- The lessons we collect, live by and quietly pass on.
We all collect life lessons.
Some arrive gently through people we love. Others arrive rather less politely, usually accompanied by a mistake, a heartbreak, a financial disaster or one of those moments when life gives you a metaphorical thump around the head.
But how often do you actually stop and ask:
What has my life taught me?
Taking time to consider what you have learnt can be surprisingly valuable. Some lessons may still guide you every day. Others may have served their purpose and could perhaps be retired.
And some are worth passing on.
You may even discover that your children, grandchildren, friends or colleagues have quietly adopted things you have said or done without you ever realising it.
Twenty life lessons worth considering
Which of these resonate with you?
Life isn't always fair, but it can still be very good.
Don't take yourself too seriously. Most other people aren't thinking about you nearly as much as you imagine.
It's OK to let your children see that you are human, including seeing you cry.
Start saving early. Your future self may be enormously grateful.
If you use credit cards, know what you owe and have a plan to repay them.
Life is too short to spend years hating somebody.
Don't compare your life with someone else's. You don't know the whole of their story.
Occasionally ask yourself, "Will this matter in five years?"
Growing older is a privilege not everyone receives.
Today counts. Use the beautiful candle, wear the good clothes and stop keeping everything for "best".
Prepare well, then be willing to go with the flow.
Relationships need honesty, kindness, communication and a sense of humour.
Gratitude can change the way an ordinary day feels.
Don't just observe your life from the sidelines. Participate in it.
Keep things around you that are useful, beautiful or bring you joy.
Some days, getting up, getting dressed and showing up is quite enough.
Breathe before you react.
If you don't ask, you probably won't get.
You can change your mind. New information is allowed to create a new decision.
There is no perfect time to start living the life you want.
But here is the more interesting question...
Where did your own life lessons come from?
Perhaps something your mother or grandfather repeatedly said became part of the way you live.
Maybe you learnt through experience:
"I'm never doing THAT again."
Some lessons come from love. Others from grief, illness, work, relationships, parenthood, money, mistakes or simply living long enough to notice what really matters.
Ask yourself:
What happened?
What did I learn from it?
Is that lesson still useful to me now?
And perhaps most importantly:
Is this something I would want to pass on to someone else?
Sometimes we inherit wonderful wisdom. Sometimes we inherit beliefs that deserve questioning.
Knowing the difference is part of growing wiser.
Your turn!
Finish these three sentences:
Life has taught me...
I wish I had understood earlier that...
One thing I would like the next generation to know is...
Write your answers down.
Better still, share one with someone you love.
Because perhaps part of an aligned later life isn't simply deciding what we leave to people.
It is also deciding what we leave within them.
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Thank you for being in my world, and creating the next one.
Gayle
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