Who is the adult here?
Who hasn’t seen life hacks on your private, but also business social media platforms? “Sleep longer”, “drink more water”, “exercise more”, “treat people with respect”, etc. (discover a few of them here: Men, strong people, and efficiency). Isn’t it fascinating that this advice is strictly for adults? Did we all skip the many lessons Kindergarten, school, and our parents tried teaching us? It is ironic that a whole people and business coaching industry is teaching us adults the same things all over again.
Now compare and contrast the poem by Robert Fulghum who wrote the book “All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten”. Are we incapable of learning our lessons? I guess in the end it does not matter. It is however very easy to go back to the basics and it does not have to cost a blooming fortune.
There are a few ways to remind yourself of those basic methods living a rich and full life:
- Print out a copy of the poem below and tape it to your bathroom mirror. At least twice a day you will get a quick memory boost when you read through the list.
- Buy by Robert Fulghum’s book “All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten”. Download the Kindle version such that you can read it on the Kindle, cell phone, or tablet wherever you are. Read and re-read it from time to time.
- In the event you have children, hang out in their classrooms when you get a chance. The vast majority of them will have posters with lists reminding the kids how to behave.
To get a new lease of life then you need to do something about what you have read. And that my friends is the commonality between our children and us adults: nothing ever happens without an actual change of our habits.
Ralf
“All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten”
by Robert Fulghum
Most of what I really need
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top
Of the graduate school mountain,
But there in the sandpile at Sunday school.
These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don’t hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life –
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.