During the Covid-19 pandemic, we spoke to various elder people, chatting with them about their life stories. We asked them what they wish their younger self knew and the importance of their advice. In this article, we have condensed some of their thoughts, and their good wishes for the younger generation.
1 Health Precedes Wealth
Regardless of how much wealth one has accumulated during their lifetime, one is unable to bring any of it with them when one ends their journey in life. They can either choose to donate it to charity or leave it for the next generation. Hence, there is no point in working so hard for wealth but not being able to enjoy it. Some elders have advised us to take time to befriend nature and the environment.
Having wealth does solve some problems but as the saying goes, “health is your greatest wealth”. Avoid neglecting health because of work, you might not feel the toll now but as you grow older, you will definitely feel the (rather negative) impact.
2 Manage Your Relationships
It is strongly encouraged for us to take time to relax and spend time with people who matter. There are many people you will meet in passing, but it’s more important to keep those who matter close, rather than spending time and energy to impress those who do not.
Avoid straining relationships with others, keep things light-hearted! Remember that you do not know what other people are going through so it is always nice to shed some kindness and positivity. A simple hello every morning can put a smile on someone else’s face. You might think it is just a small gesture but it might be a huge deal to someone else!
3 Prioritise Important Things
There is no definite answer to what one should or should not consider important. You can choose anything in life to be important – mental health, quality time with people around you, work progression, or academic performance.
However, happiness should always come first if possible. It doesn’t have to be something extravagant like going on a massive holiday trip; something as small as taking your pet for a walk or getting coffee on a nice Sunday morning can entail happiness. The advice? Spend time on things – anything at all – that make you happy, as that’s the joy in life.
4 Have Drive
On the note of living life to its fullest, but at your own pace, here are some of the notes. Avoid comparison with others. There are many paths to success and each person’s definition of success is different. Different people have different goals and come from different backgrounds. There is no definite path to success. Going to a good school or workplace does not mean the person is indefinitely successful, and the converse is true as well.
Defining success by your own means, and more importantly, working towards it unrelentlessly, and in a way most suitable for yourself, should be the focus here.
5 Kindness Rewards You
Kindness makes the world a better place. If you have the capacity to, help others in need. You might not be rewarded for it directly but if everyone has the same amount of kindness, the world would be much happier. After all, there is no one in the world who is completely segregated from all other living things. Even if one doesn’t like human interactions, showing kindness to the environment is the greatest way to contribute as an inhabitant of the earth.
There must have been instances where you were on the receiving end of someone else’s kindness, be it a nurturing figure in school, or a superior who looks out for you at work. It could also have been a stranger passing by who held the door open for you. Simple gestures of kindness go a long way.
Kindness begets kindness, so let’s spread it!
Gifting.sg would like to thank the elderly we spoke to for sharing such important life tips so graciously. We are sure that everyone would be able to benefit from these insights. In our bid to spread kindness, we are launching a campaign and are partnering with various organisations to benefit various charities. There are many causes such as elderly, persons with disabilities, youth at risk, children and career-switchers.
Share your kindness and gift to someone in need today at gifting.sg/sep-2021!