Win Harper | Life and Leadership Coach

I get a lot of my inspiration from music, especially Country and Western.  Here is what is up for me today.  It comes from Don Williams’ song, “Good Ole Boys Like Me.”

“Then daddy came in to kiss his little man
With gin on his breath and a Bible in his hand
He talked about honor and things I should know.”

I like the line, “He talked about honor and things I should know.”  I often think about the things my father talked to me about, and what I talked about with my daughter.  Quite frankly, not much comes up.

Two years ago I took a memoirs writing course at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies.  One of the assignments was to write 2 pages about “instructions to the child you once were.”  I was amazed at the things I had not been told and what I had not told my daughter, like,
Wake up each morning knowing the day is yours
Eat a good breakfast
Take time to reflect
Be curious
Take risks
Know what fulfills you
Take time for children and old people
Be grateful
Laugh
Be a part of something bigger than yourself
Know your needs
Take long walks in the woods, and always be aware of where the sun is
Stop often; listen, smell, taste, touch, see
Choose Kindness over being right
Be fair
Do things that make you happy
Read
Love
Ask for help
Be sad, mad, glad, and scared
Dream big
Listen to yourself, Listen to others
Trust yourself, trust others
Fall down, get back up

Grace Gravelle, a friend of mine, is writing a book for her niece about “all the things I’ve learned.”  What a wonderful gift! 

Think about what advice you would have liked to have had, and give it to yourself now; journal about it, say it out loud to yourself, get friends together and discuss it.  I think you will like the list you come up with.

Here are two more quotes that may help you get started:

Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
            Robert Fulghum
And this one which I really like, and abide by:
If someone offers you a breath mint, accept it.
          H. Jackson Brown, Jr.