It’s been a long ten years.
At the start of the last decade we’d never even heard the dulcet tones of Lana Del Rey and we’d never heard her sage wisdom telling us ‘happiness is a butterfly’.
It appears that she’s not the only one who’s found herself and found some wisdom in the decade we gained TikTok and lost Vine.
Whether your Noughties life lesson was simply how to play The Simpsons theme tune with your nose on recorder or something slightly more poignant, it’s still good to reflect on how you’ve grown.
You might start that by looking back at your ill-advised 2011 side-fringe, or by digging that mix tape out that you made your first love (featuring Bon Iver’s Holocene, obviously).
Or, you could take a look at this round-up where people have anonymously shared us their proudest growth points from 2010 to now.
What have you learned this decade?
‘Comparison is the thief of joy.’
‘The main thing I learned this decade is that it’s okay if your priorities change. I always thought I would be a major career-focused, driven person, but after almost ten years of working this decade I’ve realised that I care way more about spending time with the people I love.
‘And that it’s OK to not be the big-shot career maniac I thought I wanted to be. Which is hella cheesy, but also true.’
‘You can move to a new city, get the job you want, and live the life you think will bring you contenment, but the only true happiness you will find needs to come from yourself – so stop running away and filling your world with outward things that won’t help.’
‘Medication is great! I have had depression and OCD for the entirety of the decade and spent far too long just struggling through it/doing destructive stuff. This is the decade I finally admitted there was a problem, got help, and am now on antidepressants that have done a world of good.’
‘To do what makes you happy and not judge anyone for the things that make them happy. I used to be really cynical about things that are overly soppy and nice but life is just too short.’
‘Don’t cut chilies and then rub your eyes. WORST. THING. EVER.’
‘I’d say to learn to ask for help. Find it very hard to do that and if I hadn’t I wouldn’t have got the help I needed with my anxiety and depression.’
‘If there’s anything the last decade has taught me, it’s that life is constantly changing. Sure, that sounds obvious, but I was often afraid to make big decisions – because what if it didn’t work out? What if I fell flat on my face? What if I chose door A and couldn’t go back to choose door B?
‘Turns out, the future is more of a revolving door. This decade I have been fired, had my dream job in my dream city, fallen in love, been dumped, ended friendships and made new ones, had horrific times and great ones, and for the first time ever, that feels okay. 2019 also marks the end of my 20s and thank f*** that’s over, ’cause I need a lie-down.’
‘A decade ago, I was a very self-conscious 17 year old who wouldn’t leave the house without a full face of makeup, contact lenses in and my hair meticulously straightened. I was wasting hours every day – but in the last ten years, I’ve realised that it really doesn’t matter.
‘I still love getting dressed up for a special occasion but no one really cares if there’s a wave in my hair. If I don’t want to, I don’t have to. I’d rather have more sleep and feel comfortable.’
‘Never bleach your hair and then perm it.’
‘Dont get laser eye surgery. Fucking yikes. Got laser eye surgery like six years ago and i still wake up in pain regularly. Partially my own fault because the aftercare steps were misunderstood but still. Maybe my real lesson should be dont trust anyone but yourself with your own wellbeing.’
‘1. The only one who truly cares for your well being and happiness is yourself so don’t ever feel bad about putting your needs first, saying no or being selfish.
‘2. People love drama and would happily form an opinion of you without bothering to know you. They will have no impact on your life, their opinion is none of your business and they are not important enough that they should affect your own self worth or happiness.
‘3. Beer before liquor never been sicker.’
‘Favors become tasks and people treat you how you let them.’
‘As cliched as it sounds, in the last decade I think I learned to live a bit more YOLO. Like, I’m an informed, conscientious adult, I can have fun too.
‘The choices I’ve made have been somewhat hedonistic; I’ve drank lots, had lots sex, gone where I wanted to, done regrettable things and also had no regrets. But in the grand scheme of things, I’m just making memories. So I guess I’ve learned to just do me.’
MORE: How to cope with ‘end of decade anxiety’
MORE: No, doing Veganuary won’t turn you into a woman
source https://metro.co.uk/2019/12/31/people-tell-us-biggest-lessons-learned-last-decade-11982456/
0 Comments