Hard times teach you some of the most important lessons in life. These valuable lessons give you an insight into the basic fundamentals of a good life. They toughen you up so that you can take the ups and downs in your stride. You learn what truly matters and is worth running behind. Poverty is one such teacher that can impart lessons on how to live a more meaningful life. Often you run after the wrong things but don’t have the realization. Limited means to fulfill your wishes can help you to identify the things of real value. Below are the lessons that poverty teaches an individual:
1. You are tougher than you think
Unfavorable situations can bring out the inner strength that you never thought you had. You learn to compromise and settle for less. You let go of things that you can’t afford without any heartache. You learn to take the adversities head-on. Traveling in public transport, sleeping without air-conditioners, visiting a park instead of malls for entertainment. These are a few things that many people may not be able to relate with but you can. Poverty teaches you to emerge as a survivor and not perish under life’s burdens.
2. You don’t need much to be happy
Poverty teaches you to survive with limited means. You learn to accept the harsh realities of life and find happiness in little things. You don’t need materialistic things like dining out or indulging in retail therapy for one fleeting moment of happiness. Instead, you invest time and effort in more meaningful things. You learn to be happy without being dependent on a few worldly possessions. Complaining and cribbing are not how you spend your precious time. Instead, you are grateful and appreciate every little thing that you possess.
3. You become more resourceful
It is an irony that a lack of resources teaches one to become more resourceful. You know about all the offers and discounts in the market. You know the cheapest way to get something. You learn to make things like soaps, scrubs, spices, snacks etc. at home. The best part is that homemade is always better for your health and the environment. You learn ways to save money and survive on what is available. Poverty can also turn into a hustler and you don’t shy away from odd jobs when you need money.
4. You become goal-oriented
Poverty can be so miserable that you become focused on getting out of it. You become more realistic about your goals and leave no stone unturned to attain them. You work round the clock and do not hesitate in burning the midnight oil if required. You work harder than most people because you want to evade that poverty pit for the rest of your life. You value education and know that it is the only way to reach a higher place in life. The society often associates respect to one’s financial status. You want to make a place for yourself in the society and get the respect that had evaded you for so long.
5. You become empathetic
You know what it means to live a life with little means. You understand the plight of other people who are living a life similar to yours. You know that poor people work equally hard or perhaps harder. You can feel the pain of other people who are living the life that you had lived once. You want to do everything in your capacity to help them. Having seen poverty from a close distance, you become more charitable.
6. You become independent
Poverty can mature you before time. Your priorities become clear at a very young age. You learn how to hustle and make money to achieve what you want. You always figure out a way to survive and deal with your problems. All of this, in turn, makes you fiercely independent.
7. You know how to handle stress
Many people cannot handle the stress once they are on their own and have to deal with the real complexities of life. They cannot bear the stress when things are not going their way. They crumble under stress. If you have dealt with poverty, you are used to a mind that works continuously. It may be unfortunate but it makes you resilient. You are able to handle stress in a much better way. You know that though the present may be bleak but it will all work out in the end.
8. You are the best when it comes to money
if you spent your growing up years struggling with money, you will be extra careful when you finally have it. You will be an expert at spending money on the right things and saving for your future. You will know how to get the best with the least in your hands.
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