Lessons for me. Lessons for my daughter.

One of the greatest (and, at times, frustrating) things about being pregnant is the constant stream of advice. Some women really, really hate the guidance, but I'm the least capable mother-to-be on the planet. I need all the help that I can get.

Lately, I've appreciated having the sense to listen to the following tidbits:
1. Keep an extra set of undies with you at all times (very handy for when one full-on wets one's pants...at work. So much for those Kegels.)
2. Keep a granola bar with you at all times (a great antidote to first trimest nausea, second trimester cravings, and third trimester "Good Lord, my esophagus is on fire" heartburn)
3. Labor feels more like pressure than pain (work with me on this...I don't want to hear your horror stories)

As I prepare for BabyBear's arrival, there are days when I've been in a complete, flat out sprint. Too busy to really stop and enjoy this pregnancy experience, as some have instructed. This week I was forced to pause when the book publishing world took note of Randy Pausch, the well-known father, Carnegie Mellon professor and cancer patient, who offered The Last Lecture to his students, the YouTube community, Oprah's audience, and, now, readers.

Ultimately, Dr. Pausch's lecture was not meant for the millions of people who have watched or read his thoughts. Instead, he compiled his thoughts for the sake of his 3 children. Their father's wisdom will be there for them years after their memories of him fade.

I look forward to learning from my daughter in the coming years. But if she asked for my take today, I'd share these thoughts:

1. Write thank you notes. And not just the standard 3 or 4 lines when you receive a nice gift. Be specific about what people mean to you and why they matter. In turn, save the thank you notes people write you and re-read them when you need a boost.
2. Call your parents frequently after you've moved out. Thank them. Share your life with them.
3. Work very hard some of the time, but not all of the time. There will always be people who are smarter, who can get results quickly. Sometimes you can only succeed by outworking others. But if you do this too much, you'll miss out on the rest of what you should be doing.
4. Run a marathon at least once and do it with people you love. There is nothing more satisfying than working towards a goal, connected to friends and family during each step of training and racing.
5. Marry your best friend. (My mother taught me this one...although she also suggested that I find a best friend with aspirations to become a doctor, lawyer or dentist.)
6. Learning something new is never a waste of time. (See Steve Job's commencement address, particularly the connect the dots backwards take-away.)
7. Girls can be mean, even when they are grown up girls. Don't be one of those girls. And if you find yourself slipping into their ways, stop immediately and say you are sorry.
8. Read a lot. Lots of different kinds of books on lots of different topics. You'll find that the most interesting people out there read a lot too.
9. Remain friends with people years after your paths naturally cross. Keep in touch with good people, even when it's not convenient.
10. Offer to help others without knowing if/when they may be in a position to help you. This creates a virtuous cycle around your personal brand and it feels good in the moment.

What advice do you have to offer?