5 Must Know Life Tips
1. Is it worth my {time, energy, money, sanity}?
Really sit back and ponder on this one. This is a key component to
making a decision, especially if you’re considering whether or not to go
back to work after kids. Is my energy already depleted? Am I
compromising friendships? Is it causing fights with significant other,
or too much time away from my kids? Will I get anything back out of
it? Time flies. Put the limited time, energy, and effort into things
that really matter to you. If you’re a parent, I’m sure you fully get
that is an understatement. In certain instances, it’s probably not worth
the trouble.
2. Wait 24 hours. Yep, a whole day.
Aggravating, I know. Let’s say someone calls your child a dummy at
school. Petty, maybe, but this is your baby! Someone hurt your baby’s
feelings, and of course you want to call his/her parent, make the child
apologize, and inform the principal of this event. Consider the
repercussions. How will this affect those I love? Is this a one-time
instance where your emotions are playing into your reaction? Don’t
react; Respond. Just like you encourage your toddler: use your words,
speak kindly, and take a cool down period. I promise after an entire
day, it may not matter or sting nearly as much.
3. Take the high road.
This one is bittersweet. Taking the high road means to not stoop to
their level. You must deter from name calling, seeking revenge, or
gossip. No matter how annoying the problem, choose to vent to one or two
trustworthy people, and stay out of it the best you can. (Preferably,
find someone who will be honest with you, not just someone who will tell
you what you want to hear.) Even if someone directly hurts or offends
you, it will pay off to stand tall and be the bigger person in the long
run. P.S. That includes *not* posting a vague status about how you are
choosing to stand tall and be the bigger person. Don’t fuel the fire.
Try to set that example, even if it goes unnoticed. YOU’LL be happier
for it.
4. How will this really affect me?
It can be beneficial to step back into a non-bias viewpoint and look
at your own situation. By removing your personal reaction, you get an
opportunity to respond without as much emotion. Think of how a good
friend would handle the exact challenge. Perhaps your mother-in-law
forgot to call to say she was coming over, again. Again! Yes,
understandably an unexpected visit can be frustrating and throw you off
kilter. Attempt to envision a timeline… Will this matter in five
minutes? Five days? Five years? It may drive you nuts for five minutes..
But in five years when your little one (who’s now not so little
anymore) has an awesome relationship with his/her grandparents, you may
be grateful for those impromptu bonding times.
5. Put it in Perspective
The “don’t give up” quotes are supposed to be encouraging, but really
they can be overwhelming. They can set you up for disappointment. One
of the biggest things I keep in mind while consider colleges, is
contrary to popular belief, it’s not a forever decision. Take advice
from a seventeen year old who wants to encourage more people to think in
terms of a five-year plan. It’s much less intimidating and stressful
than committing to “forever.” Do something you will enjoy for the next
five years. If that huge Etsy business didn’t flourish like you had
hoped, re-evaluate with the questions above and see if it’s worth
another go. If after some soul searching you realize it isn’t, find
another passion. Sometimes it is time to put an dwindling flame on hold
to feed a new flame. One day, you may choose to go back and feed the old
flame again.
