Lessons Learned!

Lessons Learned!

As I get another year older…I’m so grateful that my parents were such good examples of teaching me how to love life in all its various stages.

We’ve all heard the saying, “with age comes wisdom” –however, I suppose that we have to be willing to learn in order to gain that wisdom!

Being An Avid Learner!

Celebrating another birthday seems like as good a time as any to reflect on a few of the life lessons I’ve learned over the years…although I hope to be an avid learner in the school of life, so to speak, for many years to come!

• Small daily habits are important.   As a nurse, I often see people who don’t feel well because they haven’t taken very good care of themselves.  Sure, we all get sick once in a while, but if there is one life lesson I’ve learned that seems to compromise the outcome of other great lessons to be learned in this life, it’s taking our health for granted.  It’s never too late to make it a daily habit to look forward to each new day, pray, exercise, eat fresh food, brush our teeth and be more aware of all the little things that can help inspire us to live better!• Be stronger than yesterday.  My parents grew up in what has been coined as “the greatest generation”—having persevered during the tumultuous times marked by the historic economic downfall of the stock market in the 1930’s, followed by World War II.  At every turn in their lives, they taught me that personal duty, integrity and faith should be the defining characteristics in how I face challenges in my life.  My mom always had a quiet dignity about her, but she was fierce in teaching her children that every day was a good day to be stronger and make a difference!

• Change is inevitable.  When we hear this cliché, it seems to imply something bad…but if there’s one life lesson that is a persistent teacher, it’s that life is change!  Change can become one of our greatest life lessons and allows for the most personal growth if we allow ourselves the permission to step outside our comfort zone and learn from it.  As I’ve embraced change and impermanence in my life, surprisingly I have found more inner peace and contentment.  In fact, on those occasions when it seems my life has hit a plateau, so to speak, whether it’s in my relationships, my job, my health…I try to change things up a bit to keep things fresh and even a little unpredictable.

• Deliberately choose the people you spend the most time with.  If we spend time with people who bring out our best personality traits, but at the same time challenge our fears and insecurities, chances are we’ll become the best version of ourselves.  Sometimes people come into our lives at a crucial time because something in us wants to learn–and they too want to learn from us…and a lovely friendship is formed.  I’m so grateful for all the incredible people in my life who love me unconditionally and teach me wonderful life lessons through their examples so that I can continue to cultivate my true potential!

• Trust your heart.  I have found that if we stay true to ourselves, our hearts will never guide us wrong.  Throughout my life, I’ve often felt the pull between what other people think I should do (or what the accepted standard is) and what my heart discreetly and sincerely tries to tell me is right.  The world likes to bombard us with big promises, glorified acclamations and even false adulation, resulting in our egos getting in the way of what we know, deep down, is in our best interest.  Call it intuition or a small inner voice, it is essential for us to take a step back from our busy lives once in awhile, so we can honor our true feelings and trust that our hearts will help us make the decisions that will bring us genuine and lasting happiness.  Like anything else, this takes time and practice, but the reward for doing so will ultimately be what defines our personal legacy!

And finally, a few other important lessons I’m always trying to learn better…

I’d love to know what life lesson or advice has helped you most in your life? 

–Mary