Does Life Get Better?

[Lil Bit]

I don't have much to add... it's all been said by the above posters, but I did want to say congrats on graduation and good luck with boot camp and all that is ahead of you. From reading your posts it sounds like you are already an adult so you'll have no trouble making your mark in life. Stop back and see us sometime and let us know what's up with you.

Good luck!!

[mstvfan]

I am 42, and I can say that I am enjoying these years much more than my twenties so far. I do miss having the energy and better physical health of my twenties, but the wisdom and contentment that I've gained by now is equally great and very comforting.

In my teens and twenties and early thirties, I can tell you that I wasted a lot of days worrying and fussing over stupid stuff. I let my emotions rule over reasoning back then. Although there were great times also during those years, I look back in amazement at many of the foolish and sometimes dangerous things I was talked into doing. Thankfully, my parents gave me a strong sense of right and wrong, so compared to others, my escapades were fairly mild, but many of them could have ended up in tragedy. I also spent time trying to change others personalities and feelings to suit my own needs. I found out that no matter how loving your intentions, you can only control how you behave and respond in any given situation.

Live life fully and in the moment, but like your mother might tell you, try to use a bit of good common sense and follow basic safety rules.

Here are a few thoughts based on my experience:

Never let anyone talk you into driving or even riding in a car after you or someone else has been drinking. This is just asking for trouble. I thank God for protecting me when I was stupid enough to break this rule.

Remember that your area of concern (for people, job situations, the world, neighbors business, etc.) is usually larger than your area of control.
No matter how much you stress or worry, there are some things that we cannot fix. It takes wisdom to figure out when to step in and try to help or not. In some cases, we get into conflict by trying to control situations or people that are really none of our business. Often, you will have to decide when to take action and when it is best just to let go and trust that things will work themselves out.

Know that you can only control how you respond to situations. Develop a positive and wholesome attitude so that in times of trouble, you will be able to deal with difficult people in a calming way. In your situation, think of some of the military men we see who, even in the midst of presenting a strong image when dealing with terrorist attacks, can also show compassion for the civilians and the children.

Every day, add these things:

Humor and laughter
Rest and at least a few minutes of time for yourself
Appreciate your family and friends, even if only in thought
Prayer and quiet time
Try to accomplish at least one household chore that has been on the to do list
Smile at people you meet and be polite to others
Be a servant to others even in the small things of life
Skin moisturizer and sunscreen-you will thank yourself later on


Avoid these things whenever possible:

Negative, whiny, dishonest, or toxic people. They will only drag you down and tempt you to do harmful things. Avoid gossip and the He Said She Said trap.

Get rich quick schemes. The old saying of if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, is usually on target.

An out of control tongue. Your words can either be uplifting or extremely hurtful. You do have the power to control what flies from your mouth.

Comparing yourself to others. While it is fine to have role models, we sometimes stress over unimportant and invalid comparisons.

Should haves, would haves, could haves... Try not too live with regrets about things that might have been. Make the best decisions you can and know that sometimes our plans may not be the best plans for our lives.

Bad health choices like smoking, excessive drinking, using drugs, and doing stupid things like going without safety items like helmets, seat belts, life jackets, etc.

Too much stuff. Avoid getting yourself into debt by trying to buy lots of stuff you can't really afford and you don't really need. Material wealth is nice, but there are far more important things in life for in the long run. Try to achieve a health financial balance.



I'm sure I could think of more, but I will stop for now. Best wishes for your future. It sounds like you are already off to a great start!

[Marleybone]

mstvfan-very well said!

Life definitely does get better as you get older, I am turning 50 later this year and my life is probably the best it has ever been.

[erin_dye]

I graduated high school 5 years ago and the odd thing is that as time has gone by the only memories I have really retained from then are the good ones. Same thing with the years since. If you try to think positively about your life all of the bad things don't seem to hold as much significance as the good.

To answer your question, life could get better or worse, depending how you choose to react to it.

Congrats on your graduation and good luck in the Navy.

[leogirl_21]

Good luck with boot camp! TO me, getting older and really experiencing life has its pros and cons. When I was in high school, I was dying to get older, be more mature, be able to drive, yaada yaada. But now that I have all of that, I don't really want it anymore because being older comes along with being more responsible and having more things to worry about. Life as a young adult or child is much more carefree whereas now, there are so many things to worry about but I am still glad that I am the way that I am and how far I have come and what I have accomplished to take me towards the future.

[mrdobolina]

Lamonte-

First of all, thank you in advance for your service to our country. You are a brave and courageous man, and I am thankful everyday for people like you who serve and protect this nation.

Secondly, It sounds to me like you already knew the answer to your question when you asked it. Does life get better after high school?? You better believe it. Although it is a different world, with more responsibility, and consequences for every action you take, if you "look before you leap", those consequences will usually be good consequences....good outcomes(if I may steal a line from one of my favorite "non-reality" shows "Joan of Arcadia"...good ripples).

One of the things that graduating high school, and then college, and then moving out on my own really made me do was to really appreciate my parents. Most people go through their high school/college lives trying to keep their parents out of their lives, not involving them in things. I was no different. But after college, I finally realized the great influence on my life that they were. Even though they divorced when I was in HS, both of my parents were huge in my life. You realize that, no matter what you do, your parents will always be there for you, will always love you, and you could never disappoint them.

One thing my mom always told us was that "Old friends are the best friends". This is a "mom-ism" that I will never forget, because it is so true. If you have friends that have stuck with you through thick and thin, they are the best friends in the world. I know this, because my best friend is someone I have known since grade school. Although there were times in Jr. High and High School where we fought and said nasty things to each other, he is still my friend today, my best friend. And we are always there for each other....through thick and thin.

Other than that, everyone else in this thread gave great responses too. Just reading their responses made me rethink some negative stuff that has been going on in my life recently. For that, I thank you all.

Good luck, Lamonte!!!

[Yellow Apple]

Good luck with boot camp! TO me, getting older and really experiencing life has its pros and cons. When I was in high school, I was dying to get older, be more mature, be able to drive, yaada yaada. But now that I have all of that, I don't really want it anymore because being older comes along with being more responsible and having more things to worry about. Life as a young adult or child is much more carefree whereas now, there are so many things to worry about but I am still glad that I am the way that I am and how far I have come and what I have accomplished to take me towards the future.

That's pretty much how I see it too. The whole being an adult thing really isn't nearly as much as I thought it would be when I was a kid. Sometimes I think "this is what I have to look forward to for the rest of my life? Having to go to work every day, with no summer or spring breaks, paying bills, having to worry about things like taxes and rising costs of living?"

But then again, I'm glad to be out of the [mod edit] that was high school. And, it's nice to have money to buy the things I want myself rather than have to ask Mom and Dad for it.

But the best thing is.... BOOZE! Whenever I want it, without having to worry about getting caught and being underage.

Now if I could just work out that opposite gender thing...

[queenb]

Everything mstvfan said; plus I for one am darn glad to finally quit worrying about what everyone else is thinking about me all the time! The light is finally on - nobody cares all that much, at least the people I know don't judge me by such junk as what I'm wearing and so forth.

[Muduh]

I graduated high school 5 years ago and the odd thing is that as time has gone by the only memories I have really retained from then are the good ones. Same thing with the years since. If you try to think positively about your life all of the bad things don't seem to hold as much significance as the good.

To answer your question, life could get better or worse, depending how you choose to react to it.

Congrats on your graduation and good luck in the Navy.

I agree with what you said about positive thinking. I graduated almost 50 years ago. I remember a speech made by some man at our commencement. He was stressing that we were in charge of our thoughts. That was the first time I ever heard the comment about some people seeing a doughnut and some people seeing only a hole. I am thankful everyday that I see that doughnut. I am married to a great guy, but unfortunately, he only sees the hole. How sad that must be for him.

[Paulie]

Hey, lamonte, I'm late to this thread. But I wanted to let you know that I actually enjoyed high school, for some strange reason. But I think life AFTER it is so much better it's almost impossible to conceive that high school could have been ANY fun. Yes, there are responsibilities that will fall to you that you never had to worry about before. But I think you'll find those responsibilities make a more confident and decisive person, even if you felt you possessed those traits adequately as a high schooler, which I did. In general, so many more life experiences await, and you'll enter them free of the emotional crucible that is high school. I think, as a result, you'll find everything more enjoyable. You sound like a grounded, sensible young man. If you approach life in the "real world" with enthusiasm and an open mind, I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised by how much better it is.

Best of luck in the Navy. Thanks for stepping up in that way. The country needs people like you.