What has life taught you about yourself? - Page 7

AngelPuppy1 · ‎03-13-2010

Lots of stuff. Sadly, I didn't learn a lot of it until I got old! I was always looking for approval from others and comparing myself to others. I wasn't smart enough, I wasn't attractive as others, I wasn't as successful, I wasn't as witty, etc., etc., etc. If something didn't go well, whether it was work related or relationships, or whatever, I always felt it was my fault. In a nutshell, I always felt I was never good enough, never measured up. Also, I finally learned that it doesn't matter what you do or don't do --- some people will just not like you or be kind to you. It doesn't mean there is anything wrong with you or that you did anything wrong. I also learned that you can't control what anyone else does or thinks or how they react --- you can only control your own feelings, your own reactions, etc. I learned to be kind and be true to you and if that is not good enough for others, then that's their problem. Try, try, and try again and then if a situation cannot be resolved or goes no where -- then move on and put it behind you. You did your best.

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin

frenchie · ‎03-12-2010

Life is short. Go ahead and buy the shoes!

sabatini · ‎06-29-2015

For me, the first thing that comes to mind is the realization that I'm a coward.

When I was a child, I believed that I was brave.

Each year on Palm Sunday when Christ's Passion was read, & different parts were assigned, the entire congregation was supposed to say "Give us Barrabas!", and I wouldn't do it.

I just knew that if I'd been there, there was no way I'd have ever participated in such a thing!

But now, as an adult, I'm not so sure I'd be brave enough, and that's a bitter disappointment.

Muddling through...

hckynutjohn · ‎06-15-2015

@AngelPuppy1 wrote:
Lots of stuff. Sadly, I didn't learn a lot of it until I got old! I was always looking for approval from others and comparing myself to others. I wasn't smart enough, I wasn't attractive as others, I wasn't as successful, I wasn't as witty, etc., etc., etc. If something didn't go well, whether it was work related or relationships, or whatever, I always felt it was my fault. In a nutshell, I always felt I was never good enough, never measured up. Also, I finally learned that it doesn't matter what you do or don't do --- some people will just not like you or be kind to you. It doesn't mean there is anything wrong with you or that you did anything wrong. I also learned that you can't control what anyone else does or thinks or how they react --- you can only control your own feelings, your own reactions, etc. I learned to be kind and be true to you and if that is not good enough for others, then that's their problem. Try, try, and try again and then if a situation cannot be resolved or goes no where -- then move on and put it behind you. You did your best.

@AngelPuppy1

Pretty much the opposite of your not learning till you were old. Most of the reason I decided, after I quit high school twice, was to learn about life by living it.

Working with US Air Force men when I was 12, I learned a whole lot about a lot of things. One was not to trust most of them when it came to cheating their customers or their company out of money.

Most of the things you listed like "looking for approval/comparing yourself to others etc", I never felt that way. Never gave a thought what anyone thought of me, except those closest to me.

Reading all the things you listed learning when you were "'old(your word not mine)", I had pretty well learned before I was old enough to drink. Of course joining the United States Army at 18 expedited my learning process when it came to "life lessons".

Your last 2 sentences say a lot to me. Reinforces that, for me, I made the right decisions, some before I was even a teenager.

Interesting reading the differences in my life and yours. Glad you shared those things here. I am guessing there are many here who can personally relate to your story of life, and maybe mine.

hckynut 🇺🇸

hckynut(john)

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

Just deal with it!

Zhills · ‎11-15-2011

Accepting "what you cannot change" is really difficult!

hckynutjohn · ‎06-15-2015

@Zhills wrote:
Accepting "what you cannot change" is really difficult!

@Zhills

The younger one is when they learn to recognize that not everything is under their control! It makes it a whole lot easier to accept it and move right along.

hckynut 🇺🇸

hckynut(john)

AngelPuppy1 · ‎03-13-2010

@hckynutjohn wrote:
@AngelPuppy1 wrote:
Lots of stuff. Sadly, I didn't learn a lot of it until I got old! I was always looking for approval from others and comparing myself to others. I wasn't smart enough, I wasn't attractive as others, I wasn't as successful, I wasn't as witty, etc., etc., etc. If something didn't go well, whether it was work related or relationships, or whatever, I always felt it was my fault. In a nutshell, I always felt I was never good enough, never measured up. Also, I finally learned that it doesn't matter what you do or don't do --- some people will just not like you or be kind to you. It doesn't mean there is anything wrong with you or that you did anything wrong. I also learned that you can't control what anyone else does or thinks or how they react --- you can only control your own feelings, your own reactions, etc. I learned to be kind and be true to you and if that is not good enough for others, then that's their problem. Try, try, and try again and then if a situation cannot be resolved or goes no where -- then move on and put it behind you. You did your best.

@AngelPuppy1

Pretty much the opposite of your not learning till you were old. Most of the reason I decided, after I quit high school twice, was to learn about life by living it.

Working with US Air Force men when I was 12, I learned a whole lot about a lot of things. One was not to trust most of them when it came to cheating their customers or their company out of money.

Most of the things you listed like "looking for approval/comparing yourself to others etc", I never felt that way. Never gave a thought what anyone thought of me, except those closest to me.

Reading all the things you listed learning when you were "'old(your word not mine)", I had pretty well learned before I was old enough to drink. Of course joining the United States Army at 18 expedited my learning process when it came to "life lessons".

Your last 2 sentences say a lot to me. Reinforces that, for me, I made the right decisions, some before I was even a teenager.

Interesting reading the differences in my life and yours. Glad you shared those things here. I am guessing there are many here who can personally relate to your story of life, and maybe mine.

hckynut 🇺🇸

@hckynutjohn

Well, good on you that you felt you learned these things early on. We are all different and we are all made different, that's how we're suppposed to be. This does not make one better than another. If we were all the same, looked at things the same, were on the same journey at the same time, it would be a pretty dull world. None of us were born under the same circumtances, or experienced the same things. You have your reality and I have mine. I'm glad you are happy with who you are and where you are. So am I.

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin

hckynutjohn · ‎06-15-2015

@AngelPuppy1 wrote:
@hckynutjohn wrote:
@AngelPuppy1 wrote:
Lots of stuff. Sadly, I didn't learn a lot of it until I got old! I was always looking for approval from others and comparing myself to others. I wasn't smart enough, I wasn't attractive as others, I wasn't as successful, I wasn't as witty, etc., etc., etc. If something didn't go well, whether it was work related or relationships, or whatever, I always felt it was my fault. In a nutshell, I always felt I was never good enough, never measured up. Also, I finally learned that it doesn't matter what you do or don't do --- some people will just not like you or be kind to you. It doesn't mean there is anything wrong with you or that you did anything wrong. I also learned that you can't control what anyone else does or thinks or how they react --- you can only control your own feelings, your own reactions, etc. I learned to be kind and be true to you and if that is not good enough for others, then that's their problem. Try, try, and try again and then if a situation cannot be resolved or goes no where -- then move on and put it behind you. You did your best.

@AngelPuppy1

Pretty much the opposite of your not learning till you were old. Most of the reason I decided, after I quit high school twice, was to learn about life by living it.

Working with US Air Force men when I was 12, I learned a whole lot about a lot of things. One was not to trust most of them when it came to cheating their customers or their company out of money.

Most of the things you listed like "looking for approval/comparing yourself to others etc", I never felt that way. Never gave a thought what anyone thought of me, except those closest to me.

Reading all the things you listed learning when you were "'old(your word not mine)", I had pretty well learned before I was old enough to drink. Of course joining the United States Army at 18 expedited my learning process when it came to "life lessons".

Your last 2 sentences say a lot to me. Reinforces that, for me, I made the right decisions, some before I was even a teenager.

Interesting reading the differences in my life and yours. Glad you shared those things here. I am guessing there are many here who can personally relate to your story of life, and maybe mine.

hckynut 🇺🇸

@hckynutjohn

Well, good on you that you felt you learned these things early on.
@AngelPuppy1

I didn't "feel" I learned them. I did learn them.

We are all different and we are all made different, that's how we're suppposed to be. This does not make one better than another.

Where did I say "this makes one better than the other"?

If we were all the same, looked at things the same, were on the same journey at the same time, it would be a pretty dull world. None of us were born under the same circumtances, or experienced the same things.

My reply was not a "who's better than whom". It was you saying "I didn't learn a lot till I got old". My pointing out the differences were the facts of my life, not a comparison of "me good, you bad".

We obviously experienced our young lives differently. I have written many times on these forums, my background as a little child moving forward. If you wrote anything prior to this post about your background growing up as a child, I did not see it.

You have your reality and I have mine. I'm glad you are happy with who you are and where you are. So am I.

Yes, I have had, and will continue to have my reality, with no changes in my outlook on "life", or more specifically, "my life".
Learning about life when "you were old(your word not mine)" made/makes you happy! Good.

I will now remember not to comment on anything but generic topics in response to your posts. As I said, "l learned very young" how to read people, between the words and the lines. Haven't forgotten them, even though it was a bunch of decades in the past.

"So am I"!

hckynut(john)🥅🏒 🇺🇸