Life Lessons From Dad

From my grandpa’s incredible work ethic and goofy sense of humor to my stepfather’s genuine, from-the-heart sincerity, there are a number of values I learned from the fathers in my life. The words sweet, smart and beautiful hold a special place on the advice shelf in my mind – as a girl, my father encouraged me to try and embody them each and every day.

In the spirit of sharing stories and paying tribute to dads everywhere, we asked the Etsy community “What is the best advice your dad has ever given you?” on Facebook and on Instagram. We got more than 1000 responses, and here we’ll share a few of our favorites.

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On taking the car out for a spin:

“When you are driving, remember it is not how fast you are going, but how quickly you can stop.” – Wendy Bradnam

On work:

“In everything you do, no matter how much you would be rather doing something else, find something you like. And be sure you do the job right. You never know who is looking over your shoulder.” – 3lla Handmade

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On love:

“On my wedding day: Sometimes the thing you love best about a person is going to be the thing that drives you the most crazy about that person.” – Jhen Mason

On repairs:

“Duct tape is a power tool.” – Mickey McDonald

On closet monsters:

“Put the blankets all the way over your body, and you won’t have nightmares.” – Callie Fong

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On achieving your dreams:

“If you never try, you never know what you can achieve. Also: everything in moderation. With those in mind and pinch of determination, I’ve realized a number of my dreams.” – Jettalyn Bittner

“My dad told me life isn’t worth living if you don’t have a dream. He told me to have a dream and to work hard to make it come true.” – Sandre Moore

Join the conversation in the comments section – what’s the best advice your father gave you?