodies which needed serious medical attention. Though some of them have done well in life, they are unable to enjoy it because most of their hard-earned money is being exhausted in paying medical bills. Others haven’t been able to continue with their goals and had to drop out.
Another thing I’ve seen is that it is assumed that our mental strength is deteriorating due to the stress of academics or jobs, but most of it is because of the lack of balanced meals.
Toiling the fields or sitting behind a computer for 14 hours a day, both require an almost equal amount of fuel to meet the oxygen needs of the body. Do not compromise on food and water.
4. Non-violence
Nonviolence is both the most difficult and the most effective method of resistance. However, depending on the conditions, it may not always be sufficient. You may wonder if non-violence is the most impactful and yet not sufficient at times, then what can we do?”
Leverage.
Leverage acts as a catalyzer for the resistance movement when non-violence does not seem to show any concrete results. Coercive measures, on the other hand, are a prescription for catastrophe.
Your target may not have or may never have the strength to oppose you before adopting force. However, if the wood of injustice kindles fire, then the energy generated by it is sufficient to burn nations.
5. Importance of Inclusivity
In most of my blogs, I’ve emphasized the need of being inclusive. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a statement just three days ago, stating that “the world is falling ‘far short’ of commitments made three decades ago to protect minority communities.” Respecting and embracing the positive practices of all cultures, large and small, is the only way we can win this survival race.
6. Mindset
Mindset is vital in molding a person’s personality as well as predicting one’s chances of success in life.
Consider the following scenario: you are studying and you are counting the pages that remain to be completed. If the number is less then, you will see that your progress has slowed. And if you have a lot to study, you will feel anxious, and your performance will slow down as a result.
On the other hand, if you tell yourself how many pages you have finished learning, you will see that irrespective of the number, you will feel motivated. I do not know the science behind it but I believe it has something to do with mindset.
When you think about the pending work, it makes the brain calculate the time and effort it would take to finish it which tires and stresses the muscles leading to reduced productivity. While telling your brain that you have finished x number of pages registers the progress and the feeling of relief infused with it.
Like in a race if you try to predict the distance left between you and your goal, it affects your speed negatively. But if you tell yourself that you started well and must have completed a huge distance, that feeling of joy and optimism boosts your speed. I have experienced it.
7. Perfect Timing
There is no such thing as ideal timing in today’s world. If you’ve been meaning to start anything, now is the time. Stop reading this and start doing something you’ve always wanted to do but were waiting for the right time. Begin Right Now.
If you started something a long time ago and then couldn’t keep it up and dropped it in the middle. Restart now. You will notice that something that was tough at the time is simpler today because your subconscious brain has retained its rough memory. And now when you restart, everything is a lot easier.
8. Leave
I saved this one for last because I’m not sure how to explain it.
It’s just that we tend to hold onto things out of love, even when we know that the end result will be nothing but misery and regret. It is a short life. Don’t waste it in waiting for people to change for you.
Leave, when you have the chance before it’s too late.
These are the eight out of the many things I learnt in my journey of life. What do you think about my learnings? Do you resonate with them? What is the most important life lesson have you learned in your lifetime? If you had to give me one piece of advice, what it would be?
Thank you for reading. Please tap on the clap button if you enjoyed reading this. I will be very grateful if you could leave a comment.
Haappyyyyy Reeeadddiinngg!❤️
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