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Don’t call him old man. Our granddads—and pretty much every other seasoned, influential man in our family and friends—have lots of energy and wisdom when you make the time to talk to them about life despite the steep age difference.
Here’s eight golden pieces of advice we at Team Beautiful have gotten from our granddads and other older men in our lives. We could have kept them to ourselves but hey, we like to share the wealth.
1. Don’t Be Ashamed To Start From The Bottom
Millennials and Gen Xers are an ambitious bunch. We’ve been told that we can achieve anything that we put our mind to, and we can sometimes be a little entitled because of it. But everyone has to pay their dues and start somewhere before our clout (and money!) really piles up. Success takes time, trial and error for anyone that wants a successful career. Just be patient; you’ve got your whole life ahead of you.
2. Exercise Every. Single. Day. No Excuses
If you want to live long, exercise is a no brainer! Treat your body like a temple. It needs to move, rest and get proper nutrition. One of our team members has a neighbor made it to his 100th birthday by taking a walk every single day without fail. If he can do it, I know you can, too.
3. Only Claim A Man Once He’s Claimed You
Leave it to a man who’s seen the years go by to give you the best relationship advice. Any loving and loyal grandpa will tell you that when it comes to guys, you’ve got to give your heart to the one that you know you can trust. More than that, your man should be proud to be with you—especially when you’re in public!
4. Look Up And Around Yourself When Life Gets Heavy
Everyone knows that life can be hard. But no one knows how to deal with life’s challenges better than a man who’s lived a long life. When things get rough, look up and look at the world around you. Sometimes you just need to think outside of yourself and to widen your perspective to remember that there’s always something to be grateful for.
5. Save Now, Spend Later
Old age may seem light years away but take grandpa’s word for it—it’ll be here sooner than you think! If saving for retirement isn’t a priority for you yet, make it one. People are living longer than in generations past and you’ll want money stashed away to enjoy yourself in your later years.
6. Keep Friends Across Different Age Groups
Having friends across generations is great because it’ll keep you in tune to different experiences, cultures, upbringings and lifestyles. Use that to your advantage; younger friends can keep you up on the latest trends while older friends can be great life coaches.
7. Put Away Your Headphones For Once
Today, younger, tech-savvy generations can be really consumed by their headphones and gadgets. The benefit is that we’ve got infinite amounts of info and music at our fingertips 24/7, but that also means we can grow less sociable with new people. Try living without headphones for a day. Maybe you’ll notice something new in your day or even make a friend. It sounds hard and unlikely, but grandpa lived a long, fulfilling life years before headphones showed up and he probably had much more interesting interactions with people each day because of it.
8. Stop Playing Phone Tag
Pick up the phone! If someone calls or texts you, answer right away. Email and smartphones have made it easier than ever for us to ignore our friends and family when they’re trying to reach us. It may be common to hold off on responding to someone but it’s rude, it wastes time and it’s unfair to both of you. Think about how people had to communicate in grandpa’s day before iMessages and Snapchat hit the scene. Be more available to people. Call when you say you will and only text when you have to. The day may come when you’ll need someone to talk to. If you’re not careful, your games of phone tag might leave you in the dust.
Do you have any proud daughter moments for Father’s Day? Please share! We’d love to hear them! Make sure you pay tribute to the men you love and care about the most here.
RELATED LINKS:
All The Ways My Dad Taught Me About Dating Without Telling Me
Celebrate HIM! The Sweetest Father’s Day Stories You Shared With Us
