New Perspective? Simple But Impactful Life Lessons

SHOW NOTES:

On this show...we are looking for a deeper meaning, a better vantage point, and a new perspective. Are we making it all too complicated? On this hot pursuit for life’s meaning while rejecting meaningful moment after moment that could be our best teacher. Most of us have failed to retain a pearl of wisdom handed to use from time to time. Discounted the advice as quick as the old timer’s tale of a mile to school, uphill, in snow, both ways! But how many simple, yet impactful, life lessons are there?  No way can we cover them all and I won’t even convince you in my relatively short lifespan that I have encountered them all - but with a little help, we will get a good start into understanding how they come about and how to recognize these golden nuggets of revelation.

My grandfather once told me, “if you don’t want to be late, leave a little early.” Now, I’m not sure when that took hold and became an important lesson or if from that moment it just took root but I have always been punctual. I’m also not sure if because of that lesson I take pride in my punctuality or if I just obsess over being late, either way, I’m always on time or early. 

As of late, those sentiments and words of advice have hit me harder. I think it’s age and a chance to sit back and take stock of where you are and what you’ve learned. At a younger age I was head down, nose to the grindstone, and mowing over any and all truism. It’s that age of independence when you think you know it all and someone sharing their life experience was just that….them sharing. 

If you haven’t come full circle to understanding your parents were actually right then brace yourself - it’s coming.

Sarah Stevenson gets us started with12 Things Your Parents Were Right About

In an article she wrote for healthfully.com ...Sarah gives a great insight into research and statistics that prove these sentiments.

1. Don’t Put All of Your Eggs In One Basket
2. Early To Bed Early To Rise
3. Always Finish What You Started
4. Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables
5. Be Patient
6. Be Thankful for What You Have
7. Wash Your Hands Before You Eat
8. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
9. Take a Nap (if You Can)
10. A Stitch in Time Saves Nine
11. Don’t Do the Crime If You Can’t Do the Time
12. Respect Your Elders

My mother told me: Find someone to fit your life instead of morphing who you are to fit theirs. Now, I could have overlooked that advice and sloughed it off….oh wait I did do that and come to find out, she was right. 

 

Becoming someone else to appease someone else, has only temporary benefits. You are who you are and so are they and eventually, it’s too difficult to keep up the facade.  As a result, through trials and tribulations of course (the hazards of not paying attention the first time), I have learned to be honest with who I am, celebrate that, and be willing to share and be vulnerable. I don’t have to have everything figured out or even all together - I can be me, quirky, kooky, creative, passionate, encouraging….ME.

My father told me: Remember you always have one foot in poverty. His meaning was; don’t get comfortable with where you are because it can all come crashing down unexpectedly. That wasn’t to scare me but help me stay humble and focused. As a result, I’ve learned to live inside or just below my means while striving for more. 

Marquita Herald shares Life Lessons We Learn The Hard Way in an article she wrote for emotionallyresilientliving.com

We share a collection of great quotes by famous and anonymous people. Here are just a couple…

There are things in life we don’t want to happen but have to accept; things we don’t want to know but have to learn, and people we can’t live without, but have to let go. ~Author Unknown

One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon – instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today. ~Dale Carnegie

I used to carry a lot of shame and guilt for the choices I’ve made in my life. On the surface, you will always see a smile and for the most part, a positive attitude and an encouraging word but underneath, it was present. I was good at pushing it away, justifying portions of it, and convincing myself that I had grown but the reality was - I was ashamed to face my own failures. 

It doesn’t happen in one day or one session of unpacking and taking responsibility. I think like grief, it’s always present to some degree but we can find ways to acknowledge it without being consumed. 

I made some dumb choices. Now the t-shirt would read “but that doesn’t define me and I’m stronger for it” blah blah blah. It may be true, but that only helps the situation if you truly believe it. Today, I can say, I would not care so deeply or be so proactive in the work I do if I had not lived and overcome what I did. 

Perspective is a powerful thing. It’s your understanding and how you relate to the information you have. We should always be striving for a better, different, or deeper understanding and new perspective. 

Sometimes we can get lost in this world. Our ideas, passions, and even our voice can get overshadowed or drowned by what is happening around us, real or not. It feels like whoever has the loudest and most outrageous thing to say or type gets the attention and unless you're comfortable asserting yourself or going against the grain, you settle in for the ride. Becoming increasingly frustrated by this swell of helplessness. 

That’s when it’s time to climb up (metaphorically) to a higher vantage point. This way instead of being in the mouse maze you can see it all with a new perspective. 

Kristen Lee leaves us with 24 Simple Life Lessons That Are Extremely Important But Too Often Forgotten in an article she wrote for thoughtcatalog.com

Here are just a few…

• Don’t let people invalidate your emotions or hardships, but be sure to maintain a sense of perspective.
• Manage expectations. Manage expectations. Manage expectations.
• The grass is green enough where you are.

...and a lesson I’ve learned that has made a huge difference in my life. Encouragement is the key that can help others unlock potential.  Motivation doesn’t happen until you have a goal and a goal can seem impossible until first you are encouraged. 

 

CHALLENGE: visit Mt. Perspective as often as you need a better vantage point. Search your mental library for pearls of wisdom you might have overlooked or been unwilling to accept at the time.  Mix those with life learnings of your own gathered through experience. Then SHARE with others as teachers and students will forever be entwined. 

I Know YOU Can Do It!