Mark Twain is considered by many to be one of the greatest American authors in history. He wasn’t only a writer though, he was also a source of constant inspiration, a fountain of memorable quotes and a man with incredible intellect.
1. Age is in your mind more than anywhere else.
“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”
A young soul can dwell in an old body and all the limitations we put on age, other than those physical ones, are actually in our head. This advice isn’t just about age, it’s also about self-confidence. When we believe we have a problem, we transmit that to the people around us and so bring it to pass. People can feel the lack of self- confidence in others and they will treat you as you treat yourself. So, once you make that mental ‘switch’, the environment will too.
2. Having a new idea is not a crime.
“A person with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds.”
When you see things differently than other people, expect mixed reactions. Some will support you, others ignore you, while still others will try to bring you down. Most people tend to hold on to their preconceived notions for dear life, and will even act aggressively or negatively when these are threatened by an opposing opinion.
3. Don’t let your thoughts dwell on the negative.
“Drag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage
it.”
You must watch your thoughts, because it is so easy to get into a habit of thinking negatively, turning our worries and troubles over and over in our head, until they seem as big as mountains and as dark as the night. Thinking positively is one of the best gifts you can give yourselves, and will ultimately lead to you doing everything a little better, with people reacting much better to your attitude. In the end, life is made up of ‘tasks’ we must accomplish, some small, some big and difficult. Try to look at any ‘difficult’ task as a challenge and as an opportunity to learn something about yourselves.
4. Instead of worrying about yourself, worry about others and help yourself.
“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.”
There is something magical about making someone else smile or getting them out of a tough situation. Helping others not only makes us better people and buys us goodwill from those around us, it also makes our own problems seem smaller because we’re not preoccupied with them 24/7. If you help others without thinking, just jumping in and helping out, you’ll be the one who ends up with a smile on your face.
5. Try everything, regret nothing.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that 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.”
It’s always easier to delay things we want to do. After all, life usually gets in the way and we tell ourselves ‘well, we’ll try it later’. But as we get older, those opportunities become more and more rare, and the things we end up regretting the most are the things we simply never tried to do.
