There are a lot of things they don't teach us in school. Like how to do taxes, care for our mental health, and basic first aid. These are all very important and necessary skills, but there are also some facts about life that would make it a lot easier if we had known them from the time we start adulting.

One netizen was curious to know what some of these facts are, so she asked: "What is a hard truth that you believe should be taught early on in life?" And people came armed with all kinds of wisdom. From quoting fictional characters to sharing their own experiences, people didn't shy away from sharing insights they have learned throughout their lives.
We reached out to the author of this thread, u/Flufferfluff. She kindly agreed to tell us more about why she decided to start this discussion. We also chatted with her about whether we can be taught hard truths or must we experience them to know them. Read our conversation below!

#1

Bad things happen to good people.

Good things happen to bad people.

Image credits: ParapluieGris

#2

Life is mostly about picking up least worst options rather than picking the best option.

Image credits: Impossible-Win-8495

#3

“It is possible to make no mistakes and still lose.” Jean-Luc Picard.

Image credits: Ryukotaicho

Redditor u/Flufferfluff was bitten by the curiosity bug one day, that’s why she decided to ask other netizens about life’s hard truths. “I wanted to see what others thought the next generations should be taught during the course of their lives to make life just a bit easier for them,” she told us.

“I asked this question in particular because I wanted the opportunity to gather everyone together to see what they think younger people could be taught early on in life.” The Redditor’s mother also is a big influence on her. She’s a mindful living and contentment coach, and owner of Insightful Connections. “She’s amazing, seriously,” the Redditor gushes.

#4

No one will care more about you than you. Know thyself and start advocating for yourself early on. Watch after your health, the people you surround yourself with, your job, it’s all going to affect you so much. Also, don’t try to find happiness through your partner. Have your own hobbies and joy, add them to your party. Don’t make them responsible for it ❤️.

Image credits: StarryEyes007

#5

You can be the kindest person ever & people will still hate you.

Image credits: Doll49

#6

You are no more special than the billions of other people in the world. They all have their own stories just like you do.

Image credits: nkfish11

We asked u/Flufferfluff what her answer in this thread would be. “The hardest truth I believe should be taught early on in life is that you are your own hero,” she told us. “I believe young people should be taught this because we are in control of our futures and what we can do with it.”

“Life isn’t a Disney movie (I wish it was though) so you can’t sing a ballad and bam! Your dreams are a reality. You have to work for them,” the netizen adds. Although she’s still young, she says she’s learned a hard truth or two already. “A hard truth I had to learn the hard way was that not every friend you make has good intentions. It was a tough one!”

#7

The basics of money management. Because throughout your life, money matters. It influences every aspect of your life. MONEY MANAGEMENT! if you do not have much, you should be able to manage it! If you have a lot, you should be able to manage it.

Image credits: pickedwisely

#8

That you can’t actually be whatever you want in life.

Image credits: chickentender666627

#9

You can think someone is strange without being rude or violent to them. Some people are unusual and that’s okay.

Image credits: FlowerInAHorrorNovel

People say that wisdom comes with experience. So do we learn about life’s truths from hearing about them, or is going through them actually the best way to learn? The Redditor thinks it’s probably the latter. “While I believe it is possible to teach someone that ‘Bad things happen to good people,’ I believe we can best learn through experience. Experience can be learned from and eventually taught, too,” she adds.

#10

People will judge you based on your looks.

Image credits: Comprehensive-End388

#11

Not making a decision is a decision.

Image credits: CeruleanRoamer

#12

You will meet people who won’t like you but that’s okay.

Image credits: TipsySkinnyGirl

Despite this thread’s pretty heavy subject matter, u/Flufferfluff is very optimistic. “I think that, despite the hard truths we all have to learn in our lives, it’s important to encourage and inspire the younger generations that they can get through any and all hard times, as long as they put in the work!”

#13

Adults aren’t always right, and they’re often as confused and clueless as you are.

This includes your parents, so seek second and third opinions when planning any significant life choices.

Older doesn’t automatically mean wiser.

Image credits: Grouchy-Reflection97

#14

The way you treat your body now will affect how you feel decades from now. Poor diet, not exercising, not sleeping enough, performing dangerous activities without taking safety precautions, etc. will eventually catch up with you and make your life miserable.

Image credits: DeathSpiral321

#15

It’s not all about you.

Image credits: its_all_good20

#16

Making a situation fair isn’t the same as making a situation better.

Image credits: HulloWhatNeverMind

#17

The HR department at any company is not on your side.

Image credits: myronsnila

#18

Regret is pointless. Learn and move on.

Image credits: The_Only_Pixie_

#19

Your teachers at school are paid to tolerate and humour you.

In the real world, people will not be.

Image credits: SnooPeripherals1914

#20

You can’t always get what you want, even if you say please.

I’m a preschool teacher and even though we teach kids that sharing is good, we also teach them that if you are not finished with something, you don’t have to let someone else use it. And vice versa, you gotta wait your turn, and sometimes you don’t even get a turn. That’s life.

Image credits: Careless_Platypus_92

#21

It would be nice if some effort was made to teach the younger kids how to deal with the inevitable death of their parents and other elder loved ones. It happens to most of us, but some earlier than others.

Image credits: Chad_Hooper

#22

Sometimes violence IS the answer.

Image credits: Mammoth-Activity-254

#23

The people you trust the most may be the ones that hurt you the most.

Image credits: DisplacedNY

#24

There is always, always something you don’t know.

About people, about situations, about everything.

If you knew that thing, it might make all the difference in your opinions.

Also, don’t trust your snap judgements.

Image credits: synesthesiatic

#25

Assume that nobody, not even closest family will be there for your in the toughest of times. It’ll save a lot of disappointment later and help you find who the real ones who care for you are.

#26

It’s always okay to try and fail

Atleast you had the courage to try rather than to sit back.

#27

You will be lied to, and you will believe it. It happens to everyone.

But the most insidious liar in your life will likely be you. You will lie to yourself, and you’ll believe it, because you know exactly what kind of b******t you will believe, and you *want to* believe it.

Just one cookie.

He’d never cheat.

I’m sober enough to drive.

My boss can’t do without me.

I’ll be fine on 2 hours sleep

12 cookies, he might, no you’re not, he’ll still fire you, and no you won’t.

Nobody can lie to you like you can. Be wary.

#28

The first person to lose their temper loses. Anger doesn't solve your problem or prove your point.

#29

No matter how good you are at your job, the ‘company” itself doesn’t love you, and you have to do what’s best for you. I’ve spent too many years feeling like I couldn’t leave because my boss was great and I loved my job. But at the end of the day the company will survive without you. And if there are opportunities that will make your life more fulfilling, you can’t stay just to make others happy.

#30

People only care about how useful you are to them.

#31

People don’t stop cheating and being dishonest just cause they are adult. Especially at work. Hard work doesn’t get rewarded, it’s whoever is liked best by management that will get the promotion not who deserves it. Also a lot of big companies don’t have their s**t together and still make a profit. You can be a small clerk and realise how incompetent all the people above you are. It’s frustrating.

#32

Many people in our society are terrible. Someone being nice does not mean they are a “good” person. Never count on people to do the right thing. Most people will go with the crowd over doing the right thing. 

Anyone can be flipped against you and most likely it will the people closest to you that you trust the most. 

Blood does not mean family. 

Most of your friends are not really your friends. .

#33

If you get a mental illness, you won’t know it initially, even when absolutely everyone else does, because the system that tells you “something is wrong” is inside of a mentally ill brain.

This is also part of why why people stop taking their meds.

#34

George Washington’s false teeth were not made from wood.

I felt more than duped learning this is an adult.

I’m sorry if anybody is learning this for the first time from me.

Image credits: Flat_Wash5062

#35

What freedom of speech really means.

Just because you *can* say it, doesn’t mean you’re free from the repercussions of it.

#36

I don’t know if this is necessarily a “hard truth”, but I feel that it’s an important one. I’ll do my best to explain it.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in your own experience, and feel like no one has ever felt the way you do, or could possibly have it worse.

But then you see others enduring circumstances much worse than yours: illness, suffering, unimaginable tragedy. And you may feel guilty, for having self pity when others in the world are having an objectively more difficult time.

You can hold two seemingly opposing ideas in your mind at the same time: yes, their situation is horrible, but in its own way, yours is, too.

Everyone has a right to their own experience. There is no gatekeeping “awful”. That’s not to say you should let your problems be a crutch, but it’s also doing yourself a disservice to say how you feel doesn’t matter. Feel it fully, and then move on. Have compassion for yourself as well as others.

#37

Healing doesn’t have to be so sudden and complete

Its okay to move on while still having that void.

Image credits: Silvermisthoney9

#38

Basic hygiene. It’s a hard truth because even adults are incapable of talking about their bodies and how to care for them, especially when they’re forced to face the reality that they are the gross ones because they don’t wash their feet or their butts. Gross y’all.

Image credits: TrashApocalypse

#39

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Keep your word.Your word is your law. If you don’t have integrity, you are nothing,.

Image credits: ansibley

#40

Actions/choices have consequences. Own the consequences.

Also

S**t happens.

Image credits: swomismybitch

#41

“Not everything is a lesson Ryan, sometimes you just fail.”

-Dwight Schrute.

Image credits: whothehellistony

#42

Your emotions are real and they matter, but -you- are the choices you make.

#43

Raising kids is 100x harder than it looks. And it looks hard.

#44

Life is not fair, and you have no right to expect it to be fair.

Trust is earned in drops and lost in buckets.

People who are good with money tend to have better lives than people who are terrible with money. Financial stability will lead to a smoother life with fewer obstacles. I’ve seen good marriages ruined over money issues.

#45

Being correct and being right are not always the same thing.

#46

Play harder. Enjoy your life. Work does not deserve your love.

#47

If you constantly get upset over someone who refuses to change, you also refuse to change.

#48

Compound interest.

#49

Nobody knows you when you’re down and out.

#50

Prettier people have easier lives in almost every conceivable way.

#51

That joining the military after high school is the fastest way to start climbing up out of poverty.

#52

Wear sunscreen.

#53

Religion can lead good people to do horrible things.

#54

Wear a helmet.
If there are helmets made for what your going to do , there is a very good reason.
So use that knowledge to your advantage and wear one.

#55

Use things and love people – not the other way around.

#56

People are trying to scam you.

Nobody cares about your money unless they are trying to make it their money. If someone really wants you to buy something of sign up for something, what’s in it for them?

Has it made my kids a little cynical? Yeah. But as it did for me, it will save them from a lot of scams.

Have I missed out on some legitimate good offers because of it? Maybe. But no one got wealthy off of a grocery store giveaway.

#57

No one owes you anything, you are entitled to nothing, if you want something in life earn it, common sense and hard work will get you farther in life than having everything given to you. Not everyone needs to go to college trade schools are cheaper quicker and will give you a great work ethic.

#58

Eventually, all our graves go unattended. Don’t take life so serious.

#59

That you will one day die and that’s the end of your consciousness, so you should make the most of the time you have. So many people waste their lives on religious nonsense when they could be happy instead.

EDIT: The fact that religious people downvote this while providing NO rebuttal just proves me right.

EDIT 2: Again, see how this is getting downvoted with no logical argument that I’m wrong? This proves my point.

#60

Nothing is free.

#61

You aren’t entitled to anything. I see too often people who think they are the main character and should be pandered to.

#62

My son just played real Blackjack and Ultimate Texas Holdem in a casino. He’s studied the odds and played on apps and was convinced he’d win a bundle. He lost both nights.

I’m glad he lost. Had he won, he would be chasing and expecting that the rest of his life.

#63

Never pray for an easy life. Pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.

#64

My Grandfather had a saying: “You can always tell a man that hasn’t had the s**t knocked out of him”.

#65

If you wouldn’t take someone’s advice, why take their criticism?

Edit to clarify: I mean this in reference to a specific individual. For example, bullying. I mean this to say you wouldn’t go to the bully for advice, their words don’t hold value, they aren’t trustworthy. So if you wouldn’t take their advice, why internalize their criticism?
Same could be said for a hyper-critical parent or family member.

#66

Nobody gives a s**t about you so you should be the biggest advocate for yourself.

Don’t ever sacrifice yourself just to please others because they don’t give a s**t about you (at work).

#67

The universe has no plan for you, no special exemptions or blessings, no interest in your bargains or prayers. Nothing but pitiless indifference.

And if you get dogs, you and your house will stink of dogs.

#68

In almost every case your opinion is not important at all. You might THINK it is but usually it is not.

#69

A) If you don’t take ownership of your life, other people will take that ownership for you. And on average they will make the choices for you that are to their benefit, and not to yours. Letting yourself be weak is not a good thing.

B) To the extent that you reject the parts of yourself you are ashamed of, or find hard to acknowledge, they will own your fate.

from Bored Panda https://ift.tt/ZaH3T9l
via IFTTT source site : boredpanda