20 Important Life Lessons Learned from Johnny Depp in 2022

Good morning, lovely dreamers, and welcome to another important life lessons blog post here on Dreaming of Butterflies. Today, as we're at the end of the Depp VS Heard 2022 trial, we wanted to recap everything we've learned (that can be applicable to all of our lives), as we think it's important for self-improvement, relationships and mental health especially.

Related:

1. 20 Magical Life Lessons you learn from Harry Potter

2. 20 Awesome Life Lessons you learn from FRIENDS

3. 20 Big Life Lessons learned from LOTR

4. 20 awesome life lessons you learn from Star Wars

We all know by now the madness this year has been.

To add more fuel to the firestorm that is 2022, Johnny Depp and A. Heard decided to have one more go at trying to prove to the world who is lying and who is the real victim of their hurricane of a relationship.

Full disclosure here: both Andy and myself were, are and always will be pro-Depp, and we've never actually liked Heard, long before they got divorced, BUT that doesn't mean that we did not keep an open mind and attention to both sides of this madness during this trial.

Unfortunately for her, the lack of real evidence and her attitude throughout these past 6 weeks were the main ingredients to her downfall, and Johnny Depp's "renaissance" in be public's eyes.

From the pool of information that we all gathered, especially these past weeks if you have been following the trial, we got a better understanding of the sad and unpleasant parts of life, and we got a glimpse of how the legal system in the US works and even learned a bit about relationships in general as well.

The price that JD paid these past few years, and especially in these past few weeks, when we, the world, got to peek behind the curtains and actually got to know a bit about him as a normal human being, not Johnny Depp, the actor, is quite big. But if this gets him his life back, it's fair to say that it was all worth it.

Don't you think?

To be a true victim of DV, SA, or SV is not something you just throw out there. It's not something to joke about or make an entire show about it, especially for any financial gain. Anyone can tell you that. On the other hand, having serious mental issues, and having them treated, is also extremely important.

These past few weeks were eye-opening, and they have also somewhat helped us, the world, have a better understanding of the effects our childhood can have on us as adults, and how essential it is to know about these things and how to deal with them. And have the courage to speak out, and get help.

If you are ever in a situation like this or know someone in a situation like this, please, don't be afraid. Speak up! Get help.

P.S. If you're wondering where we got these gorgeous photos of JD outside in the wild. check out Shutterstock. They have a great variety of photos, even celebrity photos, at a very reasonable price.

But enough with the chit-chatting! Let's get to it!

20 Valuable life lessons Johnny Depp taught all of us in 2022

1. Men can be and are victims as well

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We, as a society, finally found out what toxic femininity can do to the world, and what consequences it can have, especially when it comes to men. What Johnny Depp did is to finally show the world, and open our eyes to the real problems.

Yes, men are perceived as stronger, tougher, and overall more capable of doing harm, but amongst them, there are also real victims. Men can be and are on the receiving end of the damage, be it mental and/or physical.

JD opened up, let the world know about his childhood traumas with his mother, and told us his story. When his former wife accused him of violence, time and time again, the people around him told us not only that those things did not happen, but also that he was the one on the receiving end of the rampage.

This doesn't mean that we forget or deny that women are victims as well, but that we should give truly equal chances to everyone. Men, women, nonbinary and however else you want to identify yourself.

2. You need to take care of your mental health

Admitting and talking with a professional about your life, traumas, and problems (past and present) is important, if you have a history of struggle, from childhood and/or adulthood, and especially if you are a MAN. Doing this does not make you less of a man, it does not chip away your power, or taint your image. It's bravery.

Also, finding hobbies and other activities that help with your anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, or other issues you might have is one big way of taking care of yourself, healing and improving.

3. Everyone needs a good support system

Family, friends, and romantic partners are, or should always be your rock. When you are down, they pick you up. When you need help, they are always there to lend a hand.

What Johnny's story has taught us is that those people will stick by your side, even in the darkest of times. And even when those romances end. As almost all of his exes told the world only good things about him, and his behaviour during and after their relationship.

4. You should never lose hope

You might be going through hell, and you might become the world's most hated person, but if you know that all of that is not true, and your story is real, and you also have a way to prove it, all you have to do is hope.

Hope that one day you will have the chance to clear your name, and reset your life.

5. Love can be a blessing and a curse

Sometimes love is the one thing that makes you smile, and be all warm and fuzzy inside. Other times, it's the one thing that makes you feel like you're the one doing something wrong, and that want to always fix things, to please your partner and make them happy, but that never happens.

And you end up not knowing why that is, and it leaves you stuck in a toxic relationship where you are the one that feels guilty, even if you're not to blame.

6. Find a partner that truly shares your interests and dreams (and never let them go)

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Besides the love you and your partner have for each other, for your relationship to flourish into a long-term one, and truly be successful in the long run, you do need someone by your side who wants the same things you want.

You want someone with the same goals, hobbies and even guilty pleasures.

What Johnny Depp also taught us, is that when you find that wonderful human that checks all the "boxes" on your checklist but also treats you right, you should never let them go. What he and Vanessa Paradis had was truly magical.

Probably it wasn't perfect all the time. In reality, it never is. But you need to learn how to fix it before you throw away something real.

7. Communication is key in every relationship

Tell your background stories, talk about your likes, and dislikes, share your secrets with each other and basically be each other's best friends. This is how a normal, non-toxic relationship should be.

8. Respect in your relationship is crucial

It's not enough to love and share stuff with each other. You also need to respect each other enough not to share the secrets the other one tells you with people outside of the relationship, but most importantly, you should appreciate each other's individuality, work, time and wishes.  

9. Your home needs to be a safe space

No matter how hard life gets, or what you might be going through, there's one thing you need to take care of. Your home, the place where you go to recharge and rest, always, ALWAYS needs to be a SAFE SPACE. For you, and for everyone else you share that space with.

Your home needs to be clear of toxic energies and people, free of lies, and a comfortable den where you cuddle, relax and share. The second anything changes, your safe space is compromised.

10. You should never lose your sense of humour

Even in the darkest of times, being able to keep on smiling is important. It's a healing mechanism. There's no use to try to write these examples, I'll just let the memes do the talking here.

11. Telling your story can help you heal

During these past few weeks, JD opened his heart, and those thick and very well-guarded doors to his intimate life, and we got to see a side of him not many people can say that they ever had a chance to. It was brave, and quite refreshing, to be honest.

And most importantly, it was a great experience for him, as well.

We saw his face change, from his first day in court, to now, at the end. And we saw him heal, and feel better with every bit of the story he shared. It was such a beautiful transformation, and it was CLEAR as day.

What we can take from this is simple. Open up. Not to the world, necessarily, but to someone. a friend, a professional, a diary. But tell your story. You'll find that, in doing so, you will definitely mend some wounds.

12. Excess of anything can be bad for you

Sex, drugs and... alcohol, when in excess, they are clearly wrong for you. Sex is a very dangerous weapon anyone can use to make their partner submit to all of one's desires, even without going all out into the BDSM world.

Drugs, well, we all know what "self-medicating" with dangerous substances can do to you. And alcohol becomes a problem when you use it to make you forget about your real issues in life.

JD was unfortunate enough to end up using drugs and alcohol to help him switch off, detach, and numb, to the point where it was almost impossible to stop. But with hard work, patience, and when he removed the toxic element to blame for all, he got better. If he could do it, why not any of us?

13. Don't use your humility

One of the best things about Johnny Depp, is how normal and down-to-earth he is, and how he doesn't like to make a show out of his name and his fame.

Yes, he has an island, but he never advertised it. Yes, he was one of the best-paid actors in the world, and the most wanted by all, companies and women alike. But he never flashed this with every occasion, everywhere he went.

This also applies to working with charities and hospitals. He used to dress up like his favourite characters and visit hospitals, or Disney parks, and even work with the Make a Wish foundation, and never did he alert the media, or TMZ that he would do this.  

14. Who you are in public is not necessarily who you are at home (and that's okay)

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Johnny Depp the actor, the one that we usually get to see in interviews and TV shows, is the professional that has to act a certain way. He plays the extroverted introvert when in reality, he's just an introvert.

Think of how you are at work, and at home. You might be an introvert, loving your alone time, with a good book, or playing a game, or an instrument, but at work, you're using the "customer service filter". That's perfectly normal.  

15. One sentence can make or break people's perspective of you

This is the hardest and most expensive lesson we've ever learned from JD, unfortunately. You can work decades to create a name for yourself, a great portfolio of work, with characters so loved, that they are basically irreplaceable.

You can even raise two beautiful and very normal children, given all the money and fame you have, but when someone says one bad thing about you, you're done. That takes over the world's image of you.

16. Mistakes cost

What is private, should stay private. And what was said in confidence, should remain in confidence. You should be careful about who you choose as your besties, but most importantly, how you communicate with those friends.

If you are as confused as anyone about how in the hell did AH's legal team get their hands on JD's text messages from the past 10 years, there's one thing to note here. Be careful what you write, because you never know when someone can use that against you.

Also, the biggest mistake of all, that JD made, was letting go of the real deal, Vanessa Paradis.

17. Speaking out takes courage

The hardest thing to do when you are a victim of any kind of abuse, sometimes, is to open yourself up and tell the world about it. You're so affected by what happened to you, that you are afraid of reliving the trauma and/or exposing the person that did that to you.

But sometimes, enough is enough. And you have to, just have to simply face your fears, and do it.

Now, because JD chose to do it, and tell his story, now the world finally saw what it needed to see. And the rest is alpacas.

18. We are all perfectly imperfect humans

We all do stupid things, say stupid stuff, and sometimes life gets crazy, and we slip up. But that's what makes this life a journey, and us, simply, humans. We are okay until we're not. Sometimes, we want more from life, and work, and work, and work, until we drop.

Sometimes we just crack under pressure. And sometimes, we just need a break from it all, the world be dammed.

Some of us are more artistic and sensible. Some of us are more analytical, and cold.  But that doesn't mean that either of us is broken, or something is wrong with any of us. It just means that we're not robots. And we're all different and unique, perfectly imperfect, flaws and all.

19. If ever in need, find a great lawyer (or team) that always has your back

It's unfortunate, sad and infuriating what happened to Johnny Depp. No man, or woman, deserves to ever be treated the way he was by their partner or anybody in their life. Violence and abuse are crimes that should be punished, no matter what social status or who the person that committed them is.

What he taught us this year is that if you are ever in a sticky situation like this, your legal team needs to be strong, very well prepared, but most of all, as humble as you are.

If you've been as obsessed with this trial as everyone else, you've probably been sucked into the new magical world of LawTube, which appeared on YouTube lately. And like everyone else, you've learned a thing or two about what makes a good lawyer, best practices, and the US legal system.

Like some of them said, in one of the live streaming of the case, your lawyer is your sword and your shield in that battle. They are your champion in the face of justice.

20. You should Never Fear Truth

JD always said, "never fear truth", and over the past few months, he was able to finally let the truth be known to the world, not just for him, and for the ones that believed him from the start. But to everyone.

He knows that the truth, no matter how harsh it is, and even if it might affect him a bit as well, does set you free, and it's the most powerful weapon one can have, especially in the face of justice.

His truth is simple: yes, he is a victim, and yes, he was frustrated and made some unusual jokes, that when taken out of context sound very violent and crazy, and he knows that. Yes, he wasn't always the perfect partner, father, or husband. But he has owned up to those mistakes.

When did AH ever do that?  

Aaaaaaand that's all for today, lovely dreamers! We hope you enjoyed our article for today, and that you've learned your life lessons from Johnny Depp, and if you did, please make sure to share it, pin it, tweet it!

QOTD: What's the best lesson you ever learned from Johnny Depp (man, actor or any of his characters)? Tell us in the comments section below!