I was realizing the other day that many of the lessons I work on teaching to my 5 year old are lessons I also need to be reminded of from time to time.
Now, I am not talking about the basic everyday lessons. I would say I definitely have those down.
I have mastered how to share my toys with my friends.
I know it’s a must to brush your teeth every night and every morning.
I have learned the hard way how tired you are if you don’t go to sleep at your bedtime.
But, its those other lessons about life that I “know” … but let’s just say sometime they are not as top of mind as they should be.
Isn’t it just crazy how we can totally know something and know exactly what we need to do, but for one reason or another, we just can’t seem to perfectly apply what we know?
For example, we all know that we shouldn’t worry about things. We know worrying does absolutely nothing for us and weighs us down, but something happens and we look up and there we go … worrying again.
That’s why I have really started listening to the things I say to my 5 year old and try to make certain I am “practicing what I preach”.
The funny thing is that many of these lessons came to me earlier in life when I also was 5 years old just like my daughter is now. So, that means it has been a little over 3 decades and I am still working on mastering them … you live and learn.
The great thing is that if you really are paying attention to the lessons that come your way and genuinely try to learn them, you really do make progress day after day and are able to
Live Today Better Than Yesterday… and that’s what it’s all about.
Taking a step (even just a small one) in the right direction every single day. That really is what is possible TODAY (and every TODAY) that follows.
here are 23 great lessons for a 5 Year Old:
(that you also may want to remind yourself of TODAY):
- “Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you – not because they are nice, but because you are.”—Unknown
- “You don’t need easy, you just need possible.”—Bethany Hamilton
- “The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything but they make the most of everything.”―Sam Cawthorn
- “Smile, breathe and go slowly.” — Thich Nhat Hanh
- “Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.” — Swami Sivananda
- “If you only look at what is, you might never attain what could be”. – Anonymous
- “There are so many people out there telling you that you can’t what you’ve gotta do is turn around and say watch me” —Unknown
- “If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, you’ll often find that you’re right.” ―Nancy Sathre-Vogel
- “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
- “Forget what hurt you in the past but never forget what it taught you.” —Unknown
- “What you focus on expands and when you focus on the goodness in your life you create more of it.” —Oprah Winfrey
- “When you stop chasing the wrong things, you give the right things a chance to catch you.” —Unknown
- “The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.” – Unknown
- “Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.”—Unknown
- “Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.” — Napoleon Hill
- “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”—Marcus Aurelius
- “Some people see things as they are and say why. You should dream things that never were and say why not?” -Robert F. Kennedy
- “The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we hit it.” – Michelangelo
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius
- “To accomplish great things, you must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” — Anatole France
- “If you worry about what might be and wonder what might have been you will ignore what is.”
- “It doesn’t matter how slowly you go as long as you don’t stop.” – Confucius
- “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” — Mark Twain
Live Today Better than Yesterday
What did you think of this post? We are all in this together so please share your thoughts and wisdom with us in the comment section. Also, if you liked it, please click “Like” and share it. If you have any questions or think there is anything I can help you with, please feel free to send me an e-mail (sibylchavis@gmail.com) or leave a comment below. I always love hearing from you.
These are simple lessons that apply to us all from the time we’re little until we leave this world. What a great post.
Sibyl,
I loved this post. I especially loved the last quote from Mark Twain. This one rang true for me. When it is our turn to enter those pearly gates we will look back at regret at all the things we didn’t do, not what we did. To live fully and to enjoy everyday is the best gift you can give yourself. Explore, Dream, Discover!
I so love that Twain quote too. Isn’t it great?
Thanks so much for dropping by Anglea. So glad you liked the post.
Great quotes, Sibyl! I loved reading through them. And the premise is so true. Most of the big life lessons that alter courses and fill life with decency and joy are lessons that apply to a 5 year old as well!
Thanks for the inspiration!
So glad you liked it Ken. Thanks for the comment and for dropping by.
Sibyl,
I am a preschool teacher and have been working on my report cars/conference reports. I’ve often thought 5 is the perfect age and have been working on a post all about why! I just about fell over when I saw the title to your post, although mine is written differently! I guess great minds think alike!
Great post!!!
Hey Betsy: Thanks for dropping by. I didn’t know you were a preschool teacher …
I am sure you have such fun with that and are amazing at what you do. Thanks for the kind words about the post:) So glad you liked it and can’t wait to check yours out.
Awesome way to think about it. Loved in the beginning of this post the concept of if a 5 year old does not go to bed early enough…. how can we not pay attention to this one as adults?!! Yet so many are sleep deprived.
With that, I’m off to bed to get the sleep that allows me to get up to another fabulous day ahead!
Yes…go get some sleep
LOL. thanks for dropping by and thanks for the comment.
You are so right, there are so many things we should know, but we never act upon them. This will be one of my all-time favorite posts.
So glad you liked it Anne. Thanks for the comment and for dropping by. Always appreciated.
No. 2 Bethany is amazing. Loved that movie of hers.
No. 5 Will use this every morning for social media;)
No. 8 Need to tatoo on my forehead, I can see it every morning!
No. 9 Love that man and at this point decide to print out and put list in my journal for the week.
A sincere thanks for an awesome list.
Absolutely fabulous! Out of mouth of babes! so true!
Sibyl,
I love this read, thank you for posting! It is amazing the lessons I want my three children to learn that I sometimes forget to “practice what I am preaching” myself!
The list is so valuable. I have had some very big reminders of gratitude as of late, and the messages of hope and possibilities were really good for me to read.
I am going to tag this one, and print!
THank you!
In Harmony,
Jen
So glad you liked it Jen. Thanks so much for the kind words and for dropping by.
one of the finest post……. thank you sibyl…….
Thank you so much for the kind words Muthukrishan:)
A very inspriring list. I put #9 on my computer monitor.
What a wonderful list! I can certainly use the reminders as I know that my three children (ages 2, 5 & 7) watch and follow my steps and the examples I set. We can tell them all we want but what they truly learn from are our actions.
Thanks Paige. I am so glad you liked the list and I totally agree with what you said about kids learning from our actions. Thanks for stopping by:)
Sibyl,
These are some of the greatest quotes I have ever seen! Thanks for sharing this.
I would have to say #7 stuck out the most. With all the criticism that is out there right now, sometimes you have to be you greatest motivator.
Cheers!
It is so true Vic…sometimes the best thing you can do is count on and believe in yourself:) So glad you liked the quotes. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and let me know.
Excellent post Sibyl!!! It is very much motlivating.
I am a bit behind in reading all the posts and trying to catch up.
Thanks Sumant. I am so glad that you like the post and that you are catching up;)