What Do I Know That Could Help Other People

What Do I Know That Could Help Other People

[This piece was in response to a writing exercise at Greenwood Senior Center’s Write about Your Life Thursday class.]

I think I might know a lot. After so many years of experience, but I know that most people don’t want to hear it. People may ask for advice, but don’t really want to follow my suggestions. I will make a list of advice I think could help almost everybody.

1. Cut up all but one credit card and keep that for emergencies only.
2. Find a good doctor and follow his/her suggestions.
3. Be your own person. Think for yourself. Make decisions. The more you do that, the better you get at it.
4. Live a good life. Try to be a good example with your own behavior.
5. Be conservative with money and resources, not a spendthrift.
6. Save and invest in something: real estate, stocks, education.
7. Set some goals in your life and have checkpoints to see how you are doing.

I can see what people might be able to do. All I can do is listen, maybe give a suggestion now and then—be friendly. I don’t argue that I know more than the other person does. I drop some good hints in conversations.

Everyone has their own opinions. I think I’ve heard almost everything—more than I could ever handle.

With a serious problem, try to solve each part of it, a step at a time.

Don Sivertsen’s book, One Page at a Time has just been released on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CTMI29C Don is a Ballard Norwegian, retired airplane mechanic.

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