Advice for My Daughter

Category: Daily Life

  • 33 Simple Ways to Live an Extraordinary Life

    33 Simple Ways to Live an Extraordinary Life

    Listen to music when you are happy. Listen to music when you are sad. Listen to music when you are angry. Listen to music when you are grateful.

    Always say I love you when you mean it. Never say it when you don’t.

    Spend money on experiences rather than things. Memories last forever.

    Sleep with the windows open whenever possible.

    Get a Sonicare and go to the dentist every 6 months. You only get one set of permanent teeth. Take care of them.

    Always bring a jacket on a plane and to the movie theater.

    Fight off energy vampires. They will drain you of your creativity and zest for life.

    Shop the perimeter of the grocery store.

    Treat the CEO and the person who cleans her office the same, because they are.

    Sometimes a road trip is better than an elaborate vacation.

    Nothing tastes better than ice cream on a hot day.

    Be kind whenever possible and forgive yourself when you forget this one.

    Get a dog. They are a lot of work. Get one anyway.

    Keep a gratitude journal and look back at it to be reminded of all of your blessings.

    Eat a lot of strawberries when they are in season.

    Buy a quality mattress and pillow. You spend one third of your life in bed. It’s worth it.

    Live in a city that makes you feel alive.

    There is no such thing as “Guilty Pleasure” music. Love what you love. No guilt needed.

    Never stop reading.

    The goal isn’t always to get the answer. Sometimes the goal is just to ask great questions.

    Laugh. About big things and small things. Laughter is often the answer.

    Treat yourself as well as you would treat your best friend. Be kind to yourself.

    Roll the windows down. Turn the music up.

    Dance…publicly and privately.

    Don’t judge others. You don’t know their story, even if you think you do.

    The best prayer is “thank you.”

    It takes a strong person to say, “I need help.”

    Eat dark chocolate.

    Visit London.

    Wear sunscreen on your face every day.

    Do something with your photos. Don’t just leave them in your phone.

    Write thank you notes.

    Be true to that one piece of perfect that lives inside of you. Let your gift shine.

     

    Image by zeitfaenger.at

  • Don’t Touch the Hotel Remote

    Don’t Touch the Hotel Remote

    When traveling, it’s nice to curl up in bed at the end of a long day and unwind while watching some television. But I never, ever, ever touch the remote.

    Ever.

    Studies have shown that the remote control is the dirtiest thing in the room and includes all kinds of bacteria since many people will use the restroom, not wash their hands, and then grab the remote.

    I have a trick that I do every time and I recommend that you do the same.

    Step 1: Find the ice bucket

    Step 2: Look inside. There is almost always a clear plastic bag in there

    Step 3: Put it over the remote and drop it in without ever touching it

    Step 4: Click away!

    I have been using this trick for over ten years and I recommend it to everyone.

    Happy travels!

     

     

  • New Year, New Yearly Theme

    New Year, New Yearly Theme

    At the start of each year, I choose a word that I want to define it.

    Last year that word was “Learn.”

    I read 130 books covering dozens of different genres. I read over 50 blogs. I listened to hundreds of hours of podcasts. I spent every spare minute that I had learning. And learn I did.

    It’s a new year so I have chosen a new theme: “work.”

    I haven’t stopped reading entirely, but I have have slowed down dramatically. I’ve also changed the focus of my reading. Instead of reading a variety of books, I am focusing on business and self improvement. Whatever I read needs to provide actionable ideas that I can incorporate into my theme of “work.”

    I like the idea of a theme rather than making resolutions. A theme can wrap around everything you do like a cozy blanket. You can incorporate it into your hobbies, your work, and your vacations.

    Think of what you want your life to look like one year from now and choose a theme that will help you get there. Here are some ideas:

    • Play
    • Give
    • Rest
    • Health
    • Relationships
    • Travel
    • Laugh
    • Calm
    • Simple
    • Music

    I’m sure there are many more words, but those can get you started. Wrapping a theme around your year can give you a wonderful sense of purpose and accomplishment. It’s much easier to make decisions because you constantly ask yourself if they fit within your theme.

    Decide what you want life to look like. Choose your theme. And go live your best life!

     

    Image: Caroline

  • The Importance of Making Great Memories

    The Importance of Making Great Memories

    I was watching a Jimmy Fallon clip today with Lionel Richie (which was very funny), and immediately after watching it, I felt sad. I grew up with Lionel Richie. I watched his videos on MTV. He was young and new and I was young and free.

    I wanted to go back…just for a visit.

    I wanted to lay on the couch in my neon socks and watch the Thriller video with my friends.

    I wanted to take the bus to the mall and buy Duran Duran buttons for my jean jacket.

    I wanted to wear two Swatch watches.

    But I can’t go back. Ever. And it made me sad.

    Make Things. Do Things. Change Things. Visit New Places. Make MistakesIn the movie Inside Out, we saw the warehouse that holds all of our memories. The one’s that we don’t access begin to vanish. The ones that we may need to access sit on a shelf and can be found when we look hard enough. But the really, really good memories become core memories. They are the foundation of who we are today.

    It’s impossible to go back to time of great joy (or great sadness), but what we can do is bring the big memories with us. I don’t know what I ate for breakfast on October 7th, 2011, that memory has vanished forever, but I will always remember the day I spent with my nephew driving and talking…just the two of us. I’ll never forget how uncomfortable my pregnant sister was watching Forrest Gump, only to see her firstborn through the window of the hospital nursery the following day. I’ll never forget dancing with my friends in a dark, crowded teen dance club.

    Those memories all came with me.

    So, my advice to you is not to make good memories, but to make great ones. Don’t squander your time away flipping endlessly through twitter or binge watching a tv show, just so you can move on to another.

    Make memories. Do interesting things.

    Have great conversations about things that matter to you. Help someone at their exact moment of need. Spend lots and lots and lots of time with your friends. Listen to people. Make things. Do things. Change things. Visit new places. Try different hobbies to discover that you love them, or hate them. Make mistakes.

    Do something.

    What you do today will go with you. You will carry it around like a suitcase. It’s up to you whether your suitcase is packed with vibrant memories or just ribbons of what could have been.

    You can never go back. Today will be gone. My question to you is….what will you bring with you?

     

    image by Prathima

  • How to Make a Gloomy Day Feel Like a Vacation

    How to Make a Gloomy Day Feel Like a Vacation

    Sometimes I have really big, important advice for you. Sometimes I have really small, silly advice for you. Today it’s the latter.

    We recently had some dreary weather, which can be depressing, but there is a simple trick that can save you thousands of dollars on a trip to Hawaii.

    Step 1 – Close the curtains

    Step 2 – Turn on all of the lights

    Step 3 – Play Hawaiian music (or reggae, or kettle drums)

    Step 4 – Forget whatever is going on outside

    I have used this trick many times over the years and it really does work. Once you close the curtains, the weather is out of sight, out of mind.

    Your tropical vacation is just a click away….aloha…

     

     

  • Work Hard Regardless of What You Are Being Paid

    Work Hard Regardless of What You Are Being Paid

     

    Working is part of life. Whether you are a stay-at-home mom, the owner of start-up, a store clerk, a CEO, or a volunteer…work hard.

    It’s called a work “ethic” because it’s value based. You work hard…at every job…every time…because it’s who you are.

    I was working at a large bookstore chain and was always surprised when I would come in and some of my co-workers had left stacks of books for me to re-shelve. I wasn’t upset, because I enjoyed shelving them, but I was curious as to why they preferred to do nothing rather than do something, so I asked why they made that choice.

    The response: “I don’t get paid enough to work hard.”

    And chances are, they never will get paid enough. Work hard first. Get paid later.

    There is a quote that says “You can’t make a million dollars with a minimum wage work ethic.”

    If you are making $8 an hour you should work as if you are making $100. If you are making $100 an hour, you should work as if you are making $500. Always give more than is expected.

    There is something to be said about being the type of person that can be relied on. It feels good to go to bed at night exhausted from a hard day of work.

    Being bored is…well…boring.

    If you babysit and the kids are asleep, rather than sitting on the couch watching tv, why not take 20 minutes and wash the dishes in the sink? The parents will be shocked and you will be the first person they call the next time they need a babysitter.

    Fill up your time. Be of service.

    Work hard.

     

    Fill up your time. Be of service. Work hard. (tweet this)

     

     

     

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  • 5 Skills You Need to Have Before You Leave Home

    5 Skills You Need to Have Before You Leave Home

    There is an amazing world out there just waiting to be discovered. there are places to wander and adventures to be had.

    In a world where people love quotations and inspirational snippets, I don’t want you to forget that there are many practical skills that every woman needs to have when she sets out on her own.

    Learn these skills. Master them. Then go out and take on the world. (tweet this)

      1. Use good manners
        Life can be hard, but I believe in the goodness of humans.
        When someone does something for you, say thank you. When you need some help, say please. When someone is pushing a stroller, hold the door for them.  Give up your seat for someone who needs it more than you do. Be kind.
      2. Manage your finances well
        Pay your bills on time. Don’t over-extend your credit. Keep a good credit rating as it will allow you to buy a car or a house. Having a poor credit rating can be a huge detriment. Pay cash or use your debit card most of the time. Use credit for emergencies only and pay it off as quickly as possible. Know how much money you have. Don’t buy things that you can’t afford. Give to causes you believe in. Tip well. Avoid “collecting” things. Buy things that you love or that you need. Spend a little more on something that you love and will use regularly rather than “saving” money on something that you will never use. Don’t open a store credit card to save 10%.
      3. Take care of your health
        You will hear this a million times over the course of your life, but there truly is nothing more valuable than your health. You won’t actually understand this until your health falters. Once you regain your health, you will probably start to forget its value again. Get a physical every year. Walk regularly. Avoid sugars and carbs. Drink water. Get outside. Your body is a gift. Take care of it.
      4. Demand answers and know where to find them
        Don’t let other people make decisions for you. Seek out information on your own. Doctors went to medical school – question them anyway. Mechanics know a lot about cars – question them anyway. Teachers are showing you new things – question them anyway. I will give you advice – publicly – on a blog – question that advice. Be your own advocate. Listen to what other people have to say and respect their intelligence and deep knowledge, but do your own research so that you understand exactly what they are saying and ask appropriate questions.
      5. Persevere
        Life will knock you down.
        Again.
        And again.
        And again.
        Go ahead and be bummed for a little bit. Then pick yourself up and find a new solution. Don’t get stuck in the world of “poor me” or “life sucks” or “why does this always happen to me.”
        Why you?
        Why NOT you? Bad things happen to everyone…yes…even you. Pick yourself up and move on. When the door shuts, find a new door.

     

    What skills do you want your daughter to have before she leaves home?
    What skills did you make sure that she had?
    What skills have served you well as an adult?

     

    Image by Michael Ruiz

  • Make Music a Part of Every Day

    Make Music a Part of Every Day

    As you go through life, you will experience so much. I wish that your life could be filled with only happy moments, but I know that this won’t be the case. In my life, I have used music to change my emotional state or to help me dig deeper into it.

    Listen to music that makes you dance. Listen to music that makes you cry. You will learn one day that some music is great to drive to. Music can be such a sweet friend when nobody else quite understands you. It can help you to scream louder when you are angry and cry harder when you are sad.

    You will find that music is one of the best and most loyal friends you will ever have. It doesn’t judge you or abandon you. And it doesn’t mind being used.

    Blast it in your car, but please don’t blast it through headphones. I want you to enjoy music forever.