Advice for a New Decade

Hello everyone.  It’s time for my annual New Year’s Eve old man rant.  Gather ’round one and all!

It’s safe to say the world is on a wild roller coaster ride.  Some even say it’s gone mad.  I know opinions from the older set are often discounted (I was skeptical before I turned 30), but as we enter a new decade I would stubbornly like to offer my advice on navigating through life.  Society is becoming increasingly complex, so much so that a simple greeting, sincere compliment, or innocent advertisement can be a source of anxiety or controversy.  People are edgy, another testy election is on the horizon, mass shootings are commonplace, disagreements are more exaggerated, hate from all corners is on the rise, misinformation is everywhere, and extreme thinking has manifested so deeply there is a mass movement insisting the earth is a flat circle covered in a dome.

So as we prepare for another year full of difficult terrain, here’s a selection of amassed wisdom from 50 years on the 3rd rock from the sun.  Some are tidbits I try to teach my 5th-grade class, but unfortunately we adults need reminders too. 😉  Hopefully you’ll find at least one idea to improve your experience in the new year:

1. Quietly do a good deed
2. Assess your allies with the same critical eye you give your enemies
3. Spend time with family
4. Get a good night’s sleep
5. Say “please” and “thank you”
6. Proofread
7. Enjoy the moment instead of recording yourself enjoying the moment
8. Work hard and don’t expect anyone to do it for you, but ask for help if needed
9. Do it right the first time, but if you don’t, make sure you do it right the second time since there might not be a third
10. Make the right call even if it costs you
11. Consider nuance and context
12. Enjoy some innocent ribbing, and accept it as well
13. Read a book in a quiet place with no distractions
14. Make sure you have the keys before the door locks
15. If you look for the worst in people, the worst is all you will ever see
16. Listen to critics, but defend yourself too
17. Pay bills on time, keep credit card balances low, seize opportunities to make extra money, save for a rainy day, spend only what you can afford, and bet only what you’re willing to lose
18. Don’t tweet about anything, ever
19. Real friends look out for each other
20. Refrain from making a U-turn in the middle of a busy intersection
21. Online is forever, even if the picture is temporary
22. Excuses are sometimes valid, but eventually you must take responsibility
23. Refrain from saying “I told you so,” especially when the jury is still out
24. Read old sci-fi novels
25. Make your bed first thing in the morning
26. Don’t obsess over likes
27. “Influencers” are really just looking for free stuff
28. Try not to doze off just before your subway stop
29. Eat dinner together
30. Don’t assume you understand the experiences of others
31. Make time for a catch
32. It’s not always as bad or as good as you think
33. Say something nice about someone, loud enough to be overheard
34. Don’t gorge at cocktail hour, leave room for dinner
35. Listen before responding
36. Be polite with customer service and they might be more willing to help, but if they can’t solve your problem at least you didn’t ruin someone’s day
37. Hold the door for the person behind you
38. Watch the whole recording, read the complete article, learn the full story, and double-check sources
39. Don’t search for your calling, let it call for you
40. Stop in for a visit
41. Learn history
42. Sing
43. Take long walks
44. Act silly to get the kids laughing
45. Look up when crossing the street
46. Buy a home early in life if possible
47. Give someone a break when needed
48. Try a new way even though things have been done “this way” for a long time, however . . .
49. . . . new doesn’t always mean better, so keep the old in mind as well
50. Accept wisdom from you’re elders:  we’ve been around, made mistakes, heard the clichés, listened to fake political promises, encountered the cons, contended with hypocrisy, experienced success and failure, and might be able to tell you something useful once in a while

Happy New Year everyone!!!