Among Friends

[house_cat]

I find as I'm getting older, I'm also getting wiser.  One of the most important things I learned in the last couple of years is that I can say no to things without an explanation.  

"I'm sorry but I won't be able to attend."

"I'm sorry but I won't be able to take on that project."

That might sound simple, but it was a major life lesson for me.

Are there any life-changing lessons you've learned of late?

[cherry]

I have learned I am stronger than I thought I was, in some rather trying circumstances

You can ,if you think you can..be the little engine that could

[kaydee50]

That "It's always something" and I don't have as much control over my life as I would like!

[Laura14]

Stand up for yourself.  You may still get rejected but you'll never be more proud of yourself as a human being.  

[SFGIANTSGIRL]

I have learned to always think of my glass as 1/2 full (or more).  Life is way to short to live in the negative.  And, remove those who are negative from your core group of friends.

Negative bread negative.

Deb

[Skididdy]

HMMMMM...thats a loaded question...too many to list but...

* less words more listening.

*PAUSE, BREATHE, and be thankful each morning you open your eyes.

[IamMrsG]

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@SFGIANTSGIRL wrote:

I have learned to always think of my glass as 1/2 full (or more).  Life is way to short to live in the negative.  And, remove those who are negative from your core group of friends.

Negative bread negative.

Deb

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Whether it is half full or half empty, I think the important thing to remember is it is always refillable.  

[Annabellethecat66]

So many.  Here are but a few.  Try everything (legal) that you want to do before you get too old to do it.  For instance I'm always financing things my younger (adult) daughter (who's single) wants to do.  Among them, trying skydiving, running races for charity in another state, taking a helicopter (and picking over the Grand Canyon) spending Christmas in Germany and Switzerland and on and on.

As the saying goes, "Judge not....lest ye' be judged" (that's a hard one).

Don't regret what you did (or didn't do today)...there's always tomorrow and if you don't get to it...again, there's tomorrow.

Always tell people you love that you DO love them (do it often).

Send flowers to people who are alive so they can smell them rather than those who have died.

Talk to your grandchildren about what it was like when you were growing up.

Never go against what you think your children would want their children to know.  For instance don't discuss sex with them (that's the parent's job), relax you've already done that job(?).  Ha!

Never shop for teenagers (i.e. clothes, etc).  Give gift cards and let THEM have the fun of shopping with their children.

AND FINALLY and I think most important.  Understand that you raised your family and they were FIRST in your life, respect your adult children and LET their family be first in THEIR life.  In other words, don't expect your child/adult to go against their husband or wife for you.  This part is tricky but if you've raised them right, they'll be right by you too, it just might not happen first or immediately....(in other words, they'll still honor you and love you if you give them the option and freedom to do it).

Many of these things I THINK I've done over the years.  I've certainly tried to achieve these.

I recently heard this quote that was attributed to Mohammad Ali (don't know if he said it or who said it but I thought it was amazing):

"The service you do for others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth".

Phew!  Now my brain hurts.

[software]

Things really don't matter, people do.

[IamMrsG]

One of my spiritual gifts is discernment, a sort of clarity of thought.  What I've understood since childhood is that if  'it' won't matter in twenty years, it doesn't matter today.  

I like your example of learned lessons, @house_cat.  That is a good one.