25 Lessons That Last A Lifetime

Suggestions about life are a little like lottery tickets: You may collect a lot of them, but they rarely pay off. Yet if you are truly lucky, you receive a few words of wisdom that inspire you forever. That's called hitting the jackpot

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Today Is the First Day of Your Future

I was considering going back to school for my master’s degree but was put off by the fact that it would take me six years—one course a quarter—to do it. I just happened to read an advice column, and the person writing in was pondering getting a degree. The columnist offered this advice: “Four years from now, where will you be? You can have a degree and a better job or be still doing the same thing and wishing you had the degree.” I enrolled that day and six years later graduated with a master’s.

Marilyn Clark, Florida

Reclaim your Power

I have had a difficult childhood; with damages I haven’t yet recovered from. On a tipsy night during my University days, a dear friend asked me innocently why I was so vehemently averse to dating. This friend, had recently found ‘love’ and was smitten by the idea of romantic partnerships. When I shared my past with him, he held my hands and said, “You were a child and powerless then. Now, you have the ability to reclaim that power—wield it, enjoy it.” What he said was such a different response to what I had expected and what I had gotten from others over the years—this left an indelible effect on me. While I am still on the path to recovery, I do feel empowered each time I choose to assert my stance even if the matter might seem inconsequential to others, or at the cost of annoying a friend by saying ‘no’. And, while I am still overly anxious about my future, I will have a doctorate degree in a few weeks, I have a loving partner and friends who keep me close despite my hangups.

Anuradha Sinha, Delhi

Skip the Stupid