People With Amazing Grandparents Usually Grew Up Learning These 5 Old-Fashioned Life Lessons
helen1 | PexelsOne of my biggest regrets in life is not spending more time with my grandparents while they were still alive. I was still in my self-absorbed teenager phase when they passed, and hanging out with or calling Grandma or Grandpa wasn’t very high on my list of priorities.
Many of you reading this have grandparents who are still alive. If your grandparents are still around, learn from them while you still can, and spend quality time with them so that you don’t have regrets later in life. Love them, talk to them, take five minutes out of your day to call them, and don’t be an ageist jerk towards them.
There is so much wisdom and old-fashioned life lessons you can soak up from your amazing grandparents, who have been around the world and back, seen it, done it, made that mistake, made it again, and learned what really matters in life. They probably know exactly what you shouldn’t take for granted when you’re younger, exactly what you shouldn’t waste your time doing, and exactly what (and who) you should prioritize in life.
People with amazing grandparents usually grew up learning these 5 old-fashioned life lessons:
1. 'You’re never too busy to make the people who matter a priority'
You should never be too busy for your grandparents, parents, siblings, best friend, boyfriend, or girlfriend. Those who truly matter should never have to fight for a spot on your priorities list. You are definitely not too busy for these people. You don’t have too much on your plate to give these people your time and attention. You simply need to make them a priority.
This is an old-fashioned life lesson that becomes understood with age because younger people tend to be more selfish and tend to have out-of-whack priorities. The sooner you learn what really matters in life (hint: people, not things!), the sooner your life will be enriched with love and deeper meaning.
2. 'The only way to avoid regrets is to go all-in'
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When it comes to career ambition, pursuing the love of your life, or sharing your gift with the world, give it your all. Develop an all-or-nothing mentality. Your grandparents will remind you how important it is not to reach old age with regrets. Regret happens when you didn’t give something your all.
So, don’t put minimum effort into anything in life. Pursue what you want. Throw caution to the wind. Don’t listen to your friends. Go after what you want in life without fear, and go after what you want in full force. It’s completely up to you to change your life circumstances for the better. Nobody else is going to do this for you. Are you wanting a change in your life, but too lazy to actually take the steps to make it happen? Who else do you think is going to do it for you?
3. 'What others think matters a lot less than staying true to yourself'
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You’ve probably noticed how grandparents, for better or worse, always tell it like it is and speak their mind with zero fear of how their words might come across to others. Sure, some grandparents may lack sensitivity or put their foot in their mouth, but it’s kind of a good thing. We're not saying to have zero self-awareness before running your mouth, but you don't have to censor every last thought, either: truth can be freedom, as long as it's communicated appropriately and respectfully.
It proves that they’ve learned that it doesn’t really matter what people think. As they get older and wiser, grandparents don’t care much about the opinions of others; they just tell it like it is — and as long as it's not problematic, it's worth taking a page from.
4. 'You'll get much further in life if you're willing to ask for what you want'
Too often in our youth, we passively hope for the things we want instead of bravely and boldly asking for what we want. When it comes to that raise or promotion you want at work or the attention you need from a loved one, for example, asking for the things you want and deserve will get you where you want in life a whole lot faster.
5. 'Giving feels a lot better than getting'
Grandparents give back to their loved ones because they recognize how important family is, and your happiness is their happiness. They’ve realized in their old age that giving almost always feels a lot better than getting — even research from neuroscientists says so.
That’s why so many amazing grandparents give so much of their love and time (and unsolicited advice!), without ever asking for anything in return. They're simply glad to do it. If you take a page from Grandma or Grandpa’s playbook and try giving more, you’ll probably find out that they’re right: There's more joy in giving than receiving.
Erica Gordon is a writer, blogger, author, and dating expert from Vancouver, BC. She runs The Babe Report, a free advice column for millennials.
