Learning life lessons from those who have lived

I've found that self-help material seems to be ubiquitous. Whether you are middle-aged or young, married or divorce, there appears to be some expert out there who can tell you exactly what you need to do to fix the crap hole that is your life. While I’m not actually one to believe too many people who like to give blanket advice to those they've never met before, I have been able to pick up bits and pieces that are central to multiple self-help or advice pieces. One of these reoccurring themes is having a mentor.

I understand it can seem silly for older generations to still look for guidance in the form of a mentor, but the fact is, having someone to help push you in the right direction isn't a bad idea. While they are completely invaluable to youth, it still is important to find the right person to learn from, even when you are older. For myself personally, one trait I tend to look for when seeking guidance is someone who can walk the fine line between being stern and being angry. These are the people who I like to model my leadership off of.

A current mentor of mine is a lovely middle-aged Australian woman. She is a friend of a family member, and has been acting as a travel mom while I wander Australia. À la Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter, my Australian mother is the type of person who you can love and hate, depending on if your on her bad or good side. Sure she can be rough around the edges, but the fact is she is someone you still like even when she takes the turn to serious town. The switch flips easily from friendly to stern.

People who are stern, I feel, are less likely to resort to anger because they say exactly what they mean. They don’t let things bottle up or boil over, which curbs unnecessary conflict or malice. While I’m not exactly sure what I want to be when I grow up (probably a super hero), I do know one thing; being stern when necessary, instead of letting things build up, is a trait I’m working to attain.

Photo courtesy of the BBC