Most important lessons you learned

Brad:

• We are all works in progress – the more you are open to ‘work’ on the self the more ‘progress’ you will make
• Focus, don’t let distractions drive you
• Be aware of your emotions and be in control over your innate (DNA) drives; don’t let them control you
• Don’t procrastinate
• Laugh
• Dance
• Meditate and pray and find a quiet space inside of you – there exists wisdom inside all of us if we stop to listen
• Be grateful; learn to say thank you in 23 different languages
• Be in love with the world outside of you.  Let go of the desires burning inside of you.  That equation = happiness and love
• Trying new things (even if you fail) opens up doors to growth… seek them out all of your life (get out of your comfort zone)
• Seek out parts of ourselves that aren’t strengths and be uncomfortable and grow
• Smile
• Focus on the positives in life and in the world
• Ask questions
• Be kind
• Be mindful and conscious of your life and your choices
• Be appreciative of America and the personal freedoms we are all afforded – it’s an imperfect system, but better than anything else in the world
• Urbanization is going to change the world; find happiness in nature and work to restore our planet
• You only live once… take a trip around the world
• Prioritize family over all else

Brandy:

• It is important to continue learning
• It is important to connect intimately with one another
• It is important to find our peaceful place
• It is important to exercise, find balance and rest
• It is important to Thank God for our love, nourishment and joy
• It is important to work things out with one another and not to fight
• It is important to let the kids be independent
• It is important to pay attention in life and to one another
• It is important to show value of other people and help out
• It is important to be responsible for yourself and independent
• Clean up after yourself if you make a mess. Offer help to others who might need it
• It is important to have fun
• It is important to show affection

Brayden:

• Learn to love to learn
• Find joy in everything
• Always try to make everything a learning experience
• Learn something from everyone you meet
• Respect other people and their cultures and beliefs
• Help others when needed
• Do not do something all because someone else did it
• Make sure to enjoy what you do… if you don’t enjoy something, stop doing it
• Do something crazy and possibly dangerous every once in a while
• Meet lots of new people and make new friends
• Never do something that you wouldn’t look back on and be embarrassed
• Always exercise and stay fit
• Always take responsibility for your actions… good or bad
• Make sure to find a peaceful place, and find time to relax… solo
• It is okay to ask for help

Brooke:

• always do things that you can say to your friends and be proud of, not things that you would not be proud of
• take time to laugh
• try not to look at the negative side of life
• don’t do dumb things, be smart
• help others as much as possible, especially people who don’t have as much as you do
• don’t be lazy and always work hard at whatever you do
• take a chance
• every two or less months go CRAZY!!
• go to some beautiful countries and help out not-so-beautiful countries understanding that there are beautiful things in those countries
• every once in a while have alone time
• be involved in charities that help people