Being a mother is one of the most joyful experiences in life. I cannot even begin to express in words how much I am in love with my little girl. Olivia is the light of our life; God has blessed us with a baby that is more tender & mild, more silly & smart, and more beautiful & lovely than even our wildest dreams.
The past 10 months of motherhood have taught me so much more than I could have ever imagined -- about life, about my daughter, and about myself. It has been a whirlwind of good days & hard days, laughter & memories, overwhelming happiness, overflowing emotions and most of all, gratitude. Gratitude that Olivia is who she is and that I am her Mama.
I wanted to write a list for Olivia filled with all the little and big life lessons that I believe are important for her to grow up knowing and to know as she lives out her life through every season. Some are silly and others are serious, but all are special to me in some way or another.
150 Life Lessons for My Daughter
1. You are
never too old to act like a kid again.
2. Seek
beauty in all things.
3. Find your
identity in Christ.
4. Give and
love generously.
5. Walk with
your head held high.
6. Crying is
not a sign of weakness. And a good cry is great therapy.
7. Never
love anybody who treats you like you’re ordinary.
8. Class is
more important than popularity.
9. Stand up for
yourself.
10. Depend on Jesus for strength and
joy.
11. Never be afraid to ask questions.
12. Start each day like it’s your
birthday.
13. Sometimes, a bubble bath is all
you need to set the world right again.
14. God has not given you a spirit of
fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
15. You must love yourself before
another person can love you.
16. In everything, give 100%, even
when you could get by with less.
17. Nothing that happens to you is a
surprise to God.
18. If you can’t pour your
whole heart into it, it is probably not worth doing.
19. If you can only have one beauty
accessory, choose mascara. And splurge on it because it is always worth the
investment.
20. Don’t be afraid to be bold and speak
your mind. But have discernment when you do so.
21. Write letters to stay in touch
even when technology allows you to connect instantly.
22. Embrace messy hair.
23. Do your best to cherish each season of your
life, especially those that are challenging.
24. Exercise regularly to be strong
and healthy; a beautiful soul needs a sturdy vessel.
25. Know that no matter what, people
will let you down. Put your hope in God, not people.
26. Never go to bed wearing makeup.
Wash your face every night.
27. Baking is the best cure for
heartache.
28. Stand up for people who can’t
defend themselves.
29. Travel
and have adventures.
30. Never
stop learning
31. Remember
that sometimes you just need to take a nap and get over it.
32. Order
dessert. It’s worth it.
33. If
something is worth fighting for, fight fiercely. If it isn’t, let it go.
34. Stand on
God’s Word above all human opinion.
35. Be
independent.
36. Clothe
yourself with strength and dignity.
37. Remember
that you are a daughter of the King.
38. Stand up
for what you believe in and don’t waver based on popular opinion.
39. Listen to
your radio loudly and sing along.
40. In
relationships, choose your battles.
41. Don’t
ever go tanning.
42. Always
look people in the eye when you’re talking to them.
43. When
people talk to you, listen to them.
44. Don’t
gossip. It doesn’t build others up.
45. Read lots
of books.
46. Smile
when it’s raining.
47. Before
you speak, picture whatever it is that you want to say written in public with
your name underneath it. Would you still want to say it?
48. Be
playful and silly. Regularly.
49. If you
always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got.
50. Beauty is
a state of mind, not a state of body.
51. Take
responsibility for your actions and apologize when you are wrong.
52. Food
should be a joy.
53. Home is
not where we live, but who we love.
54. Marriage
is an act of courage, commitment and sacrifice. It is designed to make you
holy, rather than happy. And it is also the most fun you’ll ever have with your
best friend.
55. Use
conditioner.
56. You will
reap what you sow.
57. A strong
man is never threatened by a strong woman.
58. The only
thing holding you back from making a difference in the world will be yourself.
59. Be wild
at heart.
60. Hold
yourself to a standard of grace, not perfection.
61. Girls
need girlfriends more than guys need guy friends.
62. Challenge
yourself.
63. Forgive
them even if they are not sorry.
64. Learn at
least one foreign language, and speak it for the rest of your life.
65. An ugly
truth is always better than a pretty lie. Be honest.
66. Dress for
your body, not your size.
67. Follow
your heart; the heart knows.
68. Eat fresh
and whole foods, straight from the earth.
69. People
will remember the way you treated them. Value them and love them sincerely.
70. Organization
will save you so much time and stress.
71. Things do
not make life worth living. People do, so put people first.
72. Hugs are
underrated. Hug longer and more often.
73. Be
yourself. Don’t try to impress others. If they like you for who you are, you’ll
know it.
74. Learn to
enjoy your own company.
75. God has a
plan for your life that he set into action before the world was created. When
life feels like chaos, remember that God’s plan is always good, to give you
hope and a future.
76. Open your
mouth only if what you are going to say is more beautiful than silence.
77. Your
heart might be broken once or twice, but there is life (and love) after a
broken heart.
78. Have
nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be
beautiful.
79. If you
spend money once, you can’t spend it again.
80. Seek to
be worth knowing, rather than well known.
81. Believe
in miracles.
82. Be
polite.
83. Happy
girls are the prettiest girls.
84. Never
chase love, affection or attention; if it isn’t freely given, it isn’t worth
having.
85. Be kind
to others. Even when they are unkind to you.
86. Sometimes
there is no right answer.
87. Read Redeeming
Love by Francine Rivers. I read it on my honeymoon. I promise, you’ll
love it.
88. Laugh
often. And Laugh hard.
89. Being
powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.
90. Don’t be
afraid to try new things. And if you don’t like something the first time, try
it again.
91. Forgive.
Not for others, but for yourself. Holding on to something will only hurt you
deeper.
92. Seek
first the Kingdom of God.
93. Class is
knowing what to say, when to say it, and when to stop.
94. You will
become like the people you spend the most time with; choose your friends
wisely.
95. If you
don’t know something, ask someone who does know.
96. Treat
yourself the way you would treat someone you love.
97. You’ll
know when a relationship is right for you; it will enhance your life rather
than complicate it.
98. If you’re
the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.
99. Fresh
flowers make any day brighter.
100. You can
never be overdressed or overeducated.
101. Each day
is a new day.
102. Trust
your instincts.
103. If you
are your authentic self, you will have no competition.
104. There is
a difference between inspiration and copying. We create because we are
inspired. Find out what inspires you and create something all your own.
105. Find a
healthy escape for the stresses of daily life that will help you recharge.
106. Marriage
isn’t easy. And it may be the hardest thing you do in life. But it is without a
doubt worth it.
107. Comparison
is the thief of joy. Instead of comparing yourself to others, be grateful for
the life you live.
108. Sleep in
when you can. It is one of life's most simple pleasures.
109. Always
write Thank You cards.
110. Patience
is a virtue, albeit somtimes a difficult one to achieve.
111. There is
power of life and death in the tongue; let your words speak life and truth.
112. Don’t
wait for things to happen; make them happen.
113. Choose a
career you love, not just one that you can tolerate or that pays well.
114. Jealousy
is not worth your time or emotions.
115. You will
never influence the world while trying to be like it.
116. Find
something to be grateful for every single day.
117. Never
cheat. On exams, in games or sports, and especially not on people.
118. Learn to
love cooking if you can. If you can’t, find a few simple dishes that you can
prepare well and enjoy.
119. Read the
bible every day.
120. Never
reply when you are angry; never make a promise when you are happy and never
make a decision when you are sad.
121. Be
curious, not judgmental.
122. Wear red
lipstick because you can.
123. Anyone
can hold a grudge, but it takes a person of character to forgive.
124. No prayer
is too big or too small; pray boldly and fervently.
125. Slow
down. Don’t live your life in a rush.
126. Chivalry
is not dead. Marry a gentleman.
127. Love is a
choice.
128. The grass
is greener where you water it.
129. Learn and
practice empathy.
130. Bloom
where you are planted.
131. No one
has ever become poor by giving.
132. Take
risks.
133. Do not
aim to please people; aim to please God.
134. Learn to
adjust and adapt; flexibility in life will get you far.
135. Never settle.
136. Be present where you
are.
137. Pursue more than just
the things you are good at. While your talents will come through, attempt
something you might not immediately excel at because you might uncover a skill
or strength you didn’t know you had.
138. Discipline in your
mind; extravagance in your heart. Be practical but don’t ever forget to take
the time to dream.
139. The measure of your
goodness is not the amount of love you receive; it is the quality of love you
give to others.
140. If your dreams don't
scare you, they aren't big enough.
141. If you
are going to be late, call or send notice. But always try to be on time.
142. If you love someone,
tell them. And tell them often.
143. The thing about
makeup is that you want to look like you aren't wearing any.
144. You will lose some
things and you will find some things. Some will be trivial, some will be
substantial. Try your best to always make peace with it.
145. Do not allow your
education to separate you from doing what you love.
146. If something tragic
happens to someone you love, make sure not to ignore them just because you
don't know what to say. Be there to listen and offer support.
147. You will always learn
more by talking less.
148. No matter what is in
front of you, walk toward it with confidence.
149. Remember that to me,
you are the most beautiful soul, the most precious gem, I have ever laid eyes
on.
150. I will love you
forever. Even when I am gone, I will always be with you.
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