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Life lessons

(77 Posts)
grannyactivist Wed 29-Jun-16 23:58:44

I recently asked my Care Home residents what lessons they've learned from life that they would want to pass on.

What would your top five be?

GillC Sun 03-Jul-16 15:06:35

Trust your gut instincts.

Never judge people by their outward appearance.

Live and let live.

Be kind, you never know what someone else is going through.

Greed, rather than money is the root of all evil.

Elrel Sun 03-Jul-16 14:20:31

There are two ways to happiness: to get more and to want less.

Elrel Sun 03-Jul-16 14:19:23

Try to increase compassion and to decrease suffering.

annsixty Sun 03-Jul-16 13:49:30

"Content with your lot" one of the most important of all.

Linsco56 Sun 03-Jul-16 13:25:52

Don't waste time on people who drag you down.
Have dreams and aspirations.
Be self-reliant.
Recognise that no one is perfect and cut others some slack.
Be a true and good friend.
Live a good life and as you grow older try to learn to be content with your lot.

miep Sun 03-Jul-16 13:09:04

Jealousy in all its forms is a waste of time, ditto envy.
The best is not always the most expensive
Treat others as you wish to be treated and show respect to all
Stick to your guns until proven, irrevocably, that you are wrong!
Be kind to animals
Never be afraid to ask, and listen to the answer, even if it's not what you wanted to hear
Help others when you can, but sometimes you have to quit before they drive you nuts
Don't lie, you'll get found out

Sorry, that's quite a long list and the order is not necessarily the right order, IYSWIM!

Gina848 Sun 03-Jul-16 13:05:25

I totally agree with your list , it's so important to listen and to let the person know that you are listening ,and not to just nod yes or no , it can make the world of difference to a person for them to know that .

annodomini Sun 03-Jul-16 10:06:18

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

Marmark1 Sun 03-Jul-16 09:35:57

Oh,if only,
Dare I say,not long ago,the abuse and nastyness dished out by some people here.
What a wonderful world it would be if people followed these things.A lot of it comes down to basic good manners of course.
The couldn't care less type,pull up the ladder types,are never,can never be truly happy.
I can't believe a baby is born bad.maybe though.

Phoebes Sat 02-Jul-16 22:45:18

Do as you would be done by. Love one another. Realise that most people are too self-absorbed to care what you look like. Love and care for all animals. Love yourself but help others where you can.
Stick to your guns even if it makes you unpopular. Learn to say "No"

lizzypopbottle Sat 02-Jul-16 17:49:23

Everything else will follow...

lizzypopbottle Sat 02-Jul-16 17:48:42

1. Take up karate.
2. Enjoy karate.
3. Practise karate.
4. Persevere with karate.
5. Love karate.

PRINTMISS Sat 02-Jul-16 16:48:37

You were given a mind of your own - use it
If you are fortunate to be healthy, enjoy it
If you have a loving family, cherish it
Money won't buy love, but it will help in other ways.
A little kindness costs nothing, reaps rewards.

Smileless2012 Sat 02-Jul-16 12:38:22

To smile
To laugh
To love
To care
And when someone's in need, always try to be there

Luckylegs9 Sat 02-Jul-16 06:17:03

Be a bit kinder than is necessary, change thing you can, but if you can't don't worry about it, things have a habit of working out you just have to play the long game sometimes.. Go out of your comfort zone, but most of all treat others as you would like to be treated. Everything passes.

PatB8 Fri 01-Jul-16 21:16:00

Change what you can and don't worry about things you cannot change.
If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.
Spend some, save some.
Always do what you know you need to do for your own peace of mind and then you will have no regrets.

AlieOxon Fri 01-Jul-16 12:58:06

Yes Jayh it matters to me!

petra Fri 01-Jul-16 12:32:50

Nature or nurture. My own Daughter couldn't really give a stuff about other people other than her family ( that includes me thankfully) I'm continuously telling her not to be cruel in her opinions of some people. She gets this from her Father, my ex.
But I have to say that she has educated me as in don't believe everything that people tell you, and the best one: you don't have to answer the phone if you don't want to, and the same with the front door.

Jayh Fri 01-Jul-16 12:28:55

Yes Alie another one.
You have free will so take responsibility for what you say and how you act.
It does matter to someone.

jinglbellsfrocks Fri 01-Jul-16 12:09:10

Here's a couple.

Speedy falling asleep in bed at night can be induced by having an imaginary orgasm with someone very fanciable. Once you get too old for that, and you do, imagine eating a piece of something delicious, such as treacle tart and custard. It works just as well.

When you have spent too much time on Gransnet, get your arse backside out of the door, preferably for retail therapy. Or lunch.

jinglbellsfrocks Fri 01-Jul-16 12:03:01

Nature or nurture? Who knows. Perhaps if characteristics are passed on genetically it may be possible to override that through upbringing. Nice to think so.

AlieOxon Fri 01-Jul-16 12:01:36

........any more good lessons?

AlieOxon Fri 01-Jul-16 12:00:51

I don't see how any baby can be born bad.

morethan2 Fri 01-Jul-16 11:57:14

It's a funny old life, if your ambitious and want to be really successful perhaps you need an edge that isn't so nice. jinglebellfrocks has a point that I've often wondered about are some of us born 'nice' and some of us not so nice and a few of us downright nasty? Who knows.

jinglbellsfrocks Fri 01-Jul-16 11:51:41

Yes. And perhaps through genes.