This Sunday, HuffPost UK celebrates its third birthday, and rather than ask for piles of presents, we asked some of our favourite bloggers to gift us with their three best pieces of advice. Here, breast cancer awareness campaigner Ismena Clout shares her three...
We are constantly given tips and advice in life whether we want it or not and most the time it washes over my head. There are two pieces of advice that I have been given that have resonated and stuck with me and the other was given as a warning by my mum but I've used it as advice in how to live my life. And now that I'm in the final stage of my life at only 39 I'm SO glad I followed it.
So what was the words of wisdom my Mum threw at me as I came home late from the pub... again?
"You burn the candle at both ends" Now this was often said with "You treat this house like a hotel" but that isn't so interesting. Instead its the burning the candle at both ends that I took and boy did I do that in my life. I made sure I was at every party, every networking event, every opening of an envelope and still working hard because you just never know when your going to meet someone special whether its a work contact or a personal buddy. The interesting aspect is when you look into where the phrase comes from, it was on the tube that I saw the poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, First Fig;
My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--
It gives a lovely light!
I just think the poem is beautiful and a wonderful motto for life! I know it's how I've lived my life and how at 39 I am happy and satisfied that I have lived as much as I could and squeezed more into my years than most do into a lifetime.
The next piece of advice was given to my first boss, Andy and he said:
"Be careful who you tread on as you climb the corporate ladder as you can be sure they will kick you on the way down"
I took this and always made sure I was nice to people and treated everyone with respect. I was often friends with the people in the company that make it tick, that can provide you with support. Never treat them badly as the one time you need a document to be ready immediately they might not be so amenable to your deadline! Also I have always upward networked, made sure the board knew who I was and what I did. This advice and following action served me very well. I have never liked the 'apprentice' style of business, you can be nice and get ahead!
Finally I was given this piece of advice only a few weeks ago, in the appointment with the wonderful Prof J where he had to deliver the heartbreaking news that chemotherapy is no longer an option and it was time to let nature take it's course. His advice was:
"Live each and every day to the full and make the most out of life"
I am doing this with gusto, I don't know how many days I have so each one has to count but we should all take note of this and make the effort to do something each day for ourselves, it doesn't have to be big things it can just be little things like reading the book you always meant to but never find the time. It's so easy to fall into the go to work, get home tired, deal with kids, sit in front of the telly and go to bed. You can do that for months before you put your head up and realise six months have passed and you haven't done anything for yourself, seen your friends.
I hope the advice given to me will resonate with you and maybe you take it on board too?