Today, the wisdom of times gone by is largely ignored and in many cases not even in the day to day reality of most people. There are cycles in life that appear to be more or less about 80 years. We echo many of these times again and again throughout history.
It’s easy to see why these nuggets of wisdom are lost. 80 years is beyond the life of many people, and while many do live that long, often they begin to fade mentally, forgetting the lessons learned, and not being able to share them with the young people, who while perhaps not choosing to care in the moment, will hopefully recall them later in life when maturity and with it wisdom begin to take hold.
So for my grandchildren, here are some more “easy” life lessons, in our next installment we’ll get into increasingly more serious life lessons.
1) Learn to Dance – Dancing is good for the soul & you’ll be doing it at some of the happiest moments of your life. It’s great exercise and just plain fun. Don’t be shy, learn some basic steps on youtube & you’ll be ready in the moment.
2) Be Entrepreneurial – Salespeople have long taken a bad rap for their profession, but the truth is that we always have to sell whether it’s our ideas, our plans, or our products. Embrace the entrepreneurial spirit! It’s not just taking advantage of “buying low & selling high,” but it can be as simple as the lemonade stand, or washing cars, shoveling snow, cutting grass etc. You can make your own opportunities.
Need more money? Don’t wait on someone else, go out and create your own enterprise.
3) Plant a Garden – There are few things in life of greater benefit. The joy of watching life grow & the fresh taste of garden produce is worth it alone, but you’ll even be eating healthier for your body. With hydroponics one can grow anywhere!
4) Keep a Journal – It’s important to capture your life as you go. Remembering experiences while they are fresh in your mind is the best way to save these moments, and it will improve your writing skills and also provide a measure of how you have changed over time.
5) Practice Good Manners – Society was a lot more formal generally into the end of the 20th Century. Today, a person with good manners can get so much more because they are increasingly rare. Saying sir, Ma’m and being polite in general will open so many doors. It’s not just in the words however. How you dress, your posture, jewelry etc can be uncomfortable to some people. Don’t take a chance, dress conservatively and try to make those around you feel relaxed & you’ll make new friends and be able to share and promote your own ideas much more freely.
6) Be Nice – As in number 5, it’s the little gestures that people notice. Being nice means noticing the needs around you and going out of your way to do the little things that need to be done. A new kid at school? Help them fit in. Widowed neighbor can’t shovel snow? Help out. You get the idea. Moreover, it means not being cruel to someone outside of your circle of friends – ever.
7) Go Your Own Way – At this time in your life, the desire to “fit in” with your friends is very strong. What you don’t realize now is that very soon this will all change. School memories will quickly fade as you move into your adult life. The things that are so important today will be as the things of when you were a baby are to you now.
So start now to see what it is that you want in your life. Friends are great & we can never have too many (except on Facebook maybe,) yet you will spend most of your life working, studying, raising a family etc, and the time with friends will be much less in the future.
Search in your heart for your own dreams. Seek counsel from those who are truly interested in your success, and then use that information to form your own decisions. Do it now. You are in the end the decider of how your life will go from here.
8) Get Up Early – There are many accomplished people throughout history that were not morning people. That said, there is a magic and a power that one can have by getting up early. The quiet time of day is especially productive for creative endeavors such as writing.
9) Learn the Tricks & Shortcuts Early – Whatever you do that tends to be detailed or repetitious will have a few tricks that the masters use. You can do much more if you learn those things fast. Think of your daily tools such as a smart phone or computer. There are many ways to save time and be more efficient. The library can help. Spend a little time to learn some tricks & you’ll be able to accomplish more.
10) Act Locally – While all of us want to end world hunger, save the planet, and cure cancer, you can really do something effectively only on the local level. Unless you have tremendous wealth, you’ll need to focus on the needs of your own community. Want to help? Just look around, there is great need everywhere.
©2014 Ben Gangloff
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You might also enjoy:
Letters to Paige (9 Lessons for a Better Life)
Letters to Paige #2 (6 More Life Lessons)
Letters to Paige #3 (8 Helpful Life Tips)
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