5 Life Lessons That Naruto Taught Me

Hey everyone,

Naruto is one of my all time favorite manga/ anime, and for good reason. I started reading/ watching this as a teenager, and now almost 10 years later I still find it entertaining. In fact, I was re-watching the anime recently, which is what prompted me to write this post.

Throughout the show we watch Naruto grow up and we grow up with him. And all the lessons he learns through his experiences, we learn as well. Watching the anime is very cathartic, which just goes to show how good a story Naruto is. Moreover, the rich characters and nicely interwoven storylines, not to mention all the cool jutsu, just add to Naruto’s entertainment factor.

But I am here today to talk about some life lessons that Naruto taught me, not why it is a good story. So, without further ado, here are the top 5 life lessons I learned from Naruto:

1. Believing In Yourself Can Change The World

In Naruto’s case, this happened pretty much literally. At the end of the 4th Great Ninja War, the ninja way of life changed drastically… all because Naruto always believed in himself. His faith in himself inspired everybody around him to believe in themselves too and be better versions of themselves. That in turn led to lasting peace between all the great nations.

Similarly, believing in yourself no matter what will definitely change your world and, through the butterfly effect, probably the whole world. Moreover, faith in yourself puts out a frequency to the universe that allows you to manifest all your dreams. This is definitely starting to take effect in my life, ever since I decided to give my dreams a chance. 🙂

2. It Is Okay To Be A Fool

Naruto is quite the fool at the beginning of the show. Towards the end, he still remains a fool though in a different sense.

In the beginning, Naruto is a fool because he is all big talk and little ability; in other words he is immature. Towards the end however, he matures but he keeps his innocence and naivety because he understands that those are strengths. When he is called a fool for believing that he could bring Sasuke back, he says that if believing in the good in his friend is foolish, then he is a fool.

Similarly, the world is full of crime and bad people and believing in the good in others may seem foolish. But you should do it anyway because doing so makes your life so much better. Moreover, when you really look for the good in people you are more likely to find it.

Additionally, returning to the innocent, childlike, wonder with which you used to look at life as a child makes you realize what a miracle your existence is. And if that doesn’t enlighten you, I don’t know what will. 😛

3. Life Is Always Better With Friends

Growing up, Naruto was always alone. And he was always up to mischief so that people would notice him if only in anger. It was only after he met Iruka and later joined team Kakashi that he understood what friendship was like and how much better life was with friends.

Applying this to your life is pretty straightforward. When you are around good friends, you tend to enjoy yourself more. This is because hanging out with people who get you, makes you more present in the moment, which in turn makes you feel more alive.

Of course, if you can learn to enjoy your own company, it is even better. And this is what self-love teaches you to do. You can be your own best friend.

4. You Must Protect The People You Care About

This is represented by the Will of Fire of the Hidden Leaf Village. Naruto, as a member of the village, inherits this Will of Fire.

During his fight with Gaara, right after the Chunnin exams, Naruto tells Gaara that his friends rescued him from his loneliness, and that is why he would do anything to protect them. He made Gaara realize that bonds of friendship make you strong and give you the power to fight against all odds.

Of course, in real life you may not have to physically protect the ones you care about like in the shinobi world, so I’ll talk about protecting your bonds with them instead. This is pretty easy. All you have to do is take some time and check up on them every once in a while. Contact and communication are key.

That said, codependency is a thing. So, remember to protect your bond with yourself as well because you cannot give from an empty cup.

5. Love Always Wins In The End

In the story, Naruto’s love for his friend won over Sasuke’s hatred and brought him back to the village in the end. In fact the whole story is one instance after another of love winning over anger and hatred. From Zabusa to Neji to Gaara to Nagato to Kurama; Naruto takes on all their anger, hurt, grief, guilt and hatred through the strength of his love and compassion and his belief in himself, thereby changing them.

You can apply this to yourself by remembering this fact, when you feel sad, angry or scared about how the world seems to be going to the dogs. When things seem really bad, just be loving and compassionate to yourself and others and remember that it is always darkest before dawn.

Now, I know that the latter is easier said than done, but practice makes perfect. Start treating yourself like you would your best friend when they are down. Additionally, when you are compassionate and kind to yourself, it’ll make it much easier to be compassionate toward other people in general as well.

Well, that’s it for now… Until next time folks!!