“The secret of a good life is to have the right loyalties and hold them in the right scale of values.” ~ Norman Thomas
Have you ever thought about the values you want to pass onto your children and what you wish to leave behind once you are gone? Most people’s wish is to leave a memorable legacy, something to be remembered for, some kind of great achievements generations will talk about long after they are gone.
While I humbly hope I will have the opportunity to accomplish inspiring things while I am here, have a positive impact on our beautiful Earth and help others to significantly improve their life, I am convinced, as a parent, that it can all begin with our children and the important values we want to teach them.
7 Important Values to Pass On To Your Children
Here are the most important values I hope my child can learn from me and carry with her all her life.
1. Respect
Respect is the key to leading a meaningful life – respect for yourself first. We were given the incredible chance to live this life, we own an incredible vehicle, our body, that can help us achieve so many astonishing things.
Make sure you take very good care of both your body and mind. Then if you show yourself some great respect, respect for others should come easily. By others, I mean your family and friends, people who will cross your path in life, and any other human beings.
But also all kinds of living things on Earth: animals, plants, trees which are all part of this magnificent Nature surrounding us that you will get to know. We are all here because they are. Never forget to show respect for their existence.
2. Listen
Learn to listen. Listen to yourself. Trust what you hear inside of you, the music of your heart, the whisper of your Soul when you carefully pay attention. Enjoy the Silence to be able to hear those words of wisdom. Trust your intuition. It is your friend and will always lead you in the right direction.
Listen to others. Listen to what they want to share with you. Listen to their secrets, their dreams, their fear, their pain. If you don’t know what to say or how to help them, just be with them in that moment. Look at them in the eyes, be present and listen carefully. This only act will be the most powerful present you can offer them.
3. Be Happy!
You are a beautiful person, with a Unique Soul. Don’t let anybody make you believe otherwise. Remember that You coming into this life as a human being is a true Miracle. Celebrate it often because You are important.
And be happy! Don’t believe happiness depends on the circumstances, that it is a state of mind related to the events that occur in your life or what you have. Happiness is something very precious you carry in your DNA, it’s always here with you and for you. Anytime you decide you want to be happy, you can! And you should.
4. Show gratitude
“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” ~ Epictetus
Be thankful and say it as many times as you have the opportunity to. You have so many reasons to show gratitude.
For who you are first.
For what you have and what you own.
For what you were given and what you are taught.
For what you are becoming every day and what you have already achieved.
Also remember to send peaceful and loving thoughts to those around you, people you know or those you have never met who aren’t as lucky as you and might be suffering. You might call it a prayer. I call it sending peaceful thoughts with all my heart. I strongly believe this could really change the World, Your world too!
5. Be curious
Never stop learning, reading, traveling. Any chance you have to meet new people, different than you, do it! Be curious about other’s cultures, habits, languages, traditions, ways of thinking. Especially if there are completely different from yours. It’s the best way to learn, grow and build your own personality.
Share with others what you have learned, get inspired to inspire others. Be curious your entire life, this is one of the best talents you can have.
Said Albert Einstein: “I have no special talents. I am just passionately curious”.
6. Be Yourself
Don’t copy others, don’t blindly follow. Never be afraid to ask, raise questions, even the ones you may qualify as “stupid” ones.
Don’t try to please people.
Follow your heart and your passion, even if that means saying no, having to make difficult choices or surrounding yourself with different people.
Stay true to yourself, never lie or cheat on yourself.
You are here to accomplish what you came for. Only You know what it is.
Follow your own path, run your own race, don’t measure yourself or compare with others. You might disappoint some people along the way, maybe your parents but I am sure they will find the inner strength to get over it and see that as long as you are happy, it’s all that matters! As long as you are not hurting anybody, do what you have to do to become who you were meant to be.
7. Have Dreams
You will start your life with so many values, dreams and a strong belief in infinite possibilities. Make sure to hold on tight to them. Don’t let the world that surrounds you make you believe you can’t achieve them.
Write about those dreams and values, every day if you can, with as many details as possible. And before going to bed, close your eyes and visualize what your life will be like once your dreams become real, what your life will look like, who you will be, with whom, how you will feel.
This is the key to making your dreams happen! Because then each of your everyday actions will take you closer to your dream. You will have to work for that, sometimes very hard yes! But the Magic of the Universe will help you as well.
Trust me. As Paulo Coelho beautiful said,
“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it”.