Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down Which Lessons They Learned At Great Personal Cost

How you approach life's many trials and tribulations can say a lot about who you are. However, many of us don't necessarily learn some lessons so easily.

Life is complicated. It's messy. Few, if any things, go according to plan. On top of that, sometimes the way we handle our relationships or our obligations might not be the most healthy one.

You live, you learn... or so the saying goes.

People shared their stories after Redditor ryanblumenow asked the online community,

"What did you learn at great personal cost?"

"I broke three..."

"Never trust a ladder set up by someone else. I broke three of my lumbar vertebrae. Thankfully I recovered fully, but damn was that scary. I also bit through my lower lip. I have a nice scar as a memento."

Wisco1856

This is terrifying. Glad you're still alive–that you healed is miraculous!

"Even if you work your hardest..."

"Even if you work your hardest, do everything right, and are a great employee… you may still be seen as expendable."

clearbluesea

This is true. Your company will never be loyal to you. Don't bend over backwards. Do your job–don't sell your soul.

"That you need to be careful..."

"That you need to be careful what you put up with as it teaches people how to treat you. I lost a lot of 'friends' once I started to set boundaries."

thenakedhurler

This is very true. I can relate: I definitely lost a few so-called "friends" the second I began standing up for myself.

"This goes for all relationships..."

"Don't listen to what people say, but what they do. This goes for all relationships, both professional and personal."

Andromeda321

Amen to that. It's a cliche, but actions absolutely do speak louder than words.

"Family can be just as toxic..."

"Family can be just as toxic for you as anyone else. Sometimes it's best to cut them out."

zeroblackzx

Ain't that the truth.

Are we trading toxic family stories now?

"If someone gets upset..."

"If someone gets upset at you for trying to establish boundaries with them, it's not you being mean or unreasonable, it's them not caring about your happiness."

ZSAD13

This is spot on. Don't trust people who violate your boundaries. Your gut won't lie to you, not about this.

"You can't convince them."

"You cannot, even subtly, force someone to love you. You can't convince them. They either do or they don't, and it's on you to decide what to do with that unchangeable position in mind."

telestrial

I feel like many people go through their 20s without learning this.

Not that I know anything about this... or anything like that.

"Just because you try to be a good friend..."

"That people aren't always your friend. Gaslighting is real. Just because you try to be a good person doesn't mean good things will happen to you."

Ok-recognition5137

Very true. Be very careful about what you put out there. Not everyone has good intentions, though this is not in anyway meant to imply that the world is terrible.

It isn't. Just be judicious.

"You can accomplish..."

"You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Doesn't mean you should. Everything will cost more than you anticipate in ways you can't imagine."

coldshockhyper

That's a poetic way to put it! Spot on. Everything costs something, even your success.

"Be patient..."

"That you don't have to run off and get married. A marriage that only lasted one year cost me more than $10K. Life is not a race and you don't need to be married by a certain point or at all for that matter."

"Be patient, make yourself available, gravitate to those who understand you the most."

ekimlive

$10K?!

Awful. It sounds like you have peace of mind now, however, which is priceless.

Don't be so hard on yourself, by the way. We all learn at our own pace.

Here's a tip before we go: Your education is never complete. Life always something to teach you, so just accept it, be open to it, and go in grace.

Have some suggestions of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!

Want to "know" more?

Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Barack Obama
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Obama Offers Iconic Reaction After He Accidentally Photobombed A Family's Photos In DC

If you try to take nice pictures in a scenic location, there will likely be people wandering through the background of your photos, because everyone else will also be enjoying the scenery.

In most cases, people try to time the shots between passersby or edit them out afterwards, but after a photoshoot in Washington D.C., one family will definitely not be editing out the accidental guest walking among the cherry blossoms and the Washington Monument.

Keep ReadingShow less
children sitting on floor in classroom
CDC on Unsplash

Historical 'Facts' People Learned In School That Are Actually Not True

The phrase "history is written by the victors" is a common saying. It's often attributed to Winston Churchill, although there's no proof he said those exact words.

It points out that those who win conflicts shape how those events are remembered, recorded, and taught to future generations, leading to biased historical accounts and warped perceptions.

Keep ReadingShow less

Modern 'Conveniences' That Actually Make Life Harder

Making life simpler...

That is always the goal, right?

Keep ReadingShow less
Person holding cigarette
Luiz Rogério Nunes/Unsplash

One Night Stands That Turned Into A Total Nightmare

Ahh, the trials and tribulations of dating life.

On the one hand, it could be exciting and very promising. On the other hand, it could be a total disaster.

Keep ReadingShow less
Person's eyes glowing in the sunlight
Photo by Marina Vitale on Unsplash

People Who Clinically Died And Came Back To Life Share Their Experiences

We've all heard the questions about what happens when we die, whether there is life after death, and whether we really will walk through a tunnel of white light or not to get there.

But people who have had a near-death experience, in that they were declared clinically dead and were then resuscitated, might have the answers we're looking for, and their answers are quite peaceful.

Keep ReadingShow less