The Most Valuable Lesson My Dad Taught Me
No season is perfect, yet that’s what makes them uniquely beautiful.
It seems that the older you get, the more valuable the lessons your parents taught you become.
I could rattle off 100 lessons learned (most of them the hard way) from my parents, and I’m sure you could too.
But this article is about the most meaningful lesson I learned.
It might change over time, as things do, but to date, this is what has impacted me the most.
Enjoy The Season You Are In
Life is full of “seasons”.
I’m not talking about fall, winter, spring, and summer.
But rather, the stage of life you are in.
The thing of it is, with each season comes pros and cons. Yet, for some reason, we are always striving for the next season to arrive.
But what about this one?
Constantly longing for the next season to arrive blinds you to what you are currently experiencing.
The only way to truly embrace life is to understand and appreciate the season you are in and what it has to offer.
“Wherever you are, be there” — Jim Rohn
This begs the question, “how?”
Heightened Awareness
Most of the time, you go through the motions. Before you know it, days, weeks, months, and years have passed.
Going through the motions is never the answer.
You need to fully embrace your current situation by being aware of it.
Sounds silly, but it’s true. And there are strategies to make sure your awareness is peaked.
“Remember That You Once Dreamed Of Being Where You Are Right Now “— Josh Loe
1 — Learn to Appreciate
Simple, yet powerful.
You might not have everything you desire, but you have more than you used to.
Appreciate it.
Ask yourself, what does this season offer that other seasons don’t?
Are you struggling to create the financial satisfaction that you desire? → This season offers you discipline and creativity. You are building your story that will live on forever and this can’t be done without hard work.
Are you losing sleep because you have little ones (kids) romping around? → One day you’ll look back and long for the days you could hold your baby as he/she sleeps.
Do you work a job you dislike? → You’re learning the art of facing challenges and how to deal with them. This will reap its rewards in the future and provide lessons to teach others because you have been through it.
Are your goals and dreams coming slower than anticipated? → Your patience is being tested. But in the long run, you’ll be happy you kept pushing.
Still in school and can’t wait to get out? → Stress and anxiety don’t magically disappear once you’re finished. Learn how to handle these stressors now and take advantage of the opportunity you have to create lifelong relationships.
As you can tell, with the right perspective, any season can enhance your wellbeing. The goal is to never lose sight of that.
2 — Value Your Relationships
My wife and I have moved 5 times (4 states) in our first 5 years of marriage.
That’s a lot of change in a short amount of time.
One of the things we realize every time we uproot somewhere new is how meaningful the relationships were that we cultivated. That’s what we carry with us and what continues on.
In the end, loneliness never was happiness.
Everyone in your life is there for a reason, they bring value to the table in some shape or form. And the memories you create are there for a lifetime.
Maybe you’re not in your dream house or dream location, but wherever you are, there are relationships to be built and cherished memories to create.
3 — Zoom Out
When things get hectic, take a moment to zoom out and see the big picture.
Breathe.
It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind but it’s not worth losing what you have today for what you want tomorrow.
Seeing the big picture allows you to observe all seasons (including the one you are in) and understand the value that they provide.
Zooming out teaches you that happiness isn’t achieved in the future, rather, it’s lived today.
No season is perfect, yet that’s what makes them uniquely beautiful.
Evaluate, learn, thrive.
5 Key Takeaways
- The only way to truly embrace life is to understand and appreciate the season you are in and what it has to offer.
- Going through the motions is never the answer.
- Appreciate it. You might not have everything you desire, but you have more than you used to.
- Value your relationships. Loneliness never was happiness.
- Zooming out teaches you that happiness isn’t achieved in the future, rather, it’s lived today.
Think + Write + Discover + Be
I’m excited for you!
Dallen
P.S. If you enjoyed this article, check out How to be More Present in Life: 5 Steps
