What lesson has YOUR life taught YOU?
09-11-2003, 08:43 PM
#1
Thread Starter
What lesson has YOUR life taught YOU?
Are we ready for this, vintage owners?
This quote written by Shelly Whitman Colony in the book of short stories called "Drive", sums up my latest life lesson,
"It's far better to know what you are and live accordingly than to wear yourself out with the unhappiness of trying to fit into a life that never satisfies."
I quote her words because they perfectly say what I have recently learned. The background here for me is that I have always been better at relations with people on a more personal scale, like one on one, but I yearned more for the glory of the recognized, better know person. I have come to accept that what I have to contribute is important too, even if fewer people recognize it, and it is me.
We can't be vintage without having learned along the way.
This quote written by Shelly Whitman Colony in the book of short stories called "Drive", sums up my latest life lesson,
"It's far better to know what you are and live accordingly than to wear yourself out with the unhappiness of trying to fit into a life that never satisfies."
I quote her words because they perfectly say what I have recently learned. The background here for me is that I have always been better at relations with people on a more personal scale, like one on one, but I yearned more for the glory of the recognized, better know person. I have come to accept that what I have to contribute is important too, even if fewer people recognize it, and it is me.
We can't be vintage without having learned along the way.
09-12-2003, 02:37 AM
#2
Patty, I think this is going to be a great thread. Thanks for starting it.
I've learned many lessons along the way. Here are some of them.
1) I can do almost anything I make up my mind to do. In another thread I mentioned that it took me 25 years to figure out that I really could stop smoking. Five years ago, I did figure it out, and I finally was able to stop. What had been the hardest thing for me to do became really simple once I made up my mind to do it. I have found this to be true many, many times.
2) There is no substitute for experience. When I was in my teens, I like other teenagers, thought I knew everything. Over the years I've accumulated a wealth of experience. I've come to see how my experience helps me in everything I do. Intelligence and knowledge are important, but there is no substitute for experience.
3) Persistence and hard work pay off in the end. If you want something badly enough you need to have persistence and to work for it. Either you will accomplish your goals or realized that what you wanted was not as important as you thought. Either way, you will have worked for it and not just given up. You will not have to regret your choice in the future.
4) Nothing is forever and you have to be able to change with changing times. This was the hardest lesson of all for me to learn. In my early teens I had laid out my career and my goals. For the next 28 years things went exactly as planned. At 40 a major disruption in my career occurred. It came from out of no where. I was devastated. Had it not been for my wife and family I'm not sure where I'd have ended up. Because of them, I was able to rebound, change careers and come back stronger then before. This lesson taught me that nothing is forever, and you have to be able to change with changing times.
I've learned many lessons along the way. Here are some of them.
1) I can do almost anything I make up my mind to do. In another thread I mentioned that it took me 25 years to figure out that I really could stop smoking. Five years ago, I did figure it out, and I finally was able to stop. What had been the hardest thing for me to do became really simple once I made up my mind to do it. I have found this to be true many, many times.
2) There is no substitute for experience. When I was in my teens, I like other teenagers, thought I knew everything. Over the years I've accumulated a wealth of experience. I've come to see how my experience helps me in everything I do. Intelligence and knowledge are important, but there is no substitute for experience.
3) Persistence and hard work pay off in the end. If you want something badly enough you need to have persistence and to work for it. Either you will accomplish your goals or realized that what you wanted was not as important as you thought. Either way, you will have worked for it and not just given up. You will not have to regret your choice in the future.
4) Nothing is forever and you have to be able to change with changing times. This was the hardest lesson of all for me to learn. In my early teens I had laid out my career and my goals. For the next 28 years things went exactly as planned. At 40 a major disruption in my career occurred. It came from out of no where. I was devastated. Had it not been for my wife and family I'm not sure where I'd have ended up. Because of them, I was able to rebound, change careers and come back stronger then before. This lesson taught me that nothing is forever, and you have to be able to change with changing times.
09-12-2003, 03:11 AM
#3
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AT 46 I have learned a lot of things throughout my travels. Growing up overseas I learned the ways of different cultures, yet learned to be able to adapt. The most important thing I learned was to be able to adapt. I make myself into what I wanted to be instead of following the traveled path or the popular way.I have recently been reliving my life as I get older looking for things I might want to have changed and realized that even the bad choices have helped to make me who and what I am today. Now I my not be the perfect anything.....but like the old song says....I did it my way.
09-12-2003, 05:47 AM
#4
Thread Starter
Rob,
Your #4 is the one I've lived with in the past 3 years. Thank the Great Spirit that nothing is forever. When you have something horrible happen in your life, and I had two in 10 months, relief comes with time. Of course, I highly recommend a good counselor/therapist. You are changed by them whether you want to or not.
vel7wil,
Reliving your life for things you might want to have changed...
One thing I always wanted to do but backed out of was to learn to hang glide. As a single 23 year-old, loving independent life I signed up for hang-gliding lessons in San Diego. Then I remembered that I owed my dad a few hundred dollars he lent me for moving so I cancelled the lessons, paid him back, and forgot about them. I still want to hang glide but I'm a little chicken now. My husband told me from day 1 (19 years ago) that he'd divorce me if I did it. I don't think so any more.
Your #4 is the one I've lived with in the past 3 years. Thank the Great Spirit that nothing is forever. When you have something horrible happen in your life, and I had two in 10 months, relief comes with time. Of course, I highly recommend a good counselor/therapist. You are changed by them whether you want to or not.
vel7wil,
Reliving your life for things you might want to have changed...
One thing I always wanted to do but backed out of was to learn to hang glide. As a single 23 year-old, loving independent life I signed up for hang-gliding lessons in San Diego. Then I remembered that I owed my dad a few hundred dollars he lent me for moving so I cancelled the lessons, paid him back, and forgot about them. I still want to hang glide but I'm a little chicken now. My husband told me from day 1 (19 years ago) that he'd divorce me if I did it. I don't think so any more.
09-12-2003, 06:22 AM
#5
Things I've learned from life:
1. When you see an opportunity, go for it. There is nothing worse than regretting lost opportunities.
2. Don't make any decision in haste. There is nothing worse than regretting bad choices that you have to live with for the rest of your life.
3. No one knows how to balance 1 and 2 above. (When you figure it out, let me know, cause I want to be your lawyer and manager. You'll make millions and I'll get a cut!)
4. Therefore, and most importantly, don't waste time and energy regretting things you didn't do, or things you did do. Just learn, adjust to your knew circumstances, and move on.
1. When you see an opportunity, go for it. There is nothing worse than regretting lost opportunities.
2. Don't make any decision in haste. There is nothing worse than regretting bad choices that you have to live with for the rest of your life.
3. No one knows how to balance 1 and 2 above. (When you figure it out, let me know, cause I want to be your lawyer and manager. You'll make millions and I'll get a cut!)
4. Therefore, and most importantly, don't waste time and energy regretting things you didn't do, or things you did do. Just learn, adjust to your knew circumstances, and move on.
09-12-2003, 06:47 AM
#6
I don't think one can learn only ONE lesson in life. As we traverse through our life span, we should be learning lessons almost every step of the way. With each experience, we should have an old lesson re-inforced. With each new experience, we should learn a new lesson. There are far too many for me to list here. Although some are more important than others, they all contribute to how I greet and live each day.
(Or did I just state a lesson?)
(Or did I just state a lesson?)
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09-12-2003, 07:48 AM
#8
Thread Starter
Originally posted by Helios
I've learned never to depend on others for my happiness. If they do make me happy, that's just icing on the cake.
I've learned never to depend on others for my happiness. If they do make me happy, that's just icing on the cake.
09-12-2003, 07:52 AM
#9
Thread Starter
[QUOTE]Originally posted by xviper
[B]I don't think one can learn only ONE lesson in life.
[B]I don't think one can learn only ONE lesson in life.
09-12-2003, 09:56 AM
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Well, ok...here are some life's lessons not necessarily in this order:
1. You get what you pay for.
2. Bottom line is always the dollar.
3. If you want it bad enough, you can get it.
4. The most important thing in business is politicing & networking.
5. It's nice to be important, but more important to be nice.
6. You can catch more bees with honey than vinegar.
7. Be compassionate and considerate of ones feelings.
8. Be kind to animals.
9. Don't burn any bridges.
10. You only live once.
1. You get what you pay for.
2. Bottom line is always the dollar.
3. If you want it bad enough, you can get it.
4. The most important thing in business is politicing & networking.
5. It's nice to be important, but more important to be nice.
6. You can catch more bees with honey than vinegar.
7. Be compassionate and considerate of ones feelings.
8. Be kind to animals.
9. Don't burn any bridges.
10. You only live once.