Monday, November 24, 2008

39 Lessons Learned

I'm pretty sure I've had that same lesson somewhere along the way!

My Dear Great Aunt Grace sent me an Email this week with some lessons learned from life. Because I'm gettin' ready to roll on out of my 30s soon, I thought I'd share some of the lessons I've learned:

1. Life isn't fair, and that can be a good thing.
2. When insisting you're right, you make someone else wrong.
3. Crying with someone is better than crying alone.
4. After you give birth, your bladder somehow moves to behind your eyes, causing such embarrassing leaks called tears over things you swore you'd never cry over.
5. Being 12 sucks most of the time.
6. Being the parent of 12 year old sucks sometimes.
7. Reading a good book all day is never a wasted day. Reading a bad book is.
8. When you compare yourself to others there will always be people above and people below. It isn't worth it.
9. Never make major decisions about your life after 10 PM.
10. A good night's sleep can change your whole view.
11. 2 wrongs don't make a right.
12. If a job isn't worth doing your best at, it isn't worth doing.
13. Being competitive can push you harder. Also, it can be a pain in the hiney.
14. You can be poor, but you don't have to be messy.
15. Wood floors cleaned with Murphy's Oil Soap is a fabulous smell.
16. That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.
17. Deep breathing can get you through some tough moments.
18. Get rid of anything in your life that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful.
19. Every night is a good night for eating dinner by candlelight- you'll look better, feel better and save $ on electricity.
20. Cloth napkins just make more sense.
21. Only you can make you happy. 
22. You can only change yourself.
23. When faced with a tough moment, ask yourself, "In 5 years will this matter?"
24. Holding a grudge is heavy work- let them go.
25. Time heals almost everything. Really.
26. Good or bad- change is constant in life.
27. Your family will miss you when you're gone. Your work won't. Remember that and live your life accordingly.
28. Practice Random Acts of Kindness
29. Live life! Don't just sit back and watch. You only get one life- make it memorable!
30. When you're feeling down: Get up, Dress up, and Show Up!
31. Look people in the eyes when you're with them. Listen to what they're really saying.
32. They who laugh, last.
33. Insurance is the one thing you can't buy when you need it.
34. Well behaved women rarely  make history.
35. Talk to people around you. You'd be surprised what you can learn.
36. Everyone has something to offer. Look and listen with your heart. 
37. It's better to be poor and happy than to be well paid and miserable.
38. Facebook could be called Crackbook.
39. If you find yourself with an empty heart, fill it with flowers you give to yourself.

But maybe in the end it's like the cartoon said: Some of the lessons you teach aren't the lessons learned. Any lessons you've all learned that you want to share in the comments?

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Oh I love these lessons! Yay! Here is mine. I learned this when I was 10:

Caviar may come in a jar that looks like fancy jam. It may sort of even resemble jam, but it does not taste good with peanut butter.