They say that experience is the best teacher, and time stops for no one.
All we can do is live as best we can, awkwardly stumbling through the dark, strange, and unfamiliar; learning painful lessons from our many mistakes along the way; gradually blossoming into the person we have always wanted to be with every experience we are faced with; and forging forward towards the future, despite the difficulty of it all.
It is a blessing to grow old— No one is wiser or stronger than someone who has conquered the challenges of life, coming out better and braver on the other side.
This is why when older people speak, we must listen to their words of wisdom.
Read on to learn 7 important life lessons that older people wished they would have known sooner.
Quotes About 7 Life Lessons That the Older and Wiser Want You to Know
1. Always Live Authentically—Just Be Yourself
You only get one life, so live it how you want to, not how someone else wants you to—They have their own. Here are some quotes about being yourself:
“I know unless I’m true to myself I couldn’t be happy. Too much emphasis is placed today on externals and too little on character.”
“The easiest thing to be in the world is you. The most difficult thing to be is what other people want you to be. Don't let them put you in that position.”
“I don’t know who I am. But I do know who I’m not. I have occasionally tried playing people I’m definitely not, and that wasn’t a very pleasant experience.”
“The snow goose need not bathe to make itself white. Neither need you do anything but be yourself.”
-Lao Tzu
“Nothing can be more hurtful to your heart than betraying yourself.”
2. Focus on Being Beautiful on the Inside, Rather Than the Outside
You can’t define yourself by how you look because your body is changing every day that passes by. A beautiful face will fade, but nothing can dull the shine of a beautiful soul.
“No matter how plain a woman may be, if truth and honesty are written across her face, she will be beautiful.”
“Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty—they merely move it from their faces into their hearts.”
"Some of us teach ourselves and our children to love the superficial outer; our looks, hair, skin, clothes rather than the greater beauty that resides within whereas it is that inner beauty that really defines you and who you truly are."
“My advice: Don't waste so much time worrying about your skin or your weight. Develop what you do, what you put your hands on in the world.”
“Inner beauty should be the most important part of improving one’s self.”
"When I was your age…I wish I'd known that I already had everything I needed within myself to be happy, instead of looking for happiness at beauty counters."
3. Choose Kindness—The World Can Always Use More of It
Life is hard enough as it is, and we all are just trying to navigate its rocky course the best that we can. We don’t need any more hatred or hostility in this world. Choose to be kind to yourself and others. Here are some kindness quotes:
“The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been kindness, beauty, and truth.”
"Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always."
“When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.”
"You know, some things don’t matter that much...like the colour of a house. How big is that in the overall scheme of life? But lifting a person’s heart—now, that matters."
Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.
4. Don’t Take Life So Seriously—Always Remember to Laugh
We are all human, so we will inevitably make mistakes. No one knows everything or has everything together, so don’t take yourself, or life in general, too seriously. Remember to laugh through the chaos and learn from each experience.
“Let us not take ourselves too seriously. None of us has a monopoly on wisdom.”
“If you don’t learn to laugh at trouble, you won’t have anything to laugh at when you’re old.”
“I think laughter is the best medicine. If you can’t laugh at yourself, then you can’t laugh at life and the silliness of it all.”
“You have to be able to laugh at yourself. Attitude is almost more important that what happens to you.”
“If one has no sense of humor, one is in trouble.”
5. Follow Your Passions—Don't Be Afraid to Chase Your Dreams
Life is too short—We all deserve to spend our lives doing what we love. Never settle for a life you don’t love, and never lose your spark or passion for what matters to you. Here are some quotes about following your passions:
“Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, be passionate.”
“A passionate interest in what you do is the secret of enjoying life...whether it is helping old people or children, or making cheese or growing earthworms.”
“If you can’t figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you right into your purpose.”
“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.”
"Of all Sad Words of Tongue or Pen, the Saddest are these, "It Might Have Been."
6. Don’t Waste Your Whole Life Worrying—Life Has a Way of Working Itself Out
We tend to worry a lot throughout our lives, but in the grand scheme of things, what we wasted our time worrying about wasn’t that important after all. Enjoy life while you can and have faith that everything will be okay in the end. Here are some quotes about worrying too much:
“If we can just let go and trust that things will work out the way they’re supposed to, without trying to control the outcome, then we can begin to enjoy the moment more fully. The joy of the freedom it brings becomes more pleasurable than the experience itself.”
-Goldie Hawn
“When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of an old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which never happened.”
“Worry a little bit every day and in a lifetime you will lose a couple of years. If something is wrong, fix it if you can. But train yourself not to worry. Worry never fixes anything.”
“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.”
“We spend precious hours fearing the inevitable. It would be wise to use that time adoring our families, cherishing our friends and living our lives.”
7. Love is the Most Important Thing in Life
What is life without love? Love is what makes every storm, every struggle, every suffering all worth it in the end. Here are some quotes about love:
“Looking back over a lifetime, you see that love was the answer to everything.”
“There is Only One Happiness in This Life: To Love and Be Loved.”
“Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible—it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could.”
“If you can learn to love yourself and all the flaws, you can love other people so much better. And that makes you so happy.”
"Where there is love there is life."
