The Most Valuable Advice That You Have Received

Parent Cafe
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<p>For a variety of reasons I am reflecting on the big and little, but important words of wisdom that I have received. </p>

<p>My mother: Never leave the house without lipstick on. You’ll never know who you will meet.</p>

<p>Joan Rivers (not said to me personally): She always said I love you at the end of conversations. </p>

<p>One of my doctors: There comes a time in life when you have to say goodbye. Make sure the loved one knows that they were loved and WHY. (I said something to my mother "knowing that I had a year or two refine my speech. My mother died the next night. I am so glad that I talked to her when I did.</p>

<p>Does anyone else have advice to be shared?</p>

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<p>Extremely valuable from a judge regarding traffic ticket when I first came to this country. Make sure you read what you sign. Never make that mistake again.</p>

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<p>You don’t need anyone else’s esteem to feel good about yourself.</p>

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<p>You are the sum of your decisions.</p>

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<p>“This too shall pass.”</p>

<p>“Be the change you want to see.”</p>

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<p>I think this originally came from some self-help guru, but a dear friend said it to me at one of the darkest times in my life. He said: Think of your problem as a hand in front of your face. If you focus on the hand (problem) that is all you see. Now focus out beyond the hand (problem), and you can see there is so much more out there. Good things. Better things. And you know, it actually worked. I have given this advice to a number of people over the years and they’ve always found it helpful. </p>

<p>I’ve also always like much of the “Desiderata”. Go placidly amidst the noise and haste, accept the loss of youth, be cheerful, strive to be happy. All good things to do. I can’t even find my lipstick.</p>

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<p>First, supposedly Queen Elizabeth was asked if she had any advice, based on what she’d learned during her tenure as Queen of England. She said “Never pass up an opportunity to use the toilet.” (No idea if this is true, and no interest in finding out, either.) (My mother referred to this as “the Queen Elizabeth rule.”)</p>

<p>Second, from my father: arrive at work before your boss, and leave after he does. (The corollary to this is that, if you’re the boss, you should arrive and leave at reasonable hours, so that your employees can do the same.)</p>

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<p>A friend of mine shared this with me, and I found it very helpful to talk with my teenagers.</p>

<p>"When I was in my 20s, I worried about what other people thought about me.</p>

<p>When I reached my 30s, I decided I didn’t care so much about what they thought.</p>

<p>By the time I got to my 40s, I realized that other people aren’t THINKING about me!"</p>

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<p>When I started my first professional job after college - my dad advised me to always try to contribute the maximum to my 401k and IRA.</p>

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<p>Don’t compare your insides to someone else’s outsides. </p>

<p>Assume good intentions.</p>

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<p>“Don’t drive to slow”</p>

<p>This was said to me by my Dad on the eve of a cross country road trip when I was 22. But it was good advise both literally and metaphorically. </p>

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<p>Count your blessings every day.</p>

<p>Max out your 401-K contribution from the day you are eligible and never stop.</p>

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<p>“Is this the hill you want to die on?” Wasn’t aimed at me, but it made sense. Of course it’s an extreme, but there are times, relationships, and issues we would go to an nth degree to protect or promote- and the rest can pale.</p>

<p>Oh, the other is one I heard and used with my kids: “do right and right will follow you.” I guess these two are an interesting combo.</p>

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<p>When I was an early teenager an adult mentor pounded into my head that I should not marry before I was 25. If I met the right person before then, then he would wait.</p>

<p>I am from a family where women marry young, 18 or 19. I took his advice to heart, though. I married 6 weeks before my 25th birthday, so I broke his rule. But, I did a lot of growing up between the 18th and 24th years. I am 48 and still married to the guy I married when I was almost 25. If I had married the guy I was dating at 18, I would not have my masters degree and I would be divorced. My life would be a lot different. (and probably not in a good way).</p>

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<p>dmd-“Never pass up an opportunity to use the toilet.” My mother taught us this as “sit and see” anytime we were away from home. I still do it today and taught all of my kids the same. It prevented any number of accidents when the kids were little.</p>

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<p>Never do anything stupid on purpose.</p>

<p>this was from a manager at work. He said you would make your share of stupid mistakes by accident, and that was ok. What was not ok was doing something you knew was stupid to meet a budget or schedule or avoid a conflict, and then having to live with the results, knowing you knew better before you acted. </p>

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<p>My dad, retired AF fighter pilot gave me sobering and yet uplifting advice that I think of every time life sucks.</p>

<p>He would ask me when I was fussing, “Are they shooting at ya yet?”</p>

<p>This always gave me his view of his reality. Kept me from saying and doing stupid things along with giving me time to really appreciate what was being sacrificed so I could fuss.</p>

<p>Kat</p>

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<p>My kids would answer this with this phrase (from their dad): “In the midst of confusion, profit can be made.” </p>

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<p>My grandparents taught me to always say “I love you” at the end of a phone call, visit, or just when leaving the house for an errand. My parents taught me the golden rule. Mark Twain taught me to keep my mouth closed and be presumed a fool, rather than open it and prove myself one.</p>

<p>Unfortunately I’m not very good at following advice, because that is probably all the advice I ever needed. </p>

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<p>Always have money in savings.</p>