As the mom of a member of the class of 2009 I feel like I'm in a special place to answer this. So here goes.
Mom's Top 10 Bits of Advice (plus one)
1) Follow your dreams, but remember that reality is where you live. To put it more bluntly- you have to eat. You need a roof over your head. You'll need money to pay your bills. Now, don't get me wrong- I'm all about following your dreams, living your life on your terms and all that, but if the current economic situation shows us anything, it's that living on credit will eventually come back to bite you right in the butt. Live within your means and you'll find that your means are more expansive and rewarding than you ever thought possible.
2) Be nice to the Earth. It's the only one we have (at least for now) and we want it to last for all the future generations. Plant a garden, ride your bike more, think about your impact on this fragile marble.
3) Forgive people. This does not mean "be a doormat" but rather it means understanding that not everyone thinks or experiences or lives exactly the way you do, so take a moment and ponder that before you carry a grudge around with you. We all have our own journeys to travel, grudges just weigh us down.
4) Don't take any wooden nickels. Trust but verify. Question authority. What I mean here is this- do your own research. Don't let anyone tell you something and insist that it's THE TRUTH or THE WAY or THE ONLY THING. You're smart, you've learned how to research, with the Internet you have the wealth of the world's intelligence at your fingertips. Learn the difference between what's put out there for mass consumption and what's real.
5) Be helpful. Just the fact that you can read this puts you in an elite class of people on this planet. The fact that you're reading it on a computer puts you in an even smaller class. You're fortunate people. You have more stuff in your rooms than millions of people own in their entire lives. You eat more for lunch than millions of people eat in a day. Don't be selfish with your wealth and talents. Share them to help someone else.
6) Don't be afraid to ask for help. Just because you're in those elite groups I mentioned in #5 doesn't mean you won't need help some day. When you get to the point where you need help, don't be ashamed to ask for help.
7) Stay healthy. Don't smoke, don't drink booze to excess, don't get fat and lazy. Eat good quality food, get exercise and stay healthy. You'll still die eventually, but your life will be fuller and richer than if you spend half of it sick.
8) Don't ever stop learning. You don't have to continue your formal education, but don't stop learning new things. Now that it isn't the bane of your existence, learning can be beautiful and fun.
9) Take full responsibility for your actions, even the bad ones. If you do something and fail miserably, be able to say "Wow. I failed miserably, and I take responsibility for that." Don't let anyone else be your fall guy OR take credit for the good. Don't be boastful, but remember that it's not a bad thing to say "I did that well."
10) If you're going to clam, clam big. Don't half ass your way through life.
11) Remember that there are people who will love you, no matter what stupid stuff you do. Don't shut those people out. However, if you do, they'll still love you, and they'll still be there when you decide to open that door again.
Mom's Top 10 Bits of Advice (plus one)
1) Follow your dreams, but remember that reality is where you live. To put it more bluntly- you have to eat. You need a roof over your head. You'll need money to pay your bills. Now, don't get me wrong- I'm all about following your dreams, living your life on your terms and all that, but if the current economic situation shows us anything, it's that living on credit will eventually come back to bite you right in the butt. Live within your means and you'll find that your means are more expansive and rewarding than you ever thought possible.
2) Be nice to the Earth. It's the only one we have (at least for now) and we want it to last for all the future generations. Plant a garden, ride your bike more, think about your impact on this fragile marble.
3) Forgive people. This does not mean "be a doormat" but rather it means understanding that not everyone thinks or experiences or lives exactly the way you do, so take a moment and ponder that before you carry a grudge around with you. We all have our own journeys to travel, grudges just weigh us down.
4) Don't take any wooden nickels. Trust but verify. Question authority. What I mean here is this- do your own research. Don't let anyone tell you something and insist that it's THE TRUTH or THE WAY or THE ONLY THING. You're smart, you've learned how to research, with the Internet you have the wealth of the world's intelligence at your fingertips. Learn the difference between what's put out there for mass consumption and what's real.
5) Be helpful. Just the fact that you can read this puts you in an elite class of people on this planet. The fact that you're reading it on a computer puts you in an even smaller class. You're fortunate people. You have more stuff in your rooms than millions of people own in their entire lives. You eat more for lunch than millions of people eat in a day. Don't be selfish with your wealth and talents. Share them to help someone else.
6) Don't be afraid to ask for help. Just because you're in those elite groups I mentioned in #5 doesn't mean you won't need help some day. When you get to the point where you need help, don't be ashamed to ask for help.
7) Stay healthy. Don't smoke, don't drink booze to excess, don't get fat and lazy. Eat good quality food, get exercise and stay healthy. You'll still die eventually, but your life will be fuller and richer than if you spend half of it sick.
8) Don't ever stop learning. You don't have to continue your formal education, but don't stop learning new things. Now that it isn't the bane of your existence, learning can be beautiful and fun.
9) Take full responsibility for your actions, even the bad ones. If you do something and fail miserably, be able to say "Wow. I failed miserably, and I take responsibility for that." Don't let anyone else be your fall guy OR take credit for the good. Don't be boastful, but remember that it's not a bad thing to say "I did that well."
10) If you're going to clam, clam big. Don't half ass your way through life.
11) Remember that there are people who will love you, no matter what stupid stuff you do. Don't shut those people out. However, if you do, they'll still love you, and they'll still be there when you decide to open that door again.
Very GenX. I love it.
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