So I am almost 40 and rather than have a mid-life crisis, buy skinny jeans, a beret and a shiny sports car, I decided to be a bit more sensible. I have put together of list of life tips that I try to follow to keep my head straight. They definitely aren’t original and some probably belong on a Facebook thread with a picture of a bonzai tree but screw it! It’s a list of advice or guidelines to try to stick to and it works for me. Read it, love it, hate it…..totally up to you. Crack open a cold one and enjoy:
1) Share the love. Be kind and generous to good people in your life and you’ll receive it back ten fold. Cheesy start but very true.
2) If you’re having a shit day or you’re facing an obstacle that has you frustrated. Pause. Take a breath. Take a shower. Eat something, drink a beer and talk to someone! You’ll feel better and gain some much needed perspective. If not….fuck it, have another beer!
3) Sometimes life will kick you in the sack and drop you to your knees. When you’re down in the dirt, you have two options. You can face down and wallow in the dark or you can turn over and stare up at the stars. Those who look up will always triumph.
4) Have children. Not for everyone but having kids gives you purpose. They can be a screaming ball of sticky craziness but they will keep you young and keep you active. They’ll always consistently fill your heart with joy. Never to be taken for granted.
5) Time is your most valuable commodity. Not wealth or success or possessions. Spend your time with the people you care the most about as often as you can. If you have any time to spare, try to give it to a charity or community. The sense of reward you’ll feel for giving your time to those in need is life changing.
6) Having goals and aspirations is important and planning for the future is also usually positive. However, stop every once in a while and make sure you are enjoying the journey. If you’re miserable, you’re on the wrong path and reaching that destination won’t make you happier. Be happy with what you have and where you are or make changes!
7) Failure is essential! If you can fail, learn from it and apply yourself again, then you’ll never really lose. Take any teachings you can from it and carry on…..you’ll get what you want next time. If you don’t, rinse and repeat the above until you do. Winners fail all the time and keep going, you only really lose if you give up.
8) Career Advice : Know your worth! If you are giving your career the effort and your dedication and there is no acknowledgment for it……then run! You’re input should have a worthwhile output and if you work for someone who doesn’t appreciate you, then go elsewhere. Never easy to change paths but very important for your own mental health.
9) Have a fucking beer! (or whatever vice gives you stress relief) Take the time for yourself to decompress. Do it daily or weekly or whenever you need to. A beer and a chat with friends can restore your soul. Have a fucking beer!
10) Challenge yourself! Learn a skill, start a project, read a book, learn a language, pick up a new hobby, listen to a new band, climb a mountain. make a bucket list, write a song, learn a new recipe, dance like an idiot, have a beer! The list is endless but as mentioned before, your time is most important. Don’t ever be bored and waste time. Self improvement is rewarding and keeps you sharp.
11) Worrying is pointless! Worrying never solves problems, never helps you achieve goals, never cures illness. Worrying about things that you can’t influence or have no control over is a fruitless exercise. You need to learn to shut it off (not easy) and focus on the things that can influence the result or achieve the outcome. In other words, have a beer and chill out!
12) Embrace other opinions. Never mock or disagree with someone else’s beliefs or core values. Be confident in what you believe in and have the capacity to listen to others without judgement. Very difficult to do but also leads to far less conflict and you’ll be greatly respected for it. You might even gain knowledge and grow as a person. If you don’t, fuck it…..have a beer!
That’s it! Forty years of knowledge condensed into 12 messages. Take some on board, add you own or toss them all aside it’s up to you! Let me know in the comments below if you have any life lessons to live by.
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