Life lessons

I’m stepping away from travel for today’s post and looking at the idea of life lessons. In a way this follows on from my post last week on family. When my cousin, E, had her kitchen tea a couple of months ago one of the things she asked guests to do was write down some words of advice or life lessons for her prior to embarking on married life. So I’m going to run with that today and share a few:

Never go to bed angry: while this is applicable to any situation, it’s really directed at couples. There’s nothing worse than having an argument with the significant other right before bed. Laying there, quietly fuming, with things unspoken and unresolved, neither prepared to admit defeat and make peace. It eventually just leaves you feeling sad and lonely. It’s far better to calm down first, talk it out, and even if you can’t resolve it – at least go to bed on the back of affectionate words and hugs.

You can’t please everyone: so many people get caught up in trying to do the right thing by everybody else. To be accomodating and try to make others happy. The reality is it’s not always possible. Forgetting for a moment the difficulty of pleasing two people with conflicting needs or opinions, sometimes you just have to put yourself first. Some would say that’s selfish, I see it more as being mindful of your own wellbeing.

Smile more: not only does smiling make you feel better, it makes other people happy … it’s highly contagious. It’s hard not to smile when you’re greeted with the warmth and happiness behind a genuine smile. I’ve heard it said that even forcing a smile can make your day a little brighter.

Listen more: I’m seeing more need for this lesson in today’s world than some of the others mentioned above. With increasingly busy lifestyles and more demand on our time it can be easy to look inwards and become a little self absorbed. Take the time to really listen to people; maybe they need a friendly ear to air their troubles, maybe they just want to share exciting news – whatever it is, listening to them shows them you value them and it reinforces our relationships.

Be honest: I’ve said this before but nothing kills a relationship or friendship like dishonesty. It shatters trust and causes so much damage. Better to be open and honest. And if it’s something which could cause pain, be gentle and take the time to explain and pick an appropriate moment.

You are enough: I like this one because it’s a reminder to love ourselves. To be happy with who you are because you’re doing the best you can at this moment in time. Most of us are our own worst critics and we need to learn to pay ourselves a compliment from time to time too.

So, these are just a few of the life lessons that have ran through my mind lately. What about you? Do any of these ring true for you? Do you have any other life lessons you’d like to share?

This post is part of my contribution to the A-Z Challenge for April 2016

Click here for a list and links to all my other challenge posts!