There
is the type of education we get in school and there are life lessons
we learn along the way. Both are important.
The only problem is that life moves us far along before we figure
out what's going on and the wisdom we hope to have gained is sometimes
late in coming.
To spare you some of the hard knocks and trial and error, here are
some life
lessons to help you along.
As Richard Carlson says, 'don't
sweat the small stuff', and most of it is small stuff.
Much of the time we get stressed and worked up over
"stuff" that in the grand scheme of things really
doesn't matter. When we allow ourselves get too caught up in it
we ruin our perspective
and don't take time to enjoy the
moment.
Life can be unpredictable and throw you some curves.
Just
say "never" and see what happens! To avoid the jolt when
life's surprises come your way, be prepared by being open-minded
and maintain the positive
mindset that welcomes the life lessons offered.
The most boring word in any language is "I".
It's wonderful to be self-confident and self-sufficient, however,
it's not all about you. There is nothing more monotonous than
hearing someone talk about themselves and their accomplishments
endlessly. Being self-centered is not the same as having self-confidence.
People are more important than things.
Relationships are
more important than any material goods you may acquire on the road
to success. Without the love and support
of family and friends in life, material goods are not of much use.
Setting your values
and priorities can help you establish what's important.
Nobody else can make you happy.
Your happiness and state
of mind are your responsibility. It's up to each of us to know
what it takes to be balanced
and happy. Our relationships enhance our lives and make them
richer, but they do not "make" us happy. We do.
It's important to be a person of honor.
Your good word and deeds inspire trust and confidence from family,
friends and employers. Be the kind of person others are proud to
know.
Forgive yourself, your friends and your enemies.
We are
all only too human. All of us slip sometimes and make mistakes.
Holding grudges and past hurts only serves to prevent us from enjoying
life to the fullest.
A good joke can be better than any pill.
Take time to
laugh each day. Humor
really is good medicine.
There are no substitutes for exercise, eating well, and fresh
air and sunshine.
Never take your health for granted or
underestimate how much feeling good physically affects your moods.
Persistence will eventually get you almost anything.
Everyone has failed at one time or
another. Failure is a great life teacher. It teaches us humility
and how to correct our course of action. Thomas Edison had a great
attitude towards failure. He said, "I have not failed. I've
just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
Learn from the mistakes of others.
There's an old Zen
proverb that states: "It takes a wise man to learn from his
mistakes, but an even wiser man to learn from others."
Don't be afraid to show and tell others you love them.
Life is short so learn to give and receive love. Love and be
loved.
Live so that there is only standing room at your funeral.
Be the best spouse, parent, friend, boss, worker that you can be
and leave the world a better place than you found it.
"The difference between school and life? In
school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're
given a test that teaches you a lesson."
There
is the type of education we get in school and there are life lessons
we learn along the way. Both are important.
