5 Must Know Life Tips

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.