I've learned that when you have sudden and sharp testicular pain that occurs with physical exercise, get your ass to the emergency room pronto.
I learned from my friend Josh (nickname "Horse nuts") that testicular torsion is no goddamned joke. Poor bastard.
Extreme approaches rarely work. For example, there's plenty of middle ground between being a workaholic and slacking off, and periodically changing from one extreme to the other will only result in compounded misery. This was news for me, anyway.
I learned this this year after reading Dale Carnegie's "How to win friends and influence people". Never Criticize, condemn, or complain. People are set in their ways and beliefs, and criticizing them for something they did or believe will only Re-Affirm that what they did was right, or what they believe is right, and will make you look like a Jackass in their eyes. It will also create animosity between both parties. This book is 70 years old, and contains the nuts and bolts of Human relations. It should be required reading in school. I quit arguing with people and criticizing people for the last 9 months, and you wouldn't believe how much easier it is to get along with other people, or how much less stressful my life has become. Even when someone does something wrong, they had a good reason for doing it (or at least they did in their own mind). Criticizing them for their actions will get you nowhere.
I haven't read the book, but I absolutely agree. Most people (99%) are already set in what they believe and why they believe it before you even meet them. How many times have you argued with someone about their opinions and ended up with either one of you saying, "You know what? You're right". 1 time out of 1000. That's why one of the things that I've learned (and it took me a while) is that other people's opinions are just as valid as yours. They've put thought, belief and experience into their viewpoints just as much as you have. That doesn't mean they aren't wrong, but listening to how other people think, and why they think that is a worthwhile thing to do.
If you are having trouble understanding someone's behavior think towards their incentives and what signals they wish to send. (I'm an economist by training.)
One of my favorite quotes from this year: "Breathe deeply and appreciate the moment. Living in the moment could be the meaning of life." Also, I saw a happiness flow chart that was pretty awesome. It starts, "Are you happy?" then, "Do you want to be happy?" and ends with, "Keep doing what you're doing," and, "Change something." I like it.
Met a girl at a party who had "This too shall pass" tattooed across her wrists (which is semi ironic because tattoos are forever). But she explained it by saying it was a reminder to cherish the good times and endure the bad, because all things come to an end. "The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances." is a good one from Martha Washington.
I picked up this quote from my sister's swimming instructor. He writes a quote on the whiteboard each day. This particular one hit me with force. "Life is either a great adventure or nothing" - Helen Keller. For some time i have been holding back on doing or changing things due to a warped sense of sentimentality. I felt like i owed something to my job for the opportunities they had given me earlier on, but now i know i need to live for the next experience, not the next paycheck.
My lesson learned this year: karma is a bitch. You can only run for so long from the problems you've created, and they get PISSED when they have to chase you down.
What I've Learned: -Loving someone who you don't trust will only end badly. -Life will always go on. So find people and things you enjoy and live.
When you are used to dealing with bitches and psycho women, when a normal, decent one comes along it can be downright befuddling. But in a good way.
If you're going to take risks in life to reach for the potential you think you're capable of, you'd better be damned ready to deal with the consequences if you fail.
You can hope in one hand and shit in the other, and see which one fills up first. I, too, am a pessimist.
-Don't tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death. As fragile as this life might be, ultimately I think the universe rewards risk. A few situations especially this year, that happened to myself, I could have easily sat back & watched because it was the safe "comfort zone" thing to do. Instead, I went for it and the result was a great change. Don't be afraid to roll the dice and get uncomfortable- it's how you grow and reach new potential.
Everyone has a sob story, but it's not a "Get Out of Jail Free" card for shitty behavior. Move past the awful shit that has happened to you and use it to make yourself a better person.
"We live in a world where it's more okay to follow than to lead. In this world being a leader is trouble for the system we are all accustomed to. Being a leader in this day and age is being a threat." -Common