I wanted to give my eldest a different birthday present this year and seeing that 'words' are what I do best, I chose to pass on some wisdom that I've learned over the years. Who knows whether they'll be listened to! Would I have listened to my parents at 24?
今年，我想给我年龄最大的孩子一份特殊的生日礼物，然后我发现那些我写给他的话就是我所能做的最好的事情了。我选择了将我这些年所经历并且学到的东西里面包含的智慧传授给他们。谁知道他们会不会听呢！在我24岁的时候我有听取过我父母的建议吗？
Perhaps these are words of wisdom for us all, whatever our age. Perhaps if our children are younger, we can set the intention to parent in such a way that we teach them this wisdom by example.
也许这些富含哲理的话对我们所有人都适用，不管我们年龄多大。也许当我们的孩子还很年轻的时候，我们能够计划用这样的方法来教育他们，那就是以实际行动作为例子来教会他们这些人生智慧。
1. You are not your job. You are not the amount of cash you have in the bank. You are not your possessions.
你所从事的工作并不能代表你。你在银行的现金数额不能代表你。你的财产也不能代表你这个人。
2. Find your passion. Look for what inspires you. Find what you love to do and pursue it with all your heart. You may well find a way how to make money from doing it.
寻找你的生活激情。看看有什么能够鼓舞你的事情。去做你喜欢做的事并且全身心地投入进去。你也许会找到一种做这种事如何赚钱的方法。
3. Love hurts. But it is so much better than closing yourself off for fear of being hurt and not experiencing love.
爱情有时会很伤人。但这比因为害怕受伤而自闭或者是不曾体验过爱情要好多了。
4. Communication and respect are the foundations for a lasting relationship.
友好的沟通交流和相互间的尊重是维系一份长久的关系的基础。
5. Three things are needed in a relationship -- lust, love, and shared values.
有三个东西在一段关系里面是必需的——欲望，关爱以及共同的价值观。
6. Never compare yourself to others. It's a waste of energy. You are unique and have your own gifts to offer the world.
永远不要拿你自己和别人做比较。这是一种浪费精力的行为。你是独一无二的并且你能够为这个世界奉献你独有的能力。
7. Look after your health -- physical, mental, and spiritual.
照顾好自己的身体——身体上，心理上以及精神上的。
8. Don't complain. Decide what you will tolerate and get on with life.
不要总是抱怨。学会接受你必须要忍受的事情然后继续过你的生活。
9. Set boundaries -- work, family, and friendships.
设定工作，家庭以及友情之间的界限。妥善处理三者关系。
10. Little stuff matters -- manners get you a long way.
细节很重要——好的习惯举止能让你走得更远。
11. Be grateful. List the things you are grateful for everyday.
学会感恩。列下每天都能让你感动的事情。
12. Expect to fail. Failure is not fatal. Learn the lessons, then get back up and try again.
随时准备接受失败。失败并不是致命的。从中吸取教训，然后重新振作起来再试一次。
13. Have outrageous dreams. You'll be amazed at what comes true.
拥有一个独特的梦想。当一切成真的时候，你会感到震惊的。
14. Act with integrity at all times.
任何时候都要诚信正直。
15. Call your parents. They may well have screwed up but they raised you to the best of their abilities.
经常打电话给父母。他们也许很可能有时会把事情搞砸，但是他们尽了他们的所有将你抚养长大。
16. Know your values. Let no one violate what you hold as important be that a boss or your partner.
知道你自身的价值在哪里。不要让任何人侵犯你所拥有的，即使那个人很重要比如说你的老板或者工作伙伴。
17. You don't need to have it all worked out. Tomorrow is another day.
你没必要一次性将事情全部弄好。明天还有时间去做。
18. Lighten up on yourself. Breathe deeply and slowly.
放轻松点。做做缓慢的深呼吸。
19. Listen to your inner dialogue. Would you speak to someone you love in the same way?
听听你内心的对话。你会跟你喜欢的人用同样的方式这样说话吗？
20. Take risks, take leaps of faith. You'll grow wings.
接受挑战，你会有一个信仰上的飞跃。你会得到成长。
21. Be of service to others. Be interested in others. People will always remember what you did for them.
学会服务他人，关心他人。别人会永远记住你为他们所做的事情。
22. "No" is a complete sentence.
不要轻易说不。
23. Don't stress so much over decisions. Decisions needn't be forever.
不要过多地纠结于你所做的决定。永远不必。
24. Cultivate and nurture friendships. With love and care they can last a lifetime. At the same time don't be afraid to edit friendships.
培养并发展友谊。有了爱和关怀，它们能够持续一生。同时不要害怕建立友谊。
25. You are enough just as you are. Perfect in your imperfection.
这样的你就已经很好了。缺陷使你更完美。
26. Learn to accept compliments. Simply say 'thank you'.
学会接受赞美。只要说声谢谢就行了。
27. Be willing to show that you are vulnerable. It is in fact the greatest act of courage.
你可以表现出自己脆弱的一面。事实上，它是最伟大的勇气。
28. You are never alone.
你从来都不是孤独的。
29. Forgive. Yourself first and then others. We are all in this together.
学会原谅。首先原谅你自己，然后要学会原谅他人。我们都需要被原谅。
30. Your attitude is always a choice.
你可以选择自己的态度如何。
31. Laugh a lot. Have fun.
多笑笑。找些乐子。
32. Magic happens outside your comfort zone.
在你的舒适区以外随时都有奇迹发生。
33. Learn to love yourself now. It gets harder if you leave it until you're older.
学会爱现在的自己。如果你离开他，这会变得越来越难，直到你年纪更大一些。
34. Don't worry about what other people think. They think about you a lot less than you imagine.
不要在乎别人怎么看。他们想到的远比你想象的少。
35. Follow your intuition. Your guts have the answer. Every time.
跟随自己的直觉。你的胆量能为你找到答案。每次都是如此。
36. Happiness starts within. Do not expect anyone else to make you happy.
幸福是自己给的。别指望别人能给你带来幸福。
37. Be financially savvy right from the off. Save 10%. Debt is not pretty. Make your own lunch for work. A cappuccino and a sandwich a day soon add up.
保持财政支出少于财政收入。节省10%的债务不太说得过去。自己带工作午餐去上班。每天一杯卡布奇诺咖啡和三明治很快就能让你的财务转好。
38. Life isn't a race. Stop and smell the roses. Really.
生活不是一项竞赛。停下来看看沿途的风景。真的。
39. When overwhelmed ask yourself, "Will this even be an issue in 5 years time?"
在你不知所措时，问自己在5年时间里，这会成为一个问题吗?
40. Change happens. It's one of the great certainties in life. Learn to roll with it.
变化随时会发生。这是生命中最大的确定性。学会适应它。
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