Karen Restivo
In Other Words....
Raise your hand if you’re one of those parents out there striving to shield their children from the harsh realities of the world by sharing shortcuts with them to avoid life’s lessons.
Yes, my hand is up as well!
It sounds like a great idea at the time, but I assure you, they are not listening to us and we’re not doing them any favors.
The best way I’ve heard it explained to me is the example of telling your children to skip crawling and go right to walking.
There’s something to be learned during the crawling stage that’s necessary for their proper development in preparation for the walking stage.
There is a certain order to life steps.
As parents, we should steer them toward the whole truth in life before they find themselves against a wall with no reasoning and coping skills.
The best way to do that is to find someone else to say it.
Time for a high five!
I found Abbey Stirling’s article “8 Brutally Honest Truths You Need to Hear If You Want to Get Your Sh_ _ Together” and may I say, “Well done Abbey!”
Stirling notes in her article, “No matter how much we believe we have our (stuff) together, life carries many harsh truths, and no matter how much we may wish to run away from them, it is only through accepting them that we can take full responsibility for our lives.
“You may hate me today, but you’ll thank me tomorrow.”
(Something tells me Abbey’s parents are finding some vindication in their daughter’s article.)
For the record, Stiles points out that her intention is not to be pessimistic about life, but to motivate her readers to take action armed with some knowledgeable skills.
I present Ms. Stiles 8 brutally honest truths:
1. You’re Going to Regret How Much Time You Spend on Social Media.
“Social media is making us all more disconnected than we’ve ever been before through the illusion of increased connection.
“Social media is robbing way too many of us of a real connection and real life experience.”
There is such a thing as being over exposed to technology.
2. Your Reactions Are the Problem.
“Yes, (stuff) happens. And quite often that (stuff) really sucks to have to go through or deal with.
“But regardless of how challenging something is, it’s always our reaction to it that will dictate how much it is going to impact our lives.
“Let your natural reactions happen, but then consciously choose how long you want to let them impact everything else.”
3. The Riskiest Thing You Can Do Is Avoid Risks.
“Whether you consider yourself a risk-seeker, there is nothing riskier than complacency.
“Stop playing small if you know you want to play big, and stop telling yourself ‘this is good enough’ if you know deep down you would love to do, create, and have so much more.
“The cost of taking that risk is your long-term happiness.”
4. You Should Always Have Enough Money for What Matters.
“‘I would love to attend that seminar or buy that course that can change my life, but money is too tight right now.’
“You should always have more than enough to do the things that matter.
“The biggest obstacle is the way we spend it on things that don’t matter.
“We don’t process buying a $7 premium coffee daily as an investment in nothing, but we overthink and see spending a couple hundred dollars on something life-changing as too much.”
5. People Are Going to Hate You No Matter What You Do.
“Rather than wasting your time trying to match what you think is the most acceptable (to others), spend that time accepting exactly who you are.”
6. Blaming Only Makes You Weaker.
“The less you take responsibility for your actions and decision making, the weaker you become mentally.”
7. People Don’t Think of You as Much as You Think They Do.
“From our perspective, the whole world revolves around us, but there are 7 billion people who see it the same way.
“Embrace your true self and find peace in knowing that people are too concerned with themselves to give you as much attention as you think they are.”
8. Not Even the Perfect Relationship Is Going to Complete You.
“Relationships are an extension of our happiness and not the basis of it, so focus on strengthening the one with yourself and all of the others will follow accordingly.”
In other words, children at any stage in their lives deserve to be loved and allowed to witness the joys and challenges in life.
It’s in the balance of both that they’ll discover happiness truly lies within.
karenrestivo57@gmail.com