How to live life without regrets? Is it even possible? Well, at least, it’s possible to minimize them. It’s said that smart people learn from the mistakes of others. So, this article is an opportunity for you to learn 10 essential life lessons to avoid regrets in life.

10 essential life lessons to avoid regrets in life

1. Don’t save on your health

One of the most important life lessons: do everything possible to improve your health at all levels: be it physical or mental health because both are equally important and correlated.

Trying to save on health will always turn out to be a bad decision leading to adverse consequences.

Read my article Health Is Not a Gift, It’s an Outcome |How to Live Longer| to find out how you can start improving your health and consequently, quality of life right away.

2. Don’t try to prove anything to anyone

Buying designer clothes and accessories to impress other people will leave you with less money for savings and investments. And in order to achieve financial freedom you need to earn, save, and invest. Choose the life of your dream over the impression you make on people.

3. Have more appreciating assets than depreciating assets and liabilities

If you spend most of your income or your whole income just on food, rent, clothes, electronics, trips, debt, etc. and save and invest nothing – your entire life will be a constant race for money to fill your deficits.

I mean, of course you have to spend on food. But how often do we buy too much or spend too much on unnecessary and unhealthy food? Or on expensive food that turns out to be not better than what we’re used to and sometimes even worse than that.

Of course you have to spend on clothes but it doesn’t mean that you should buy everything that is in fashion or designer stuff.

Of course you have to spend on electronics but it doesn’t mean that you should buy a new iPhone whenever it is released. Moreover, some devices cost much more than they are worth just because it is considered a cool thing in society. Things can buy some kind of a status but the truth is that the more problems with money you have, including psychological ones, the more you feel the need to brag and show off. Therefore, it’s always funny to watch people in designer clothes from head to toe and people trying to showcase their newest gadgets. It’s a clear sign for me that without all this stuff, unfortunately, the person feels worthless. And vice versa, when I see a successful person who is very simple, I feel huge respect for this person. Not only because this person doesn’t have psychological problems but also because they have a strong character and are able to oppose social standards for what success should look like.

Stop spending on things that will depreciate unless they are your priorities. For example, if you often travel by car, a safe car, which is a depreciating asset though, should be your priority to preserve your life and health. Health and supporting health should be your priority too as good health will support you and your ambitions throughout your life while poor health will destroy your dreams and your life. Remember that health is rarely a gift in modern times with this awful ecology. Health has become more of an outcome of your daily choices. All in all, know your priorities.

When it comes to acquiring assets like real estate or stocks, analyze every option carefully. Choose assets that are likely to appreciate with time.

To be able to acquire appreciating assets, you need to save up first. Here is my article on how to save money with no struggle which not only gives advice but also explains the urge to overspend and shows reasons for it providing you with tools to fight it.

Once your passive income is enough to cover for your expenses and you can do whatever you like without the need to spend 8 hours a day in the office, you’ll know you have achieved financial freedom. You will be thankful to yourself for your decision not to overspend on clothes, electronics, eating out, etc.

See Motivational Quotes for Success and download free phone wallpapers.

4. Do no harm

Don’t harm animals, nature, or people. Some may not understand it while they are young and everything seems okay but later in life karma will catch you up. You never know what may happen and to whom in your family. I’ve seen some pretty unfortunate but fair examples.

If an illness or an accident happens to you or someone from your family, ask yourself what you’re paying for. The reason for whatever happens to you is you and your past thoughts, decisions, actions. Create the sequence of good actions and the consequences will be good.

5. Be yourself – don’t try to be likable

How often do we want other people to like us? We do so many things for it. Both in terms of our appearance and in terms of the way we act. Even if we used to have a strong personality, school and society makes us turn to conformity with time. Now you no longer can tell the truth, you have to tell what others want to hear from you because this is polite and being polite is the norm. But that’s a slippery road. Here you are polite and nice and one step further you’re a hypocrite.

My advice: don’t try to seem likable. Who cares what others may think of you? If you want to refuse – do it. If you dislike someone – you don’t have to spend time with them or follow them on social media or tell them nice things. Don’t betray yourself. In this regard you don’t owe anything to anyone.

Remember that confident people don’t care if they are likable. Read about differences between confident and unconfident people and how to stop comparing yourself to others on social media.

6. Choose people who choose you

Don’t be clingy. If you see clear signs that a person doesn’t like you back – walk away. Also, don’t put up with bad treatment. Know your worth. Here are 15 signs that will tell you that he’s not into you.

If your partner often leaves you wondering if they are truly into you or it’s just a sick game they are playing, read my article Relationship Requires Hard Work: True or False. They may be a malignant manipulator (a person with a personality disorder), so watch out.

7. Have no idols

No one is ideal and no one is worth worshipping. Be busy enough with your own life so that there’s no time and no point in going crazy about other people.

8. Find your purpose

Some people wonder: what is the meaning of life? Instead of asking questions no one in this world can answer, find a purpose and fill your life with meaning yourself.

Living for the sake of survival makes us resemble animals. Living for the sake of acquiring material goods makes us shallow. Some people are perfectly okay with living a meaningless and shallow life because they aren’t able to realize it. They “sleep” throughout their small lives and of course such people make no difference. They come and go.

If you want fulfillment, if you want to make a difference – find your purpose. Helping animals, preserving nature, educating people, etc. There are many paths and you can choose any.

9. Have a strong character

As I’ve said earlier, society teaches us conformity. Some people believe that it’s better to say what others want to hear as it’s less risky. Thus, only people with a strong character can stay themselves.

Don’t let other people change your opinion if you’re 100% sure your opinion has a right to exist. Remember that only people with a strong character can really achieve something in life. Others will never rise above mediocrity.

10. Don’t sell your time – buy it

Among all life lessons we’ve discussed above, this is the one people probably regret the most. Most people think that they have a lot of time ahead in life while it’s just an illusion. The moment you’re waiting for to do something important may never come unless you make time for it and make it happen.

It’s said that rich people buy time while poor people sell it and I couldn’t agree more. I often see people trading their time from 9 till 5 or even more than that 5 days a week for money. Those people postpone their lives, postpone spending time with their families, postpone their dreams for money to buy something they don’t need to impress people they don’t like or to meet common success standards.

If you’re one of those selling your time, watch out: you may miss a lot of precious moments for the sake of what? Ask yourself, is it really worth it? Does your child really want designer clothes or to spend more time with their mom or dad?

No one needs your feats at work. Be careful not to spend your entire life at work.

All these 10 essential life lessons, if used wisely, can not only help you avoid regrets in life but also lead you to the life of your dream.