25 Lessons to Live By

“Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.”–Regina Brett

I’ve always loved this photo of a centenarian using her birthday candles to light up a cigarette. It reminds me not to take myself too seriously.

This hundred year-young whipper-snapper, however, is not Regina Brett, a regular columnist for The Plain Dealer of Cleveland, Ohio, and author of the lessons I’ve excerpted below. They come from a column she wrote called “Regina Brett’s 45 life lessons and 5 to grow on” which was published on May 28th, 2006.

I had wanted to share maybe ten of these to keep this blog short and sweet and prime the pump for us to come up with our own versions. But they’re all wonderful. The best I could do was limit them to twenty-five––the ones that hit home the most for me. Not too many I hope…but enough to open up the conversation and get us going.

Which ones do you live by? Which ones challenge you the most?* If you could add one of your own to this list what would it say and why? Feel free to share your own variations in the comment box below. I’d love to hear from you!

To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I’ve ever written. My odometer rolls over to 50 this week, so here is an update:

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

13. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

42. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

49. Yield.

–Excerpted from “Regina Brett’s 45 life lessons and 5 to grow on” by Regina Brett.

*p.s. My personal favorites – and the ones challenge me the most these days – are #4, #13, and #28.  How about you?