Wednesday, September 30, 2009

41 Lessons

I was checking my email on my laptop this morning when I ran across a good forwarded one. By 'good' I mean it didn't have a friendship angel, bunny or whatever in it. It wasn't one I'd already seen a zillion times like Maxine or animals dressed up for Halloween.

Or Maxine dressed up for Halloween, for that matter.

It was 41 lessons written by an 80 year old woman. Sure that part is most likely a lie, but the lessons were good ones. A few jumped out and hit me in the face. I'll post them here and you can see which ones jump out at you...

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

9. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

10. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

12. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

13. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

14. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

15. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

16. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

17. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

18. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

19. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

20. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

21. The most important sex organ is the brain.

22. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

23. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years, will this matter?".

24. Always choose life.

25. Forgive everyone everything.

26. What other people think of you is none of your business.

27. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

28. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

29. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

30. Believe in miracles.

31. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

32. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

33. Your children get only one childhood.

34. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

35. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

36. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

37. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

38. The best is yet to come.

39. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

40. Yield.

41. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

5 comments:

Berni said...

Glad you shared those they are well worth reading

Carolina said...

Uhuh, all true of course. But hard to remember sometimes.

Calico Crazy said...

All very good things to try and remember as we live life. #33 is the one I work on everyday, I'd like her childhood to be good enough, and fun enough tha she's not worried about #16.

Calico Contemplations

Unknown said...

These are great and worth remembering. Today the point about not taking myself too seriously rings true. Thanks, I needed that. ;-)

Positive Pieces Prevail said...

there are too many for me to list here....I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing..

hey when are you going to run your caption this??? I so miss that...