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<\/a><\/div>\nWe talk and write a lot about what we are teaching our children and what they are learning from us \u2013 but if we only focus on one side of this teaching\/learning relationship, we are missing some of the greatest examples of our lives\u2026 let\u2019s remember all we can learn from our children.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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1. Be yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n Be exactly who you are<\/a>, not just a replica of someone else, or a filtered-out version of who you think other people want you to be.\u00a0 Authenticity (the real you) is what builds connections and relationships \u2013 why bother with anything less?<\/p>\n 2. Just be happy<\/strong><\/p>\n Children default to \u201chappy\u201d \u2026 and you can too. Your mood is actually up to you \u2013 it is a choice you can make any time of any day in any situation. And\u2026#JustbeNice<\/a><\/p>\n 3. Skip<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m not kidding!<\/a>\u00a0 Need to drop the stress from a frustrating workday or find a way to put yourself in that \u201chappy\u201d place?\u00a0 Skip! I\u2019m pretty sure it is impossible for you \u2013 or those around you \u2014 to stay angry or stressed after a skip around the block (plus it\u2019s great exercise).<\/p>\n 4. Make friends<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWill you be my friend?\u201d While we might not ask exactly the same question in our grown-up lives, the sentiment is the same: we need to reach out and make connections \u2013 in business and in the rest of our lives. Friendships always matter because it really is all about relationships!<\/strong><\/p>\n *<\/strong>\u201cRemember no man is a failure who has friends,\u201d writes Clarence the angel in the last scene of possibly the most inspirational, and greatest Christmas film of all-time\u2026 It\u2019s a Wonderful Life.<\/em><\/p>\n 5. Say what you mean, mean what you say<\/strong><\/p>\n After a certain age, we call this \u201cintegrity<\/a>.\u201d Did you make a commitment?\u00a0 Stick to it. Did you twist the truth? Straighten it out. Did you deliver what you promised, when and how you said you would? Don\u2019t give yourself the option for any answer other than \u201cYes!\u201d<\/p>\n 6.\u00a0 Smile<\/strong><\/p>\n A smile is a powerful little movement:\u00a0 it relieves stress, reduces blood pressure, can change your mood (see #2 above \u2014 start with the smile), and my personal favorite, it is one of the few contagious things we actually WANT. Give away a smile and it comes right back to you!<\/a><\/p>\n 7.\u00a0 Relax\u2026 take a nap<\/strong><\/p>\n I recently took a 72 hour break from digital, and actually found time for a couple of naps\u2026 was amazing. I say it\u2019s time to bring back the nap! It\u2019s free, it\u2019s easy, and it WORKS.<\/p>\n 8.\u00a0 Be fearless<\/strong><\/p>\n When did our lives shift from fearlessness to playing it safe and basing our decisions so heavily around mitigating risk?\u00a0 If we let fear get in the way, we trade innovation for stagnation\u2026 genius for mediocrity \u2026 adventure for boredom. Which sounds better to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n 9.\u00a0 Sing<\/strong><\/p>\n Singing is a wonderful form of expression, even if it is just you singing along to a song in the car when nobody else can hear you. Don\u2019t you love when you pass someone in traffic who is \u201cdancing\u201d and singing, in their own world with the music? Be one of those people!<\/p>\n 10. Wonder about everything<\/strong><\/p>\n Wonder is one of the most important tools we have in our lives, no matter what age we are. When we wonder about everything, we remain curious and interested in everything and everyone around us, always looking for possibilities.\u00a0 World-changing innovations grow from wonder.<\/p>\n 11. Explore<\/strong><\/p>\n Exploration is a fantastic way to get new perspectives, both literally and figuratively. Get out of your everyday physical, mental, and emotional environments, and you might be surprised at what you discover about yourself, your work, and your relationships!<\/p>\n All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and no fun to be around, and not very effective at work. Play is not a frivolous waste of time; it is essential in keeping our energy and creativity going. Take your \u201crecess\u201d every day for a week and see what a difference it makes!<\/p>\n As a dad, I will always be grateful for what I have learned from my two amazing daughters, and for what I continue to learn as they grow (quickly!!!) from children, to adolescents, and into adults. The ROR: Return on Relationship, #RonR<\/a> here is off the charts!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n