“The best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.” -Andy Rooney
Older people can be a source of wise words and sage advice on dealing with and enjoying life to its fullest.
I recently stumbled upon an article called 50 life lessons from an 80-year-old man. Many of the life lessons relate to our ability to process and handle emotions.
The article has inspired me to re-post 46 of the life lessons and write about each one.
1. Have a firm handshake.
A firm handshake is necessary in life for making a great first impression on everyone you meet.
2. Look people in the eye.
Looking people in the eye establishes a great connection with the person on the other end. It shows you’re serious, enthusiast, listening, and actually want to have the conversation. Build your self-confidence, and build others’ confidence in you.
3. Sing in the shower.
Change your mood and inspire positivity. Have a good sing in the shower.
4. Own a great stereo system.
Music is one of the biggest influences on our emotions. It lifts your spirits, motivates you and contributes to your overall mood and happiness.
5. Keep secrets.
You’ll gain other people’s trust by keeping secrets. It ensures that you won’t harm anyone else’s feelings.
6. Never give up on anybody.
If you find yourself in a tough situation with someone you care about, don’t give up. Put in the effort and have patience. Miracles happen every day.
7. Always accept an outstretched hand.
We all need help in life. We can’t do everything on our own even if we think we can. If someone offers to help you, kindly accept. Don’t refuse.
8. Be brave. Even if you’re not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.
Life favours the brave. Be brave. Don’t let people see fear inside of you. They’ll eat you alive.
9. Whistle.
Whistling is another form of “momentary musical performing”, alongside singing in the shower, and humming while you do the housework, likely reflecting our mood and chosen to enhance it.
10. Avoid sarcastic remarks.
Sarcasm is the lowest form of whit. You’re not going to make anybody happy by being sarcastic all the time.
11. Choose your life’s mate carefully.
From this one decision will come 90 per cent of all your happiness or misery.
12. Make it a habit to do nice things for people who will never find out.
Giving to others is an incredible feeling. There’s some small thing everyday that can have a big impact on someone. Do nice things for people.
13. Lend only those books you never care to see again.
Books are a great source of knowledge no doubt, but more to the point, lend things that you don’t mind not seeing again. Save yourself the frustration.
14. Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have.
Never tell people that they can’t do something, or that their dreams are impossible. Hope is a beautiful thing. Avoid having a negative impact on someone’s mind, no matter what it is they want to do.
15. When playing games with children, let them win.
Let children win the games you play with them. Allow children to feel happiness and the joy of triumph.
16. Give people a second chance but not a third.
Everybody makes mistakes. People are human and deserve a second chance. It no longer becomes an accidental mistake after a second chance. It becomes deliberate.
17. Be romantic.
If there’s someone in your life that you care about, then show them. Be romantic for the ones you love. They’ll appreciate it a lot.
18. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
Being positive not only adds to your own happiness, state of mind and success, but it also radiates that energy to the people you spend time around. It pays rich dividends.
19. Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.
Take it easy, try not to worry as much about situations that are not going to have a significant impact on your life.
20. Don’t allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It’s there for our convenience, not the caller’s.
Often, people allow phone calls to distract them from cherish-able moments. Being present, managing time, and avoiding distractions are important life skills.
21. Be a good loser.
If someone is a good loser, they accept that they have lost a game or contest without complaining. Be humble in defeat, congratulate the winners, and let them have their celebration.
22. Be a good winner.
Be humble in victory, congratulate the losers on their great efforts.
23. Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.
Secrets can be dangerous. Especially if you want the secret to remain a confidential.
24. When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.
A simple gesture, to show someone how much they mean to you.
25. Be humble.
A lot was accomplished before you were born.
26. Don’t burn bridges. You’ll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.
It is sometimes challenging to re-build bridges down the road. Be mindful of your decisions.
27. Live your life so that your epitaph could read: No regrets.
It has been said that you don’t regret the things you did in life, you regret the things you did not. Do your best to live with no regrets.
28. Be bold and courageous.
When you look back on life, you’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the ones you did.
29. Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
Telling the people you care about that you love them is such a simple gesture, with such a big impact.
30. Remember no one makes it alone. Have a grateful heart and be quick to acknowledge those who helped you.
Express gratitude directly to those who have helped you. Acknowledge them publicly. If someone has positively impacted your life, raise a glass and make a toast to honour their contribution.
31. Take charge of your attitude. Don’t let someone else choose it for you.
Your attitude in life is crucial to your overall success and happiness. Don’t let others have an influence on this for you. You control your attitude by controlling your thoughts.
32. Visit friends and relatives when they are in the hospital; you only need to stay a few minutes.
Just a few minutes of your day to see your relatives in hospital. You won’t regret it.
33. Begin each day with some of your favourite music.
Studies have shown that what we hear within the first 20 minutes of waking up has a big effect on our mood for the rest of the day. Put some of your favourite music on.
34. Once in a while, take the scenic route.
So often we take the fastest route in life. Once in a while, take the scenic route and capture some of the raw beauty.
35. Answer the phone with enthusiasm and energy in your voice.
Always answer the phone with enthusiasm in your voice and show your appreciation for the caller.
36. Keep a notepad and pencil on your bedside table. Million-dollar ideas sometimes strike at 3 a.m.
This is incredibly true, and actually, Jay-Z used to carry a notepad with him everywhere he went.
37. Show respect for everyone who works for a living, regardless of how trivial their job.
People work hard. They deserve some respect.
38. Send your loved ones flowers. Think of a reason later.
There doesn’t even need to be a reason to send your loved one’s flowers. It’s a nice surprise no matter what the reason may be.
39. Make someone’s day by paying the toll for the person in the car behind you.
Another great example of having a positive effect on someone’s day with very minimal effort.
40. Become someone’s hero.
A hero is selfless, a genuinely good person, and someone gets the undivided attention of all of us and causes change. To the world you might think you are one person, but to one person you might be something bigger. Everybody needs a hero.
41. Marry only for love.
It’s the only way to survive the challenges to come. The marriage will not last and it will leave you vulnerable.
42. Count your blessings.
Always be grateful for what you have in life. There are people out there who have far less than you, so always be grateful for that roof over your head, the job you have, the family you have, the food you eat.
43. Compliment the meal when you’re a guest in someone’s home.
If you’re a guest in someone’s house, and they cook for you, always be polite. Compliment the meal as a token of appreciation.
44. Wave at the children on a school bus.
Children love to smile and they love to wave. Waving back at children will make their day.
45. Remember that 80% of the success in any job is based on your ability to deal with people.
Every job involves dealing with other people in some way or another. Whether it be customers, employees, or other businesses. So if you haven’t learned how, start now.
46. Don’t expect life to be fair.
Life is not fair. Life is hard. Expect it to be that way. But that doesn’t mean you can’t achieve your dreams or goals. Never lose hope, work hard and have patience. If you can master these skills, what you want will come. It is only a matter of time.
Are there any life lessons that you can relate to or add to the list? Leave a comment below.
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References:
Odyssey. (2017). 50 Life Lessons From An 80-Year-Old Man.
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/life-lesson-advice-from-an-80-year-old-man
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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