Good Advice for Hard Times

Well, it just gets worse and worse doesn't it? Collapsing banks, collapsing countries, massive government cuts, rising debt, inflation and the possibility of a double dip. It's amid all this uncertainty that the already embattled modern woman needs the best advice she can get about how to be as cool and calm in life as possible. This book offers pearls of wisdom, sent to me just in time for Christmas by a friend half way across the globe. I read each topic; youth, friendship, conversation, work, money, men, marriage, sex, motherhood, children, family, housework, relaxation, happiness, self worth, looks, exercise, diet, middle age, anger, adversity, courage, old age, life and death; picked up a few interesting quotes. (or shared the ones I liked)

Youth Youth troubles over eternity, age grasps at a day and is satisfied to have even the day - Dane Mary Gilmore

Friendship Men kick friendship around like a football but it doesn't seem to break. Women treat it like glass and it goes to pieces - Anne Marrow Lindbergh

Conversation The opposite of talking isn't listening. The opposite of talking is waiting - Fran Lebowitz
A gossip is someone who talks to you about others, a bore is someone who talk to you about himself, and a brilliant conversationalist is one who talks to you about yourself - Lisa Kirk
The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing in the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment - Lady Dorothy Nevill

Work Take your work seriously, but never yourself - Dame Margot Fonteyn
In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man - if you want anything done, ask a woman - Margaret Thatcher

Money If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to - Dorothy Parker
Money, if it does not bring you happiness, will at least help you be miserable in comfort - Helen Gurley Brown

Men When a man gives his opinion he's a man. When a woman gives her opinion she's a bitch - Bette Davis
The only time a woman really succeeds in changing a man is when he is a baby - Natalie Wood

Marriage A man would prefer to come home to an unmade bed and a happy woman than a neatly made bed and an angry woman - Marlene Dietrich

Motherhood The joys of motherhood are never fully experienced until the children are in bed - Anon
Some are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same and most mothers kiss and scold together - Pearl Buck

Children Children are our second chance to have a great parent-child relationship - Laura Schlessinger
You see much more of your children once they leave home - Lucille Ball
Loving a child doesn't mean giving in to all his whims; to love him is to bring out the best in him, to teach him to love what is difficult - Nadia Boulanger

Relaxation For fast-acting relief, try slowing down - Lily Tomlin

Self worth Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission - Eleanor Roosevelt
You are your own judge. The verdict is up to you - Astrid Alanda
When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you - African proverb
Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you? - Fanny Brice

Looks Fashion can be bought. Style one must possess - Edna Woolman Chase
You can take no credit for beauty at sixteen. But if you are beautiful at sixty, it will be your soul's own doing - Marie Stopes

Adversity If you want the rainbow, you've got to put up with the rain - Dolly Parton

Courage It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees - Dolores Ibarruri
Even cowards can endure hardship, only the brave can endure suspense - Mignon McLaughlin

Old age Wisdom doesn't automatically come with old age. Nothing does - except wrinkles. It's true, some wines improve with age. But only if the grapes were good in the first place - Abigail van Buren

Life Don't be afraid your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin - Grace Hansen