10 Of The Most Important Life Lessons Inspired By My Toddler
A no holds barred dive into my 2 year old’s world, and how I can apply what I learn from her into my daily life.
Almost two years ago, my wife and I were blessed with a child. We had always discussed having children, but we allowed several years to pass enjoying our 20s and early 30s just being together, taking road trips, and working on our professional careers.
When we finally started seriously talking about making it happen, we actually ran into difficulty early on. We went through a year of hardships trying to get pregnant and then after one miscarriage we felt pretty discouraged about the whole process.
We stayed the course however, and in 2016 we were happy to bring our precious daughter into the world; it was the happiest day of our lives.
The magic that happens during the delivery of a baby is unreal.
I was there for the entire process in the room witnessing the amazing miracle of birth.
As I welcomed my little bundle into the world, I had no idea that just a few short years later, she’d be running the household, telling me what’s up, and teaching me so many things about life and how to live it to the fullest!
It’s a crazy world out there, so lets highlight 10 ways in which to tackle life without compromise, get what you want, and live life on your terms.
1) Don’t be afraid to make a mess
See photo above 😮. A few weeks ago we bought the little green boxes that store toys in those small cubby holes. Instead of getting one toy out at a time, why do that when you could just dump it all out at once?
This is a way more efficient way of quickly finding what she needs!
You gotta crack a few eggs to make an omelette.. right? What other clichéd phrases can I use? lol
If you want to be creative in life, sometimes you can’t find the right inspiration unless you make a mess! Fearlessly put yourself out there!
Sometimes, you honestly can’t find the right perspective unless you get everything laid out on the table.. HA (slightly clichéd).
2) Hold on to what’s important
When we go outside to play, she’s good about finding specific smooth rocks that she loves to hold on to.
She specifically walks around to find them first, then she runs around the yard playing with the dog and hiding behind trees and shrubs. The whole time while playing outside, she has those rocks in her hands.
Don’t let go of what’s important in your life. Keep that passion. Keep the fire in your soul for the things that you love. Don’t sell yourself short for a dollar. How much time do you really have?
Make the most of everyday, and hold on to the things that bring you joy… like this smooth rock found in my backyard that my daughter will never put down.. even while petting the dog.. :)
3) Pet the doggy’s head
When I say, “Pet the doggy’s head”, she takes a very measured and careful approach to petting our dog. Our dog is super sweet with my daughter and mostly just licks back (kisses back).
Be kind to your animals. They give unconditional love and support. Our adopted pets were rescues (We support Best Friends Animal Society!). They are so appreciative of a good home to live their life comfortably, and they give back 100 times the attention that we give to them.
Our dog is so patient with our daughter as she learns how to pet and interact with her. In life, if you learn how to respect and love animals, my view is that you’ll also learn a lot about respecting and loving people as well.
4) Say please and thank you
Every morning in an effort to keep our little one on a calcium regiment, after we get her in some cute clothes for the day, we bring her into the kitchen and give her a little small pouch of yogurt.
Just before I hand her the pouch this little winey almost indistinguishable whisper comes from her mouth when she says “peeze”…
So I hand her the yogurt, and with the opening of the pouch in her mouth, she slowly turns and walks out of the room muttering “tangk ouu.”
A timeless formula: be thankful in life. Be courteous. Ask for permission. Show respect. And then follow it up with a dose of gratitude. WIN
5) Discontinue eating anytime you want — you don’t HAVE to be part of the “clean the plate club”
I come from a family that loves to eat. I grew up learning that cleaning the plate was a sign of appreciation for the person that prepared the meal.
The only problem with that over time is that you eat WAY TOO MUCH. Eventually, you have the mindset that every meal needs to be finished. It’s a psychological feeling of appreciating what you have.
The lesson I could take from this is slow down. You don’t have to finish everything. Save some, or give some away. Wait 20 minutes and your stomach will tell your brain your full anyways. Go slow. Eat less. Live and feel better!
However….
6) It’s okay to cry when there’s no more pizza
What is it about pizza?! So freaking amazing. My little one has now discovered this deliciousness and has decided that when a pizza meal is completed, it’s time to start crying.
Hmmm, my life lesson…? I don’t know.. I am pretty sad when all the pizza is gone. So… make sure there’s enough to go around! 😁
Also, when ordering for a party: get a least one cheese-only, and at least one with pineapple! Inclusiveness right? There’s always someone who doesn’t want a bunch of icky items on the pizza, and there’s ALWAYS the odd ball who wants the pineapple. 🍍 🤗
7) When the mood hits you, it’s your right to run around the house naked
It’s your house right? You should be able to walk around in your birthday suit all you want. Don’t get too crazy… pull the curtains and don’t answer the door.. other than that.. get comfortable and do your thing!
I bet your wondering what life parallel I could pull out of this one.. (I’ll discard all the silly thoughts that come to mind if you do..HA)
How about:
Be yourself! Focus on stripping down your barriers in life. Let people see who you are. Invite communication, and be open and understanding of people and their perspectives. Have fun! Don’t take life too seriously. We need laughter and good times to build up our tolerance for the bad.
8) Scream at the top of your register when you’re in need of attention
My daughter decides that when she really needs your attention, she places the bet on being the loudest in the room and then proves it!
Usually it works, although if you know me, I’ve been known to rattle the walls a few times. (I am metal musician vocalist so I can push the pipes when I need to).
Sometimes in life you’ve got to get loud. You’ve gotta make a splash. You want to get noticed in a sea of writers, musicians, or online influencers (all pertaining to me), you’ve got to put yourself out there everyday.
You’ve got to have a consistent voice, and you have to deliver more value than anyone else! Get loud.. get proud.. show ’em how it’s done!
9) If you really love a song, express your love for it by singing it over and over again relentlessly
My daughter is learning so many great children’s songs. She picks up on so much from the daycare. She’ll come home and walk around the house just singing her heart out.
Also if it involves any hand or body movements she shows us those as well to accompany the song. It gets even better if the tongue has to be fluttered or if the lips have to be dangled with fingers. Those songs always get the smiles cranked up!
Music is very near and dear to my life.
I have a music studio built into the downstairs portion of the house. I perform in several projects and when I’m not performing, I’m promoting for the next event.
This house will always have some form of music playing in the background while we are cooking, or music rumbling the house from a band rehearsing /recording in the studio, or music filling the living room while entertaining guests.
My daughter will have that inspiration all around here, and I’m excited to see what she’ll eventually do with those experiences as she grows up.
Allow music to inspire your life! Pay attention to the ability of music to make you feel a certain way when watching a movie. Enjoy music with the family on road trips, events, and group activities.
Share artist’s music that you love online with friends and family. The music industry is all run on the internet now and the ability for musicians and bands to still create great music and tour to support it depends on the fans and their desires to help spread the word!
10) Learn to say NO with intent
You can’t say Yes to everything, and of course you shouldn’t. My daughter evidently understands this concept early in life and practices telling me No everyday.
“Eat your food”.. “no”.. “Lets go get a bath”.. “no”.. “Lets pick up our toys”.. “nnooo”.. “Lets go eat pizza”.. “nn.. umm.. peizzah!”
Okay I’m being silly here but lets learn a lesson in over-extending yourself in life. I personally don’t want to let people down. I want to take advantage of every possible opportunity. I’m scared to say No sometimes..
‘What if I make a mistake and pass on the wrong thing’ always goes through my head when navigating the commitments in my life. But sometimes, you just need to say No and mean it.
Actually, when you can confidently say No (not being rude about it), it allows no room for ambiguity. In the long run, people start to understand that what you say is what you mean. You are much better respected when you stick to what you’re good at, and when you know how to say No with intent.
BONUS!
11) Dance like no one else can — mostly stick your butt out, make noises, and jump about two inches off the ground.. like no one else!
This life is short. My toddler knows how to dance and jump around in her converse like no one’s business.
Have fun in this life. This is your life, no one else’s. It’s up to you to make the best of it. It’s up to you to not get stuck in a dead-end job. It’s up to you to find a passion and pursue it. Pursue your life. Dance, sing, and celebrate life like no one else can but only you!
Make the best of what you have. Appreciate your upbringing and work to make the next generation proud of the choices that you made while you were here! Learn from everything and every one. Never stop learning! I am supremely blessed that I’m getting to raise my daughter and anything that I can pick up from her and apply in my own life is always game!
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