Who would’ve known that a children’s story of a bear and his friends could answer some of our deepest questions? Winnie The Pooh, one of the most lovable characters we know today, shares with us his adventures and insights filled with life lessons that are still relevant to this day!
Here are 10 life lessons from Winnie The Pooh
1. Appreciate The Little Things:
As Pooh says to Piglet when Piglet proposes giving Eeyore a balloon for his birthday present, “Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon.” A balloon isn’t really a big thing, or an important thing, but it’s a noticeable thing that stands for a feeling. It’s the little things that really count, so take a moment to appreciate them and be grateful for them. A cup of coffee in the morning, a smile from a friend, a kind word from (or to!) a stranger; it doesn’t have to be anything that extravagant. If your happiness revolves solely around the big things – be it the promotion, the new house, the better car – you’re missing out on a lot of life. Learn to take some time to enjoy the little things too.
2. Try Doing Nothing Once In A While:
Pooh says, “Don’t underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” While working towards fulfilling goals and accomplishments feels good and should be applauded, so should doing nothing. If anything, doing nothing must be considered an even greater accomplishment, because we are so oriented towards success being measured by accomplishments.
3. Be Positive:
Pooh says, “It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like “What about lunch?”” Long, difficult words can be interesting to employ and impressive to use but they can be frustrating and make conversations inaccessible and make you out reach or out of touch. One of the easiest ways to be positive is light and upbeat conversation. I strive to keep conversations positive because I am much more likely to remain positive myself if my interactions with others are positive as well.
4. Break Out Of Your Comfort Zone:
Pooh says, “You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” It can be easy for us to stay in our corners of the woods instead of venturing out and about, but breaking habits and our daily patterns, even in really simple ways like taking a new path to work in the morning or the stairs instead of the elevator, we can alter our lives in different and beneficial ways.
5. Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff (And It’s Mostly All Small Stuff)
Pooh says, “You can’t help respecting anybody who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn’t spell it right; but spelling isn’t everything. There are days when spelling Tuesday simply doesn’t count.” Focusing on details is necessary when doing a work project or analyzing data. But constant scrutiny for the details can mean missing out on the bigger picture and, in life, the big picture is what really matters. Ultimately, it’s mostly the small stuff. So don’t sweat it!
6. Cherish Your Friends
In the words of Winnie The Pooh himself, “If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you.” Heart warming isn’t it? Go tell a friend how much you appreciate them right now! In life, you come across only a tiny fraction of the whole population, whether it be online or in reality. Out of that tiny fraction, only a tinier fraction are really worth building a connection with and establishing a proper relationship with. We call these people our friends. Putting it into perspective that way makes you understand how valuable your friends really are. Cherish them while they’re still around.
7. Live In The Moment
“What day is it?” asked Pooh. “It’s today,” squeaked Piglet. “My favorite day,” said Pooh.
What’s your favorite day? If Monday is your answer then we might not get along but I totally understand. But even if you’re reading this on a Monday, I hope you’re enjoying it simply because you’re in the present. The older you get, the more you realize how valuable time actually is.
The past is a blur and the future is yet to come. All we have is now. There is literally no point in grieving about the past neither is there any point in worrying about the future when you’re in the present moment. Live in it. You never know when ‘now’ becomes ‘then’. May today be your favorite day.
8. If You Want Something, Go and Get It.
“You can’t always sit in your corner of the forest and wait for people to come to you… you have to go to them sometimes.” Couldn’t have said it better myself. Winnie The Pooh really has a way of articulating words for readers of all ages to understand. Let this message be passed down to the generations to come. The world is yours for the taking. Get a grip of it and never let it go. It’s the go-getter that make the most of this world. Never fear taking risks. If you truly want something, nothing can stop you from getting it or getting there as long as you believe in yourself and trust the process.
9. There’s No Such Thing As A Silly Question
“Before beginning a Hunt, it is wise to ask someone what you are looking for before you begin looking for it.” Would you rather pretend to be in the know and end up lost or ask a question that may make you look like a fool but will get you the answers to go the right direction? Exactly. He who thinks he is too wise to ask ‘silly questions’ is a fool for eternity, while the fool who is enlightened by the answers to his ‘silly questions’ is a fool only for that moment.
With that said, no question is ever too foolish. Ask away.
10. Sometimes, Working Towards Getting Something You Really Want Is Even Better Than Having It.
“Well,” said Pooh, “what I like best — ” and then he had to stop and think. Because although eating honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn’t know what it was called.” Maybe eating honey might not be your thing but you know what I mean. There’s one thing or the other that we’re passionate about in this life that we’re driven to want and have. Whatever it may be there’s a journey that we have to progress through to get there. The climb is going to be hard, but that just makes the view from the peak more worthwhile. But never forget what it took to get you there. So in life, when things start to feel like they are moving too fast, resist the urge to try to catch up. Life can be pretty sweet when you slow down and set your own pace.
And if you find yourself stuck in a rut remember the words of Christopher Robin...
“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.”
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