Wild Seasonal Living | Wellness, Beauty & Seasonal Living for Women 50+

The Best Advice My Dad Ever Gave Me

As Father’s Day was only a few weeks ago, I’ve found myself reflecting on the lessons that have shaped my life. Like many people, some of the most important lessons I learned didn’t come from school, books, teachers, or even formal training. They came from my dad.

My father was never one for long speeches or dramatic life lessons. But when I started high school, he greeted me early in the morning, and I remember him saying that high school “would be the best time of my life”. It was definitely that, though it also included some of the hardest moments and heartbreaks I had experienced up to that point. I was boy crazy and only wish I had the wisdom now back then, but that is a story for another day. Years earlier, when I was ten or eleven, he taught me to face my fears. I remember telling him I was afraid to go in the basement, and he made me go down by myself. At the time, it felt uneasy, but I am glad he made me go down to the basement, as it helped me develop strength, and resilience that would help me as I dealt with curveballs later in life.

Throughout my life, my dad taught through example. He showed me what hard work looked like. He showed me what commitment looked like. And perhaps most importantly, he showed me that if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well and you follow through.  Looking back, I realize that much of who I am today was shaped by watching him.

My dad believed in showing up big.

Whether it was work, family, responsibilities, or commitments, he showed up. Not only when it was convenient, but especially when it wasn’t. There was no waiting for motivation or looking for shortcuts. If something needed to be done, he did it.  That work ethic became part of who I am.

Throughout my career, I’ve always been willing to put in the effort, take on challenges, and continue learning. Whether it was building a career in Human Resources, teaching fitness classes, launching a photography business, or now creating Wild Seasonal Living, I have never been afraid of hard work, which I learned from my dad.

Another lesson he taught me was perseverance.

Life doesn’t always go according to plan. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that every person eventually faces challenges they never expected.

A little over a decade ago, I experienced two life-changing events that reshaped the course of my life (the “curveballs” I mentioned earlier). First came my divorce. Then, just one year later, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer.

There were moments when giving up would have been easier. Moments when I questioned my strength and wondered what the future would look like.

But somewhere in the back of my mind were the lessons my father had spent a lifetime teaching me.

Keep going.

Do the work.

Take the next step.

Don’t quit.

Those simple lessons carried me through some of the most difficult seasons of my life.

What I appreciate most now is that my father’s advice wasn’t really about work at all. It was about character.

It was about being dependable.

Keeping your word.

Taking responsibility.

Treating people with respect.

Doing your best even when no one is watching.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to understand that success isn’t measured solely by titles, income, or accomplishments. Success is measured by the kind of person you become and the impact you have on others.

My father understood that long before I did.

Today, when I find myself facing a challenge, trying something new, or stepping into unfamiliar territory, I often think about those lessons.

Whether I’m writing a new blog post, teaching a fitness class, photographing a family, or navigating life’s inevitable ups and downs, I carry them with me.

The older I get, the more grateful I become for the example my father set.

Not because he was perfect.

But because he showed me what resilience, integrity, and hard work look like in everyday life.

Those lessons have become part of who I am.

And if there is one piece of advice my dad gave me that has stood the test of time, it is this:

Show up. Work hard. Keep going.

Simple words.

Powerful lessons.

Lessons that continue to guide me in every season of life.