5 Mistakes That Taught Me My Greatest Life Lessons (The Hard Way, Of Course)

Mistakes are like unexpected software updates—they pop up at the worst possible time, disrupt everything, and force you to sit there, helpless, while life installs yet another unwanted lesson.

For a long time, I thought mistakes were something to be avoided at all costs. Then I realized that’s impossible, because apparently, I am hardwired to make terrible choices first before learning anything useful.

Some mistakes are small and harmless—like thinking you can eat an entire pizza by yourself and not suffer the consequences. Others are big enough that they come with their own soundtrack of regret and a supporting cast of bad decisions. Here are five mistakes that, despite the suffering, ended up teaching me my greatest life lessons.

1. Thinking I Could Cut My Own Bangs

There is a universal law that states that whenever a person is going through something, they will have an overwhelming urge to cut their own hair.

I was having a particularly bad day when I looked in the mirror and thought, you know what would fix my entire life? Bangs. I watched one YouTube tutorial, grabbed the nearest pair of kitchen scissors, and five minutes later, I had given myself an unintended mullet.

What did I learn from this experience?

• Hair professionals exist for a reason. They have training, skill, and proper tools—none of which I possessed at the time.
• Some mistakes take months to grow out. Literally.
• Impulsive decisions never end well. If your plan starts with “this seems like a good idea right now,” it most likely is not.

I had to walk around in public looking like a rejected 2007 emo band member until my hair finally forgave me. Lesson learned: When in doubt, leave it to the professionals.

2. Believing “I’ll Just Have One Drink”

I used to think that I was one of those people who could casually go out, have a drink or two, and then make responsible, well-thought-out choices. I was wrong.

Every single time I confidently said, “I’ll just have one drink,” I ended the night singing off-key in a karaoke bar, ordering an irresponsible amount of late-night food, and waking up to mystery bruises from an incident I could not recall.

At some point, I had to accept reality:

• My judgment after one drink is already questionable. After three? Completely nonexistent.
• Nothing good happens after midnight. Especially if tequila is involved.
• Drunk Me thinks Future Me is invincible. Drunk Me will say, “Let’s take shots!” while Future Me wakes up questioning every life choice I have ever made.

Now, if I even think about saying, “I’ll just have one drink,” I make sure to hand my phone to a responsible adult and avoid making eye contact with bartenders who know how to upsell terrible decisions.

3. Lending Money to Friends (And Never Seeing It Again)

At some point, I decided I was going to be a kind, generous person and lend money to friends who needed it. It started small—a few bucks here, a little there. Then suddenly, I was running a nonprofit organization without knowing it.

I quickly realized:

• “I’ll pay you back next week” is a fairytale. And I am not the protagonist.
• Money and friendships don’t mix. Nothing will make you resent someone faster than watching them post pictures of their new shoes while still “forgetting” to pay you back.
• If you have to chase someone down for your own money, you’ve already lost. At some point, the effort to get it back is not worth the emotional toll of becoming a human collections agency.

Now, I operate under a strict policy: If I lend money to a friend, I assume I will never see it again. If I can’t afford to give it as a gift, I don’t give it at all.

4. Buying Cheap Electronics (That Magically Stop Working in a Month)

I used to think that getting a great deal was the most important part of shopping. I proudly bought off-brand phone chargers, mystery headphones, and discount appliances that were too good to be true.

Guess what? They were.

Every cheap electronic I’ve ever bought has followed the same tragic timeline:

• Week 1: Works perfectly. Feeling smug.
• Week 2: Some weird glitches, but I ignore them.
• Week 3: Mysterious sparks, smoke, or unexplained overheating.
• Week 4: Completely dead. Warranty expired yesterday.

I once bought a $10 charger that stopped working so fast, I’m convinced it was a scam designed to teach me a life lesson. I spent more money replacing cheap items than I would have if I had just bought the good version in the first place.

So, now I follow one simple rule: If it plugs in and seems suspiciously cheap, I don’t buy it.

5. Thinking I Had Plenty of Time to Start Saving for Retirement

When I was younger, the idea of retirement felt like a distant, abstract concept. I thought, “I have plenty of time to save. That’s a problem for Future Me.”

Well, Future Me is here now, and she is deeply disappointed.

Here’s what I wish I had understood much sooner:

• Compounding interest is basically free money. And I missed out on years of it because I was too busy buying overpriced takeout.
• Retirement savings don’t just “work themselves out.” Turns out, the universe does not automatically reward people for vibes and optimism.
• The earlier you start, the less panicked you’ll be later. And trust me, panicked financial planning is not fun.

Now, I aggressively throw money into savings like it’s my only personality trait. But the regret still haunts me. If I had started earlier, I wouldn’t have to Google “Is selling a kidney legal?”

Final Thought

Mistakes are just life’s way of making sure we never get too confident. They keep us humble, teach us painful but valuable lessons, and provide great stories for future therapy sessions.

Would I go back and undo these mistakes if I could? Probably. But then I wouldn’t be the well-rounded, slightly traumatized, and financially cautious person I am today.

If nothing else, at least my bangs grew back.