They might be decades older than us, but our grandfathers are the people we can learn true lessons of life from.
These are the men which have been there, done that and worn the t-shirt on many occasions – and probably have the battle scars to prove it.
They’ve got anecdote upon anecdote under their belt and if we were to pick some favourite tips from them, here are the top eleven.
Live in The Future
Living in the past is something that we will all be guilty of at one point in time – regardless of what it is related to. According to our grandfathers, it’s the one thing we shouldn’t do.
It doesn’t matter what you’re going through, always realise that at one point in time things will improve. Stop trying to control the things you don’t have any control over – if something is meant to be, it will happen.
Be Nothing But Yourself
It might upset people from time to time, but don’t under any circumstances shirk away from being yourself.
If you’re anything other than yourself you’re not doing yourself justice – it doesn’t matter if people don’t understand you, you’ve got to believe in what you’re doing to move forward.
There is Something Called a Simple Life
It might not seem it at the present moment (we’re back to living in the future again), but one of the biggest lessons we can take on board is that you don’t have to tackle everything right now.
You might have a lot on your plate, but over time you will get much more back from life than you have put in.
Ignore The Price Tags
While you’re young, it’s easy to chase the money. However, as time progresses, you’ll realise that money doesn’t necessarily buy you happiness. It’s an old cliché, but it’s a true one as well.
The best days rarely happen because of money, it’s something else that puts a smile on your face. In fact, the best days occur when nothing out of the ordinary occurs – you’re just happy because you don’t seek anything else. That should be your ultimate goal in life – not the extra zero in your bank account.
You Don’t Always Stay The Same Person
They say leopards don’t change their spots, but our grandfathers disagree. Over the course of your life you will change, your beliefs will change and your subsequent actions will change as well.
Whether it’s from the highs or the lows, nobody stays the same – even though they are the same person. Each different experience gives you strength for the next one.
Every Experience Makes You Stronger
Leading onto the next point, everything that happens in your life does so for a reason. Good or bad, they help you grow and even when the chips are down, you have got hope to hold onto.
All of our grandfathers have been through the bad times, probably more so than our generation now, but they clung onto that hope that made them the respected person they will be remembered as.
On that note, never forget the power of positivity. Your attitude is something else that makes you so keeping in high spirits, and smiling even when it might seem the hardest thing on earth to do, can make getting through the day all the more easier.
And, it makes you the better person – just like your grandfather.
Stay Close to Your Loved Ones
It might seem obvious, but so many of us just forget to do it. We take our loved ones for granted; we take their “I’m okay” comments at face value – even though we know they really don’t feel like this.
Regardless of how they make you feel, be under no illusions that they do need you at certain points in their life. It’s your role to realise when these points are, and act accordingly.
Don’t be Afraid of Letting People go
It might feel like the hardest thing you’ve ever been asked to do at one point, but letting a person go might also be the best thing.
By stepping back and realising everything you have effectively taught them, you understand that you have made them the successful person you always strived for them to be.
Some People Have to be Let Go… For Your Own Good
Similarly, there will be instances where you’ll have to let people go for the good of yourself. If a person is bringing out the worst in you, it’s time to step back and wonder if they really are going to benefit your life.
They may have prompted some wonderful memories, but are these memories going to be repeated? Or, is your life going to go downhill due to a lack of support by these people?
Don’t Take Regrets to Your Deathbed
Always try to impress yourself. Again, this means living in the future. Over the course of your life you will be gifted opportunities, and it’s up to you to make the most of these chances and live life without regrets.
You are never going to regret doing something out of the ordinary (within reason), yet going to your deathbed thinking “I wish I had done that” is the worst thing that can happen to you.
A Happy Ending Isn’t a Myth – But You Can’t be Lazy Either
Very few people go through life without a happy ending, but at the same time most of these people have to work for such a conclusion (your grandfather included).
Rather than sitting there waiting for that happy ending to come nestling to your feet, it might be time to be more proactive. Go out and search for a new beginning, which could lead to that elusive ending.
In other words, stop waiting around for everything to fall into place – you need to get up, start again, and then wait for the happy ending to follow.
