50 Life Lessons (from 50 Years)

“Life is never stagnation. It is constant movement, un-rhythmic movement, as we as constant change. Things live by moving and gain strength as they go.” – Bruce Lee

 

 

As I recently celebrated half a century in this world (where did that go?!), it seemed like an opportune time to share some lessons learned from those years.

Admittedly, some of these are lessons I’m learning again and again and have to work at. With that said, and in no particular order, here we go:

 

  • Treat others as you would like to be treated
  • Time is a precious and finite resource, treat it as such. Time spent will not come back to us so spend it well.
  • Not every ‘good’ opportunity is a great opportunity.
  • If it’s really important you’ll find a way to make the time
  • (related to nos 2, 3 and 4) Say no more than you say yes. When you do say yes, be all in.
  • Self-care matters (for your spiritual, emotional, physical and mental welbeing)
  • The world always looks brighter and problems always seem easier to solve after a good long walk
  • Making time for regular exercise pays for itself many times over
  • Experiences and adventures matter more than ‘stuff’
  • You really don’t need that much to be happy
  • Sometimes taking your own medicine is the hardest pill to swallow
  • Always make space in your life for fun, people that give you positive energy and a smile
  • Talking it and walking can be entirely different things
  • We need to be our own best friend not harshest critic. That said, we also need to recognise when we might need to put ourselves under some healthy pressure to get a thing done.
  • More beyond a certain point is just waste
  • Envy, regret, worry, comparisons, toxic gossip are all a waste of precious energy. We don’t need any of them.  Do better, be better.
  • Don’t let other people’s small time thinking impact your own
  • There’s always something to be grateful for
  • Simplifying is always simple but not always easy
  • Your hopes, dreams and goals matter – treat them accordingly
  • Measuring performance blows measuring hours out of the water. Hours are an outdated way of tracking any sort of meaningful productivity.
  • Multi-tasking never really works
  • There’s always someone worse off than you
  • Doing most things well comes down to drilling the basic fundamentals and returning to them often
  • Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should
  • Just because someone says it can’t be done, it doesn’t mean it can’t be done
  • If you prioritise everything then nothing is the priority
  • We can learn so much from nature
  • If you don’t know then don’t be afraid to ask
  • Look after and value your health (mental and physical). Treat it with the importance it deserves and cherish having it.
  • Listen more than you talk
  • Relationships, much like plants, need nurturing and attention
  • Some friends are here for a reason, some for a season and some for life
  • Be polite to everyone unless they give you good reason not to and then better to just avoid them
  • Whether the glass is half full or half empty is mostly up to us. We control your outlook.
  • A smile and knowing a few basic words will serve us well when travelling to far off lands
  • Look both ways before you cross the road (even at one ways!)
  • Travel definitely broadens the mind (if you are open to it) but not all of us are travellers
  • What you think is so and what is actually so are often not the same thing
  • There’s something magical about the sun rising so make time to get up with the birds and enjoy the start of a new day
  • Personal heroes are people to so try not to be disappointed when they make the same mistakes as you. To be human is to be flawed – none of us are immune.
  • Having a few people that are there for you can make all the difference
  • Common sense and pragmatism are not that common at all
  • Some standards should never go out of fashion – manners and kindness are near the top of the list
  • Writing is hard work but also rewarding
  • Excelling at anything takes discipline, focus and resilience
  • The people we care about most won’t be here forever so best to treat them well now
  • Giving gives back
  • Each day and experience is a chance to learn
  • Compassion, calmness and kindness are superpowers that will serve us all well in life. They can also be contagious traits that have a compounding effect on those around us.  Try to develop them in your own way

 

Bonus Lesson:  Be of service in your own unique way.  Find a way to give back in small but meaningful ways.

 

 

 

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