adaptability skills

Top 5 Ways To Get More Lessons From Life

Gram’s wisdom 50: Lessons from other sources.

Do you sometimes feel like you’re not getting enough out of life? I believe we all have those moments. My Gram once told me that you can never know it all because there is always more to learn and it’s difficult to do without help. Now my Gram was the lifelong learner you may have heard about. She understood one of the easier ways to learn life lessons comes from the experiences of others.

The many lessons Gram taught me over many years were not all her own experiences. She got real-life examples from her friends and from the people she met in her job as a waitress. And Gram was an avid reader. She loved books about people who tell the story of their mistakes and how they overcame them to become successful.

Gram told me we can save ourselves pain and time if we are willing to learn from others. She said we should watch how they handle difficult situations and decide whether we would like to emulate their behavior. What I learned from my Gram is that whatever the source, taking the time to learn from other’s mistakes and successes is always worthwhile.    

Use these five tips to get more lessons from life and you will find yourself happier, more accomplished, and more knowledgeable than ever before.

 

 

Be adaptable.

If you want to get more out of life there are few things more important than being adaptable, you must be able to go with the flow. The ability to adapt to change is what allows us to grow in an ever-changing world. It’s what lets us leave our comfort zone and take advantage of new opportunities and overcome challenges.

Try things you’ve never done before if you get the chance, even if it doesn’t necessarily fit into your plan for that day or that week. Goodwin.edu posits that flexible people are also more inquisitive. They aren’t afraid to ask “stupid questions” and might get some great learning experiences out of them. Being flexible doesn’t mean being a pushover. It doesn’t mean the sacrifice of your principles or the compromise of your values. It means being open to new ideas and willing to change your plans if necessary.

The most successful people are usually the most adaptable. They’re the ones who are looking for new prospects and willing to take risks. They’re the ones who are willing to change their minds when they’re proven wrong. So, for more life lessons, be adaptable, be open to new ideas, be willing to change your plans, and always look for new opportunities.

 

Begin a journal.

Journaling is a terrific way to find out more about what your subconscious is feeling and thinking. This activity gives you a method to track your thoughts and feelings over time. To look back and see how your attitudes and outlooks have changed. As you read about your life’s events and reactions, it can be a helpful way to work through difficult situations. Writing things down is a great way to make sure you don’t forget important lessons you learn and can also be a fun way to document happy memories. experiences you have, and people you meet throughout your life.

Beginning a journal is easy – you only need a notebook and a pen. Decide how often you want to write in your journal and set aside some time daily or weekly. The point is to just get your thoughts down on paper, so don’t worry if your journal entries aren’t perfect. Over time, you’ll find that journaling feels more natural. And, when you look back on yourjournal,l what you will find is a treasure trove of valuable life lessons.

 

Ask questions.

It’s important, if you want to grow and learn, that you ask questions and listen to the answers. You can learn a lot by asking people the right questions. Globalcognition.org sites that research has shown that even asking and answering your questions helps you learn, understand, and remember. They also found that conceptual questions, such as giving reasons why something happened, help you learn better than detailed questions, such as facts and figures. But often people are afraid to ask questions because they don’t want to seem uninformed. However, everyone must begin somewhere and there’s nothing wrong with being curious and asking questions.

Here are four quick tips on how to ask questions.

  • Don’t be afraid to speak up.

If you’re unsure about something, it’s better to ask a question than remain silent and risk misunderstanding.

  • Be specific.

Vague questions can be difficult to answer and may not give you the information you’re looking for.

  • Be prepared to listen to the answer.

If you’re asking someone for advice or information, be ready to hear what they have to say. They may not tell you what you want to hear, but it’s important to be open-minded.

  • Be grateful.

If someone takes the time to answer your question, be sure to thank them. A little appreciation goes a long way.

Asking questions is a great way to learn more about the world and the people around you. So don’t be afraid to speak up and ask away!

 

Read, read, and read more.

To get more life lessons, you should read as much as possible. There is so much information out there for those who are willing to look for it. Books can provide insights into different cultures and how to deal with certain situations. Reading takes you out of your limited view to find new perspectives on the larger world.

If you are interested in people rather than events, you can read biographies. These will show you how other people deal with life’s occurrences that you could not possibly experience for yourself and the lessons they learned from them. Even a work of fiction can teach you a lot about the world and human nature.

Seek out books and articles about topics that interest you or try some unfamiliar ones that might surprise you. It’s important to choose wisely what you read. Just like everything else in life, you should be selective and not accept everything at face value. Read with an open mind, but consider what you’re taking in. Think about whether the author is presenting a balanced view of the subject.

There are a great many books to choose from, so where do you begin? If you are unsure about what you’re interested in, or you are looking for recommendations, try asking your family or friends. Once you have a few titles, look them up in your local library or online. See if any pique your imagination and look like something you’d enjoy reading.

Reading can be a fantastic way to learn new things, or just while away the time. So, make sure to take advantage of this by picking up a book when you have some free time.

 

Tile pieces that say shift happens

Never give up.

In life, we frequently face obstacles or challenges that seem far too large for us to handle. It’s easy to feel like throwing in the towel, but it’s important to remember that giving up is never the right answer. Give up too often, and it becomes a default habit.

So, if you feel like you’re struggling, maybe it’s time to approach things from a new perspective. You may not see immediate results but persevere, and you will ultimately reach your goals. Regardless of how difficult things appear, remember that if you persist, you can find a way to overcome your challenges.

Each failure as well as each success is a learning experience that can help you grow. Keep trying, and you’ll soon have the life you want.


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For more information, read these posts.

10 Important Life Lessons We Are Often Taught Too Late.

How Good Are Your Adaptability Skills?

 

My final thoughts.

While lessons don’t necessarily sound like a good time, there are ways of learning that can be interesting, exciting, rewarding, and fun. So, begin asking questions, pick up a good book, or organize that vacation that you’ve always wanted to take. Begin making the most out of your life and learning about all it has to offer.

 

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How Do You Adapt To Difficulties?

Adapt yourself

I know a bit about adapting to a situation you weren’t expecting. My husband left our daughter and me in a restaurant 10 days before Christmas. The note he left us at home said he just couldn’t take the responsibility any longer.

I thought, how could he? Her birthday is in 11 days. But I had a steady job and my daughter liked her school. Soon we found a smaller more affordable house within walking distance to school. With that decision made, our first adaptation was put in motion.

We had no family where we lived, but they were only a phone call away. Our friends were the backbone of our support system and the encouragement we received from them was priceless. A good support system of people you love, who love you back, can be essential when you’re adapting to a new way of living.


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Adapt or adjust, flexibility is key.

Adapt, if you are facing a situation that will be long-term. Whether it’s beyond your control or arises unexpectedly is less important than duration. For example, you need to adapt if your new job is a 2-hour commute both ways. Adjust, if the situations will be short-term. For instance, shop at a different grocery store for a week while the city repairs the water pipe. One of these two options provides the solution to most problems, so, of course, you want to be flexible in your choice.

Problems, change, stress-they're part of everyone's life, no one is exempt. Adaptability means accepting these things as normal. People who are successful in life, are flexible and develop a mental toughness that allows them to see setbacks and failures as ways to grow and improve. They expect hurdles so, even before the challenges occur, they intend to face them and find solutions.

Are you adaptable or stuck?

Adaptability is a choice. It's you, making up your mind to be flexible, responsive, analytical, and solution-oriented. Choosing to adapt, instead of fighting the issue means that you give yourself the freedom to take action to find a solution. Choosing to be adaptive means you’re the victor and not the victim.

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Here are some techniques to help you increase your adaptive skills:

1 | Do you have a sense of humor?

It can be a great ally for you. (Mine certainly was.) One thing humor helps you do is to get some perspective on yourself and your situation. Humor can help you see the fun in the situation when you make a mistake. It can make it easier for you to learn from your mistake.

2 | Do you control your negative emotions?

Negative emotions can get you into a lot of trouble. When you're in a stressful situation, distance yourself until you have your emotions under control. When you're calmer, deal with the situation.

3 | Do you see change as part of life?

Evaluate the way you react to unexpected events. Are you open to trying new ideas or methods? Change can be uncomfortable, but it needn’t be your enemy. Make a conscious effort to make changes in stride. This is a valuable skill to learn, and it will help you in many ways.

4 | Are you good at saying “No”?

If you're stressed because you've over-committed yourself, it's tougher to adapt to situations as they arise. Make your schedule work for you, not against you. Learn to say “No,” calmly and firmly, when necessary.

5 | Simplify your life.

Get rid of clutter and attachments that wear you out and get in the way. Decide what's essential to you and what you want to do with your time and concentrate on that.

6 | Be present in your life.

Focus on what you can control. Let go of the past and the future. They will drain you of the enjoyment to be found in the now.

 

My final thought

Change happens. It’s rarely fun. Normally it leaves us feeling powerless. If we allow it to. But how often, after a change has occurred, and we have accommodated it, do we wonder why we made such a fuss? I believe that the times I have taken the initiative in a new situation, I adapted to it more easily. How easily do you adapt?

 

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