Wear Sunscreen
Something wonderful from one of my wonderful
readers. Definitely worth sharing.
- Wear Sunscreen. If I could offer you only
one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been
proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my
advice has no basis more reliable than my own
meandering experience. I will dispense this
advice now.
- Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth.
Oh, never mind. You will not understand the
power and beauty of your youth until they've
faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look
back at photos of your self and recall in a way
you can't grasp now how much possibility lay
before you and how fabulous you really looked.
You are not as fat as you imagine.
- Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but
know that worrying is as effective as trying to
solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum.
The real troubles in your life are apt to be
things that never crossed your worried mind, the
kind that blindside you at 4:00 pm on some idle
Tuesday.
- Do one thing every day that scares you.
- Sing.
- Don't be reckless with other people's
hearts. Don't put up with people who are
reckless with yours.
- Floss.
- Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes
you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race
is long and, in the end, it's only with
ourself.
- Remember compliments you receive. Forget the
insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me
how.
- Keep your old love letters. Throw away your
old bank statements.
- Stretch.
- Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you
want to do with your life. The most interesting
people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted
to do with their lives. Some of the most
interesting 40- year olds I know still
don't.
- Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your
knees. You'll miss them when they're gone.
- Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe
you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe
you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the
funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.
Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too
much, or berate yourself either. Your choices
are half chance. So are everybody else's. Enjoy
your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be
afraid of it or of what other people think of
it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever
own.
- Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but
your living room. Read the directions, even if
you don't follow them. Do not read beauty
magazines. They will only make you feel
ugly.
- Get to know your parents. You never know
when they'll be gone for good.
- Be nice to your siblings. They're your best
link to your past and the people most likely to
stick with you in the future.
- Understand that friends come and go, but
with a precious few you should hold on. Work
hard to bridge the gaps in geography and
lifestyle, because the older you get, the more
you need the people who knew you when you were
young.
- Live in New York City once, but leave before
it makes you hard. Live in Northern California
once, but leave before it makes you soft.
- Travel.
- Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices
will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too,
will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize
that when you were young, prices were
reasonable, politicians were noble, and children
respected their elders.
- Respect your elders.
- Don't expect anyone else to support you.
Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a
wealthy spouse. But you never know when either
one might run out.
- Don't mess too much with your hair or by the
time you're 40 it will look 85.
- Be careful whose advice you buy, but be
patient with those who supply it. Advice is a
form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it
off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling
it for more than it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen!
Original author unknown
© 2010, Kenneth F.
Byers
Other Transition Issues,
Books
* * *
A permanent state of transition is man's most
noble condition. - Juan Ramon Jimenez
Ken Byers
holds a Ph.D. in psychology with an emphasis in
Men's Studies, one of the few ever awarded in the
U.S. Ken is a full time Certified Professional Life
Coach specializing in working with men in any form
of transition and an instructor of design at San
Francisco State University.
His books, "Man
In Transition" and
"Who
Was That Masked man
Anyway" are widely
acknowledged as primers for men seeking deeper
knowledge of creating awareness and understanding
of the masculine way. More information on Ken, his
work and/or subscription information to the weekly
"Spirit Coach" newsletter which deals with elements
of the human spirit in short commentary, check the
box at www.etropolis.com/coachken/
or www.etropolis.com/coachken/what.htm
or www.etropolis.com/coachken/speak.htm
or E-Mail
You are welcome to share any of Ken's columns with
anyone without fee from or to him but please credit
to the author. Ken can be reached at:
415.239.6929.
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