Over the years, I’ve collected tidbits of information from those around me who are substantially older than me. Sometimes I didn’t listen, but these lessons have been imparted unto me throughout my adolescence and I feel as though they’re worth sharing. Maybe you’ll learn something from them, too.

• “Can’t never did anything”– I learned this from my mother. She always told me that I could do anything I set out to do. Therefore, whenever I told her I couldn’t do something, she looked at me and said, “Can’t never did anything.” She meant that if you think you can’t do something, you won’t. This has made a huge impact on my life, because whenever I think that I’m not capable of doing something I immediately throw that thought out the window. You can always do anything you set your mind to, as long as you believe in yourself.

• Laughter is the best medicine – Whenever I got a scraped knee or a busted lip, my dad was always there to tell me a joke or laugh at me. He would point his fingers and laugh, after he helped me up and dusted me off. I would begin to laugh too, for no other reason than I thought it was better to laugh than cry. Laughing when you’re in pain may seem weird, but it’s more fun than crying and whining about your problems. It seems insensitive, but my dad really showed me that adding comedy to certain instances can make unfortunate situations better.

• Make time for family – Quite simple to its core. I learned that time is precious with family and you need to do everything you can to secure that precious time. Older folks always tell me that family is important but I, like most people my age, spend more time partaking in things that are, for the most part, inconsequential in the long run. Now I try as much as possible to take moments and stop running to sit down for some indelible quality time with my family.

• The biggest waste of time is not getting started – “Stop playing with the worms!”  This lesson wasn’t quite as straightforward as others, but it’s still one I know by heart. When I was really little, every time I went fishing with my grandpa I’d end up looking at the cute little bee moths squirming around instead of fishing. I often thought I was wasting my time when I would sit on the dock and wait for fish to bite my hook. My grandpa then said something I won’t ever forget: the biggest waste of time is not getting started. He was right. When you take too long thinking about how hard a project will be, you’re wasting time. The best thing you can do to finish something quickly is to start right away. Because of this encounter, every time I feel like procrastinating or I get distracted, I think of my grandpa. I refocus and get right where I need to be.

• “This too shall pass.” – No, I didn’t screw up the Gandalf quote. This is my grandma’s touchstone saying, and she always tells me when I’m frustrated or upset that things didn’t go my way. Simple and effective, this makes me realize that times aren’t always bad, people just go through bad times. Things change, and moments end, so to dwell on the bad things will do you no good.  

These lessons and more have been the driving factors of my motivation, dedication, and desire to be the best person I can be each day. Throughout all the hardships and struggles, I will always persevere thanks to the help of those wiser and older than me. If you too have struggles and strife that you can’t seem to overcome, just remember—this too shall pass.