life rules for my daughter

5.08.2014

like many parents, one of my biggest fears is not being around for marlo. (the other is her not being around for me.) even though it's morbid, i've tried to approach motherhood with that in mind. i don't want marlo to ever question how i feel about her or who i was as a person. i think that's why i'm so honest here. as silly as all of this is, i know that one day marlo will be able to look back and read my words and know exactly who i was, how much i loved her, and what i believed in and fought for.

ever since i was pregnant, i've written her letters. i've also kept a running list of life rules- things that i want her to know or pieces of advice that i've had to learn the hard way. i'll give her a book of all of my letters to her when she's older, when she's ready. but for now, i wanted to share a small portion of the list.



1. love yourself.
2. shoot for optimism. fall back on realism. rise above pessimism.
3. take credit for your accomplishments and your mistakes.
4. ask questions.
5. invest in quality over quantity.
6. be consistent.
7. learn how to cook. perfect one or two dishes and know how to make a great sandwich.
8. put effort into cultivating meaningful relationships, not acquiring meaningless things.
9. send hand-written thank you notes.
10. when in doubt, put on red lipstick.
11. accept apologies graciously. you'll be wrong one day, too.
12. drink a lot of water. get a lot of sleep. wear sunscreen every day.
13. don't color your hair until you need to.
14. eat real food when you're hungry, not crap when you're bored.
15. leave everything (and everyone) a little better than you found it.
16. even though not everyone will deserve it, give respect if you expect to receive it.
17. don't be an asshole. don't hang out with assholes.
18. your mental health is just as important as your physical health. have yearly check-ins.
19. being a lady is overrated. go ahead and ruffle a few feathers.
20. spend your money on experiences and other people and you'll never have buyers remorse.
21. don't wear sweatpants to class. don't wear a full-face of make-up either.
22. be happy for others' happiness, even when you're not very happy.
23. it's okay to say no without an explanation. a simple no will do.
24. if you have nothing nice to say, shut up.
25. enjoy spending time by yourself because you're stuck with you forever.
26. have a firm handshake. i'm very, very serious about this.
27. buy yourself flowers for no reason.
28. never go to someone's home empty handed. wine, flowers, or a nice candle are always winners.
29. set a goal. make a plan. work hard. set another goal. make another plan. work harder. repeat.
30. don't glorify being busy. slow down, savor, relax, soak up, taste, and enjoy. it's okay to just be.
31. make today fun, make today matter, make today count.
32. don't drink too much. you'll regret it when you're older.
33. laugh out loud in quiet restaurants.
34. work in the restaurant industry for at least one year. invaluable.
35. jealousy and insecurities are incredibly obvious. you won't fool anyone.
36. always support other women. always pull for their success.
37. never dumb yourself down. if someone is intimidated by it, that's their problem.
38. eat the damn cookie.
39. always keep champagne in your fridge.
40. there is a difference between wanting and needing something.
41. only say i love you or i'm sorry if your actions back them up. words are just words.
42. don't say things you don't mean.
43. someone is always listening and watching.
44. know when to walk away.
45. the grass isn't always greener.
46. give second chances. i've met few people who get it right the first time.
47. don't wear heels unless you know how to walk in them.
48. your significant other is not a mind reader. speak up.
49. learn the differences between there, they're, and their; your and you're; and its and it's.
50. don't half-ass your life. give it all you've got.

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

#26 for sure. No one likes to get the dreaded dead fish.

 

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