50 Life Lessons from Regina Brett (Not 90+ Year Old Iris Apfel)

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Excerpt: These 50 life lessons from Regina Brett are fun to read. They’re insightful and full of personality—not cliché or regurgitated. Enjoy!

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Introduction: Meet Regina Brett (Not Iris Apfel)

When I first came across the list that you’re about to read below it was presented to me as “42 Life Lessons from a 90 Year Old.” I, of course, being a sucker for anything insightful and uplifting, quickly decided to share it and passed it along to our MMQ readers without so much as a second thought.

Turns out, I should have slowed down in the sharing process as one of our readers pointed out that, “Regina Brett is 63. The lady Photographed is Iris Apfet.”

And low and behold, Regina Brett was born May 31, 1956 and is (now) appropriately pictured above. Regina Brett is a New York Times bestselling author, newspaper columnist currently writing for The Plain Dealer and The Cleveland Jewish News, and an inspirational speaker.

In regards to her list of life lessons and the silly mix up with Iris Apfet she commented: 

“The day before I turned 45, I wrote a column of the 45 Lessons Life Taught Me. I added five more lessons when I turned 50. The lessons reflect what I learned from life as a single parent for 18 years, struggling to find the right partner in life, battling breast cancer and healing the bruises from a bumpy childhood. And they reflect what I’ve learned from readers in my 30 years as a journalist. My Life Lessons ended up e-mailed around the world. Then someone changed my age on one email to read: ‘Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old.’ Another person attached a picture of lovely older woman older. No, that dear senior citizen isn’t me. It’s fashion designer Iris Apfel.”

My apologies to Regina Brett for sharing your insight under Iris Apfel’s picture and many thanks to Mary Anne for brining this mix up to our attention.

Below, you will find Regina Brett’s list of 50 life lessons that you can soak in and reflect on. What I like most about her list is how you can get a sense of Regina’s experience and personality in many of the items and they aren’t all regurgitated, cliché sayings.

When you finish reading through her 50 Life Lessons below, let us know which insights were your favorite. I’ll share with you my top three favorite pieces of advice at the end. Enjoy!

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50 Life Lessons from Regina Brett (Not 90+ Year Old Iris Apfel)

1. Life is not fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You do not have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It is OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
35. Whatever does not kill you, really does make you stronger.
36. Growing old beats the alternative – dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
41. Do not audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
42. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
49. Yield
50. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

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My Top 3 Favorite pieces of advice were…

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.