10 Life Lessons to Learn Young
I’ve always been a dreamer; and once was a young girl who fantasized about her adult life with stars in her eyes. From playing house to imagining my wedding day, playing adult was my favorite.
And I waited not so patiently for womanhood to come, knowing that my real life would begin once I was grown and everything “fell into place.”
While my life really is wonderful and I am blessed with way more than I deserve, it’s been a little different than I imagined it as a child.
Thinking now about the best life lessons to learn young, I realize I could have been a little more prepared for what life threw my way if I’d grabbed a hold of these truths earlier.
1. Organization and cleanliness just don’t happen without work.
As much as I’ve wished my laundry would fold itself and the floors would just stay clean, if I want a neat home, it takes work. Becoming a better homemaker is a journey I’m still on, but other than hiring a maid, only I can make that change!
2. When you think you have life all planned out, God may have other plans.
Often the plans and dreams we have for ourselves, are not the dreams God has for us. He longs for us to seek Him first, then watch Him guide and direct our path. While the path I’m on now is not where I started out, it’s been amazing to see how He’s grown me and changed my heart in the process to desiring His Will.
3. Joy is a choice.
No matter how grim the circumstances, you can choose to rest in the peace and joy of the Lord. Sometimes it’s painful to choose joy during the sorrow, yet God will provide a way every time for you to choose Him.
4. Friendships change, and acquaintances slip away, but who’s left are your true friends.
When life happens and the tough times come, you truly do find out who your friends are. Once the dust settles, you may be surprised that there are only a few left standing by your side, but those are the people that have your back no matter what.
5. Giving really is better than receiving.
You hear that saying as a young child, but it’s so hard to grasp when you’re a present lover! As an adult, seeing the joy on someone’s face when you give, especially when you do it sacrificially is the most rewarding feeling of all!
6. Life is hard, but God is good.
Through the storms of life and facing big obstacles such as cancer, infertility, adoption and Autism, I’ve realized that even in the darkest of times, God is faithful every step of the journey. His holiness and goodness trumps even the biggest of mountains, and His peace can restore even the hardest of hearts.
7. Success isn’t measured by the size of your bank account, but in the way you love and serve others.
Our modern world has a warped sense of success. They say that success is measured in dollars and cents, yet what really matters is how you give of your heart, time, and resources to others.
8. Put your heart and soul into everything you do, even if it’s something you don’t like.
Whether it’s mopping the floor or doing your favorite activities, doing it all for the glory of God changes my heart and outlook on even my least favorite duties. That’s a blessing that radiates from the inside out!
9. Marriage is not a romantic comedy, and it takes work and sacrifice from both people.
I love being married and my husband is wonderful, but a solid marriage takes self-sacrifice and patience beyond my newlywed expectations. We’ve worked hard to stay connected, but it started with me adjusting my expectations in our relationship and realizing that life isn’t a fairytale.
If you’re looking to improve you’re marriage, visit these inspiring posts, What Husbands Wished Their Wives Knew, and What Wives Wished Their Husbands Knew, as a starting place for discussion.
10. There are still cliques and mean girls even as an adult, yet somewhere along the way, you stop yearning to be a part of the in-crowd. {Thank goodness!}
I’ve accepted who God made me to be, flaws and all, and am slowly losing the desire to people please for acceptance. Once you realize who God made you to be, you can surround yourself with friends who love you as you are, and it’s such a freeing place to be!
