Voices from the past keep you present

Have you ever been doing something and hear someone’s voice showing you the way? They’re asking you the same question they always asked; often it’s one of your parents, or anyone who’s ever taught you something. Those voices – the sage advice – are the lessons you’ve learned, even if you don’t want to admit it.

It’s been happening to me a lot lately. I will be challenged and puzzled over something when suddenly I hear exactly what I need to hear to help me. They are the voices of many different people, young and old. Some are random strangers in a bathroom. Often they come from completely unexpected sources.

A friend once asked me what I was “doing instead of what I could be doing.” It felt so harsh at the time but comes back to me when I’m abdicating responsibility to others or daydreaming far into the future instead of remaining present. I heard it a couple of weeks ago, loudly, on my morning walk, motivating me to get moving on some things I was getting ready to do.

Another friend taught me the power of saying thank you. It can allow you to stay calm and gather yourself. It can also be the bridge that repairs relationships. These are two powerful words that no one ever hears too much.
“Never leave the house without your ID” comes courtesy of where many of my lessons have come from – my mother. To that I would add $5 and a credit or debit card. These three items can save you more aggravation, embarrassment, time and money than you could ever imagine.

The customer service goddess at Bergdorf Goodman, a famous New York department store says “never carry your actual passport when you’re walking around the city.” Simply put, make copies. In the U.S. we are not used to pickpockets, except in cities like New York, San Francisco or New Orleans. In other international cities they’re an everyday occurrence, and if your passport is stolen you have a lot of work to do on vacation.

Lately when I sit down and read my old columns, I can hear editor Nic Garcia reminding me over and over: “stay focused, stay on topic.” My perspective completely shifts and I see my words with my head more than my heart. It is an incredible gift, to give to someone perspective.

In fact, that’s usually what those voices do: give you perspective. They are challenging you to take a look at where you are and whether things are going as intended.

I understand why older people give such sage advice; they’ve been around longer so they have probably experienced what you are experiencing. I finally understand the saying “youth is wasted on the young” – older people know all the things they’d do differently, and young people don’t want to take advice.

You have a choice – you can either listen to what others have to say and see how it applies to your life, or you can stomp your foot, shake your head and flatly refuse to take advice from anyone other than your teddy. He’s been helping you all these years, so why change now?