11 Life Lessons You Can Learn From a Brazilian

Probably one of the biggest lessons that can be learned from a Brazilian is to be confident in your own skin. You don’t need to look hard or far to find this attitude in Brazil – just take a trip to the beach or a nightclub and you’ll see that it’s rare to find a Brazilian that is body-shy. Love the skin you’re in and embrace being you.

Sharing is caring or at least that’s how Brazilians see it. Whether it’s the beers at a party or a snack at the bakery in the morning, if a Brazilian is accompanied, they will always offer whatever they have to the others. So if your Brazilian friend is eating a sandwich, at some point you will be offered a bite. This is just one of the simple yet affectionate gestures Brazilians use to build strong relationships.

Brazilians, like many Latin countries, are close to their families and put family first above all. Once you’re friends with a Brazilian (which doesn’t take long), you will be welcomed into the family like an honorary member. It’s these connections that are valued most in Brazil and the strong social circle they have is endearing.

Brazilians tend to live in the moment and not worry about the future. While they may have plans and goals, everything is centered on the present and there is no point stressing about something that is yet to happen. It’s easy to get wrapped up in future possibilities but take the Brazilian approach and forget what is out of your control now.

Brazilians have no qualms about showing how they’re feeling and whether it’s happiness, sadness, anger, or jealousy, they will openly show it and talk about it. It’s refreshing to see and learn that it’s so much healthier to openly accept how we are feeling rather than bottle it up.

Most Brazilian women have their nails done on a weekly basis, not to mention their eyebrows groomed, regular waxes, hair styled before a night out, and any other beauty treatment that makes them feel good. While this beauty routine is about how they look on the outside, it’s also a personal thing of how they feel on the inside. We should all take some time out once in a while to make ourselves feel great.

Brazilians like fast food as much as the next person, yet most Brazilians tend to be concerned about their health and exercise regularly to keep trim and fit. Just head to Copacabana one morning to see the number of runners – young and old – pacing up and down the sidewalk. Rio, for example, has a gym on almost every corner where Brazilians regularly work out not just to look good, but once again, to feel good in their own skin.

Had a bad day? It happens and it sucks, but dust it off and move on. Brazilians tend to not dwell on the negative; rather they acknowledge the bad, see what they can do about it, and whatever happens, remain positive that it will be ok. Life is too short to hold a grudge or let negativity consume you.

While keeping someone waiting for half an hour is not exactly model behavior, arriving a few minutes late is no big deal. Whereas some cultures rush around and stress about arriving exactly on time, Brazilians will aim to arrive on time yet if something comes up that delays them, it’s life and it happens.

When it’s time to work, you get on with it. Yet there is always time for leisure too. Brazilians tend to have a great work-life balance and will find time in the evening to hang out with friends, go to the beach, or play some sports or work out.

Brazilians are very hygienic and a factor of living in a tropical climate means they will often take several showers a day. They also eat with napkins – fingers rarely touch the food – and will carry a toothbrush and paste with them to clean their teeth after each meal, helping them to stay clean and healthy.