5 Life Lessons I learned from watching my youngest daughter.

We are blessed to have two beautiful daughters Lisa and Victoria (pictured above). Recently we celebrated Victoria’s 5 th Birthday and I was inspired to write this article.

Lesson 1: Live true to your name.

As parents, we decided to name her Victoria Grace. It was divinely orchestrated by the Almighty through various events that happened before her birth. She was almost denied entry into this world, had we believed what the doctors had to say at the time of her conception. It was the grace of God on her life, coupled with our faith, that saw this wonderful gift victoriously come to life. And she lives it that way!

What does your name signify? Your parents had something in mind when they named you. Live up to it! If your name is not what it should be, give yourself a nick name that you believe in. You don’t have to change any personal documents and records. Just live by the new nick name which you call yourself.

Lesson 2: Explore and be curious

Our first daughter Lisa was a picture-perfect child. She was also very careful about toys and the surroundings. She never scribbled on the walls and mostly kept order and preserved her play things. We expected the same with Victoria. But she was almost the polar opposite. Not an area of easily accessible wall surface was spared and not a single toy was in its original state, after it was handled by her. She was almost destructive to the naked eye. Her quest for finding what was hidden and not visible was almost a concern for us, as some of the toys were expensive. She was curious to find how they worked and never refrained from experimenting and exploring. Twice she experimented putting beads into her nose which got stuck and we had to rush her to the emergency room. She is the same today, but not very destructive, yet very curious. She now uses tools to open them up and does not put anything up her nose.

Are you curious enough and willing to explore OR are you satisfied with the circumstances and accept the present status quo? You were created for fuller expression and expansion and to find out more about the things that are relevant to your season of life.

Lesson 3: Never stop asking questions

We were challenged by some of these questions by Victoria early on in her life.

• Dad, why are you so brown and Mum is almost milk white?
• Dad, why are you so tall in your family?
• Dad, why is Indian food so spicy?
• Dad, which part of Mum’s body did I come from? Really, how can that be possible?

Learning opportunities are right there when you answer these questions with wisdom and understanding and not just discard and joke about it, as I have seen many parents do that. Parents are the first leaders that kids follow. Every question for a Leader is important. True Leaders are Listeners.

Are you asking questions about why you do what you do, and the significance attached to its overall purpose in your life? Keep asking questions and don’t stop there. Listening is an art that can be developed. Analyze the answers (from reliable sources) and you could come to solutions to your problems. Be intentional about your growth.

Lesson 4: Look for fun and excitement in almost everything you do.

When Victoria is well (which is most of the time) she is a bundle of joy and loves to laugh, giggle and have fun. When she is in the living room, seldom are we tempted to watch the Television, not even the daily news (which is most of the time depressing to say the least). Her energy even makes Lisa (who loves to be by herself ) move and be active. There is so much positive energy and a great atmosphere is created, almost unexpectedly.

Are you looking for joy? Are you creating conditions where there is some laughter? As adults we are almost too serious most of the time. Humor is the essence of life and all good things surround it. It can always be created with a positive mindset. While I agree that the stress of life can be overwhelming at times, looking for opportunity to find humor and fun, is a choice you can always exercise.

Lesson 5: Live life on its merit and make every day count.

I have seldom seen Victoria (and Lisa) worry too much about life and its complexities. They have no clue what could be challenges of the next day, next week and even next month and lose sleep over it. Nobody is assured of tomorrow and thus why worry, fear and complicate things. That’s the way it should be. Life is simple (never easy), but to keep it simple, is difficult.

Are you making your life difficult by worrying about things you cannot control? While planning for the future is good, one must not cross the line between strategic planning and excessive thinking, which leads to stress and finally can affect your health. Learn to live life as it comes and overcome the challenges of the day. I am sure we all can do that.

I hope you enjoyed reading this. Do leave your comments below.

Dr. Owen Fernandes MBA, PhD.

(Leadership Coach & Psychometric Analyst)

Building Careers, Enabling Growth, Changing Lives……Helping you WIN!