A List
This year, our founders are launching their youngest daughters and in the process, celebrating the parenting journey. This month, as we start the school year, we will focus on wise counsel–to our girls and from other moms.
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
Proverbs 15:22
This week, we compiled a list of advice we have been given or that we have given ourselves. What would you add?
Wear your nametag on your right lapel.
Learn how to cook a favorite meal you can serve to guests easily.
Don’t wait until the house is perfect to entertain.
Stand up to shake hands.
Make eye contact.
Never gossip.
Make gratitude a habit. Practice it like a skill (because it is).
Don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself.
When speaking up for yourself, be polite and kind when possible.
Never hesitate to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Yours may be their only voice.
God gives second chances. And third chances.
Wear clothes you love and that you feel good in.
Pay attention to who made your clothes.
Remember life is about more than clothes.
Never send an angry email right after it’s written. Same goes for texts.
Be confident in God.
Look for helpers and look for ways to be a helper.
Set healthy boundaries.
You don’t have to be friends with everyone.
Take responsibility when you should.
Don’t be crippled by a scarcity mindset: there is enough to go around.
Say thank you.
Never miss an opportunity to encourage someone.
Live like people are important.
Good manners are an essential and attractive quality.
Do your best.
Don’t drive around on empty.
Don’t walk alone at night.
Pray. Every day.
Have a bit of fun. Every day.
Dream.
The easiest way to make conversation is to ask questions other people enjoy answering.
When cleaning, start with a single room and go from there.
Large jobs are easier to tackle when divided into bite sized pieces.
Read your Bible.
Keep up with current events, but be sure to read both sides. Even better, read the primary sources.
Remember the blessing of having been born in America.
Explore other countries and appreciate their cultures.
Don’t be afraid of people who believe differently than you do.
Don't give your approval stamp to anyone other than Jesus.
Be generous with your time, your talents and your resources.
Don’t judge. Unless you become a judge in the legal system. In that case, be the best judge around.
Set the bar high.
Get a black power suit.
Invest in good pajamas.
Think before you speak.
Don’t keep things you don’t need.
Never stop reading and learning.
Listen to music often.
Find a place to serve your community.
Don’t compare yourself to others.
Always tell the truth.
Y’all is not a word. Feel free to use it anyway.
Live with intentionality.
Don’t be too serious.
Pay attention when someone is talking to you.
Wear sunscreen.
Enjoy the little things.
Learn to apologize quickly.
Never stop trying to be a better version of yourself.
Listen carefully when people you trust and who love you offer feedback.
Continually put yourself in a position to hear from God.
Get outside.
Dance. No one cares if you are good at it.
Stand up and be still and be silent during the national anthem.
If you can’t say it in front of your grandmother, don’t say it.
If you can’t wear it in front of your grandmother, don’t wear it.
If you are in an elevator with all men and the door opens, they might wait for you to exit before they do. Don’t hesitate to go first.
Buy flowers for yourself. Or chocolate. Or whatever little thing makes you happy.
Don’t be afraid to say what you need. It doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human. We were made to need each other.
If you smile at someone they are likely to smile back.
Practice good posture.
Don’t let your own comfort or your fear keep you from serving others as God calls you to serve.
Go to the funeral.
Be on time.
Don’t spend too much time on social media.
Do your research.
Try a new hobby occasionally.
Do things you are passionate about.
Know your love language(s).
Know the love languages of your inner circle.
Call (or text) your mother.
Call (or text) your father.
Find a mentor.
Be a mentor.
Enjoy the sunshine. And the rain.
Eating food fresh from a garden is life giving.
Find exercise you enjoy so that you look forward to it.
Unkind people are out there. Unfair people are out there. Expect them. Pray for them. Move on.
Change your oil (or have it changed) regularly.
Bar Keepers Friend is an excellent cleaning agent.
Make time to cultivate community, no matter how busy you are.
Ask for help when you need it.
Many hands make light work.
Invest in a good vacuum cleaner if you can.
You don’t have to be good at everything.
Be kind.
Be ready to explain why Jesus offers hope.
Periodically reset, refuel and refocus.
When overwhelmed, just do the next right thing.