As the saying goes… some things often go in one ear and out the other, but sometimes we actually listen to our parents! Meet Rachel, our guest blogger, as she reveals the lessons she’s learnt from her father through her childhood and into adult life.
1. “Just try your best”
My father has always made it clear that providing I “Just try my best” he will be as proud as punch. “Just try your best, no one can ask any more than that”. Through years of college and university pressure he would kindly remind me to put the effort in, but at the end of the day, there is more to life -such an important lesson.
2. “Hard work pays off”
One of my favourite memories as a child was playing Swing ball in the garden with my dad, although at the time, I didn’t always enjoy it. This is one of the situations where my father taught me that hard work pays off. We must have played nearly every night for at least a year, and I can count on one hand the amount of victories I celebrated. My dad NEVER let me win, regardless of how much as my mum protested and asked him to. I practiced and practiced, and it made the wins so much better –on the rare occasions that they happened. It taught me that whatever it is, work hard at it, and it will probably pay off -one of the most important lessons I have learnt. A real win is the best kind of win.
3. “Wallpaper scissors ARE NOT for your fringe”
I’m not sure if this was just my Dad, but he insisted on trimming my fringe when it started to get in my eyes a little too shy of my next hair appointment. The last time this happened I wound up with a fringe disaster that ended around 2 inches above my eye brows. Lesson learnt; I will never use wallpaper scissors to cut my hair.
4. “YOLO”
Clearly inspired by Drake, my parents live by the You Only Live Once motto. They have their holidays, they enjoy a few drinks with their friends and family and they generally enjoy life. They often throw caution to the wind and try to live life to the fullest. For my parents at least, it seems life begins at forty! They work hard and play hard. As they entered their 25th year of marriage in 2013, and my sister and I fled the nest, it was time for my parents to relax and enjoy themselves.
5. “It might be tough but it won’t be forever”
When the going gets tough, I get through it reminding myself what my father taught me-that whatever you might be struggling with; the chances are it won’t last long. Staying strong and persevering is a little easier when you are reminded that it won’t last forever.
6. “You’ll always have a home to go to”
For me, this has been an important and one of my most pivotal life lessons. I moved away to go to university, moved to a foreign country and made silly financial decisions all safe in the knowledge that whatever happened I would always have a home to go to. And whilst my bank balance might have disagreed along the way, it has allowed me to do the things I have wanted to do without worrying about paying for a mortgage or not wanting to spend my savings. After all, isn’t being a little irresponsible what your early twenties is all about?