Life teaches us a lot of lessons. Unfortunately, many people learn some of these big lessons too late in life to heed their truths. 

Because life can be so hectic, it can be difficult to understand what life is trying to teach us as we all try to keep up with the hustle and bustle. Rather than missing some of life’s biggest lessons, it’s important to focus on the everyday details of life to soak them in and learn from them. 

As you reflect on your life thus far and wonder if you’ve been taught any major lessons yet, consider these top 10 lessons that only life experiences can teach you–you’ll likely discover that you’ve had to start learning these lessons at some point already! 

1| Make your health and wellbeing a top priority.

Sadly, many people learn this lesson far too late in life. By the time many people realize they need to make their health and wellbeing a top priority, their health has deteriorated far beyond a point where it can be mended.

Go to all your medical checkups, get plenty of exercise, sleep well, and eat nutritiously. When you invest in your health throughout your life, you’re less likely to face the horrible consequences of poor health when you’re older. This is one of the toughest lessons to learn later in life because the damage is usually already done.

2| Let go of toxic relationships.

Hanging on to toxic relationships can be damaging in many ways. Besides harming your mental health, spending an extended amount of time in a toxic relationship of any kind can make you feel like you’re missing out on other parts of your life. 

Rather than trying to maintain balance and happiness in a toxic relationship, learn to let them go. While it can be painful to cut ties with someone, releasing their toxicity from your life will allow you instant relief and save you a lot of grief. 

3| Don’t be afraid to be unique and walk your own path.

Wanting to “fit in” with everyone else can be good in some situations. However, if you never allow yourself to try things your way or walk your own path in life, you could end up really limiting what you’re capable of accomplishing. 

When you give yourself permission to be unique and try things differently, you’ll be surprised at what you’re able to do. Finding your own paths to explore in life often leads to new discoveries, innovations, and inventions–let yourself explore rather than always doing what’s expected. 

4| Take chances and embrace new opportunities.

Taking risks and exploring new opportunities can feel really scary and intimidating. It’s tough to put yourself in a new, potentially risky situation, but this is the only way to grow! 

If you never take any chances, you’ll look back on your life realizing that you probably missed a lot of opportunities to make new relationships, explore new places, make more money, and other great perks. Rather than learning this lesson when you’re older, take advantage of it now by letting yourself take those risks. 

5| Consider the consequences before you act.

Acting on impulse can lead to a lot of regret and trouble. Learn to consider the consequences of your actions before you do anything. This is another way to avoid all sorts of trouble in your relationships, career, finances, and more. 

6| Treat everybody with some extra empathy and kindness.

Being a human being is tough stuff. Everyone faces challenges, hardships, and strife during their lifetimes–don’t make it worse by not being a kind person. 

Because all humans experience hardship, learn to show extra empathy and kindness. When you spread this kind of positivity to others, it tends to return to you. When you face hardship, you’ll be thankful when others treat you with kindness. It’s best to implement this lesson early in life–be as kind as you can be to others. 

7| Dream big.

Never stifle your dreams. Envision yourself being successful and meeting big goals–the more you visualize these things happening, the more possible and attainable they become! 

Achieving big is all about attitude. When you give yourself permission to dream big (and then go after those big dreams), you’re more likely to reach them. Make dreaming big one of your regular habits, and you’ll be surprised when a lot of those big dreams start coming true. 

8| Accept that nobody is ever going to be perfect. 

A simple truth of life is that nobody is ever going to be 100% perfect. No matter how polished and poised someone may appear, they still make mistakes! Don’t force yourself to live an image of perfection. 

Instead, accept this truth earlier in life. Allow yourself to make mistakes and learn from them. This life lesson is crucial for your wellbeing–not only will you learn to be kinder to yourself, but you’ll also learn to be kinder to others, too. 

9| Stand firm by your boundaries and don’t be scared to say “no.”

When you set personal boundaries, honor them. Rather than allowing people to take advantage of you, tell them “no” when they need to hear it. 

Learning to protect your personal boundaries is one of the best ways you can take care of yourself. When you learn this lesson earlier in life, you can avoid a lot of personal heartache and strained relationships with others. 

10| Never stop looking for chances to learn and grow.

The human mind is like water–if it sits still for too long, it can become murky and stagnant. Don’t allow yourself to become stagnant. Instead, always look for chances to learn something new and grow as a person. 

Ask questions, sign up for a class on a topic you’re interested in learning more about, and practice new skills. When you keep learning and growing throughout your lifetime, you’ll avoid becoming stagnant.