37 Things I’ve Learned In 37 Years
1. Talking about religion and politics on the internet is almost the same as screaming at a brick wall.
2. Being nice to people simply for the sake of being nice will pay far more dividends than being nice with alterior motives.
3. “I’ll do it later” actually means “I will forget to do this”. This is especially a problem when you suddenly need the one suit you own and find it crumpled in the laundry hamper.
4. Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate. You know what to do.
5. Kindness can defuse a bad situation more often than anger. This I learned from the late Rev. Rick Marples who coached some of the roughest hockey teams I’ve ever been a part of and did so with a smile.
6. Karaoke is cool no matter what anyone else says.
7. Music isn’t just background noise. Music has carried me through some very dark times and made great times even greater.
8. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. No, I didn’t invent this saying and it is a worn out cliché but even the best of us get burned occasionally.
9. In business, saying no can often lead to an even bigger yes.
10. Exercising is hard when you try to catch up for years of inactivity. Don’t believe me? Here’s my story that I shared with GoodLife Fitness and I’m still struggling along.
11. You are never too old to wear a Halloween costume.
12. There is always room for personal growth. Mistakes happen. Learn and move on.
13. I can’t be bothered to tie a pair of shoes. Thank goodness for slip-ons!
14. The ability to say “I’m sorry” when you are wrong is not a weakness.
15. Take time to stop and appreciate moments as they happen, even if that moment is as simple as taking in a breath of fresh morning air.
16. I wish I had learned how to do things like change a tire, build a deck and do basic handyman tasks. You can only ask for so many favours before you start feeling bad about yourself.
17. Always ask for customer retention when trying to renegotiate your cable, internet and phone plans. I have saved hours of waiting on hold with this one.
18. Don’t bottle up your emotions, especially when it comes to grief. Acting tough only works for so long before your mind catches on.
19. Don’t be the angry parent at a children’s sporting event. You look ridiculous and your child will end up being the one who pays for your actions. No, seriously, don’t be this person. It’s bad enough that all parents have to take an hour long course on respect in sport because of you.
20. Having children is a great way to justify buying the toys you never got to play with as a child.
21. Do things you are afraid of doing. It will make you less afraid of everything else.
22. At a sporting event or concert, use the valet parking every now and then. It’s a little bit more expensive but it makes you feel like a VIP at the event.
23. Smile. A lot.
24. There isn’t a much better feeling than watching your child excel at something and seeing the pride in their faces as they do.
25. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” is a silly concept. Being tired stinks. Get some sleep, man!
26. The “Ain’t Nobody Got Time for Dat” video is one of the funniest things on YouTube.
27. It is possible to love and hate snow at the exact same time.
28. Debt can crush your soul. If you really don’t need that shiny new thing, leave it on the shelf. Also, start saving some money right now!
29. Cabbage and lettuce are not the same thing. Only one of them tastes good in a Caesar salad. Yes, this is something I learned the hard way. No, my family hasn’t let me forget it.
30. If you think you smell gas in your house, call someone in immediately because you probably have a gas leak. Do not procrastinate for hours until you drive yourself mad and call the gas company at 2am.
31. I could watch Netflix for 4 hours a day and still never run out of things to watch on Netflix.
32. If your child asks you to hold onto a rock because it is special to them, you hold that rock until the day they ask for it back. That day could be twenty years later but they WILL ask for it back!
33. Failing at something doesn’t make you a failure, it simply gives you the knowledge to get it right the next time.
34. Making even a small difference in the world is still making a difference in the world. Volunteer your time, donate food or money, pay for someone’s coffee, anything that does something good for someone else and you will be making the world a better place.
35. Dance like no one is watching, even if they are definitely watching.
36. Say “I Love You” to the people you love. It sounds simple but we often take it for granted.
37. Everyone has an opinion on how you should dress, behave, raise your kids and feel but in the end yours is the only opinion that matters when it comes to you.
