13 things I’ve learnt about leading a happy life
I HAVE lived enough years now that I have gleaned a little bit of wisdom, writes Kate Langbroek. Here are a few tips to leading a happy life.
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MY mother, who has a strong game in gallows humour, is fond of saying: “Getting old isn’t much fun, but it sure beats the alternative!”
And it is remarkable, isn’t it, our will to live? The way you sometimes see a person making their way up the street, clearly bent or maybe even broken, painfully sticking their way along or curved over a walker with a bag of groceries, not able to move at more than a shuffle — but out, seeing the immediate world; alive. It is worthy of respect.
And therein lies the secret to life. Participation.
I have lived enough years now that I have gleaned a little bit of wisdom. And if you are not familiar with me, allow me to establish my life credentials. I am in that sweet spot of life; too old to be posing on Instagram doing a beer bong in a bikini, but young enough to not be on the news for ploughing into a chemist-shop window, having confused the accelerator for the brake.
Along the way, I have learnt a few things that have stood me in good stead.
1. If you have the choice to laugh, or get angry, choose the former. I’ve spent time in the company of angry people, and happy people, and I know which I prefer. While the world (and Twitter) likes to think tub-thumping anger is a more legitimate response than amusement, I disagree. Life will always throw up frustrations and injustices and annoyances. To tackle those with humour is a practised art.
2. Sometimes people “victim-blame” because the victim is to blame.
3. Pancake batter is always better made the night before. So is bolognese sauce, cheesecake, school assignments, and anything involving a deadline. (Yes, editor.)
4. If you have a beef with someone, never put it in writing. For while sticks and stones can break bones, words have the power to wound soul-deep. Don’t leave a footprint for anyone to mull over, or worse, brandish against you in the future.
5. Words of love, by contrast, should be written, shouted, sung, and engraved. Never be silent with your love.
6. On holiday, buy your souvenirs when you see them. Don’t say “I’ll come back later,” because mostly, you won’t. Or you’ll ruin your last day trying to retrace your steps to that sarong/candle/tooled-leather shop.
7. If it’s a dress-up party, dress up. If you’re at karaoke, sing. At a wedding, dance. Don’t be the killjoy. No one thinks you’re cool for not participating, they just don’t think about you. They’re too busy having fun.
8. Don’t sing, wear silly dress-ups, or dance like a fool, just because some idiot in a magazine tells you to.
9. Don’t refer to columnists as idiots. It’s not nice. Plus, as someone wiser than me once said: “Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel.”
10. Don’t pick fights, period. Seriously, what is wrong with you?
11. Exercise every day. Or at least, every second day.
12. Make a new friend every year.
13. Above all, respect your elders. As a lovely older lady at my local op shop once said to me: “I have been a child, and I’ve been your age. You haven’t been mine.”
I believe she was on her way to the chemist shop.
Kate co-hosts Hughesy & Kate, 4—6pm weekdays, on the KIIS FM network.
Originally published as 13 things I’ve learnt about leading a happy life
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