I’m 81.
The two lifetime mottos that I still constantly use are, “Do what you have to do when you have to do it” and “I can do this” (I whisper this to myself).
Fortunately, I was raised in the 1940s and 1950s, when laughter, fun, and positive attitudes were plentiful, probably in contrast to World War II and all of its trauma. Dad was a pilot who loved to tell jokes. I know he honed them while flying the dangerous HUMP in World War II. Mom was a homemaker who always sang and whistled. Because her parents were born in Bohemia (Czechoslovakia) and educated in Austria, singing and dancing were forever part of our huge family’s heritage.
In my 20s, I had six children. When my marriage went awry, I decided that I had to go back to college (do what you have to do when you have to do it). I finished in two years and started teaching high school at age 33 (I can do this, I whispered). It was tough!
At age 34, I bought five acres of desert for pennies south of the charming town of Cave Creek, Arizona, and plunked a new double-wide there. We had no water. We hauled water for two years, thanks to the help from Mom, who bought an old pickup. My children had tons of fun riding motorbikes and horses through the empty desert, which is now filled with hundreds of expensive homes.
In my 40s, I asked my oldest son, “Do you think we can build a house?” Our trailer was saying. “Absolutely,” he said. We put our resources together, with family members, got it done in two years (do what you have to do when you have to do it).
In my 60s, I decided to paint the interior of my house, which was sorely needed. Climbing on a tall ladder and planning one month per room, I finished the job (I can do this).
In my 70s, I decided to become a writer. I finished four self-published novels. The fourth is a World War II historical novel about pilots who flew the Himalayas (do what you want to do when you want to do it).
Dear readers, choose two mottos that work for you and refer to them when needed as a psychological brace. Keep them simple and put a lot of love in your heart.
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