He might be a silly old bear, but Winnie the Pooh is a bear with very much wisdom to share. As he adventures out for honey in the Hundred Acre Wood, he shares some of his experiences with us, as well as what he learned from them. Pay attention to the story, because you might learn something that will make your life sweet as a honey pot.
“Before you begin a hunt, it is wise to ask someone what you are looking for before you begin looking for it.”
As a kid, hide-and-seek was always a fun game, especially when you learned the tricks. Like the tall kids would probably hide behind the tall trees, and you have to be alert for the tiny kids who were clever enough to sneak past you. The premise of this quote is that you would save a lot of time looking for things if you knew what you were looking for.
“What’s wrong with knowing what you know now and not knowing what you don’t know until later?”
Being a curious kid, I loved to play twenty questions, especially when I found someone willing to answer my questions. Then we got to a point in life where there was such a thing as a dumb question, and then we stopped asking questions because we were afraid of being that kid.
“When you are a bear of very little brain, and you think of things, you find that sometimes that a thing which seemed very thingish inside you is quite different than when it gets out in the open and has other people looking at it.”
Public speaking used to intimidate me because it was a way for me to share my thoughts, and at some point, I became aware that people would have their own thoughts on my thoughts. Ideas sound great in my head, but sometimes I voice them out loud and realize how silly the idea is in actuality. That’s why it probably would not hurt to think an idea through and develop it before sharing it with the world.
“We didn’t realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun.”
In the age of technology, this is something that everyone should try and remember. When you look back on a moment, are you really going to remember that perfect photo that you took on Instagram, or are you going to remember the story behind it? Photos are great for sharing with people who aren’t there, but the true meaning of a memory is how it makes you feel and the impact it had on your life.
“Rivers know this: There is no hurry. We shall get there someday.”
We want it all, all the time. The career, the family, the perfect soul mate. These are things people think they are entitled to have now. The thing is, you could probably have these things at a snap of your finger, but it won’t be right. Good things come to those who wait. You’re going to graduate someday. You’ll have your own family someday. That family will come one day. Patience is the key here.
“If possible, try to find a way to come downstairs that doesn’t involve going bump, bump, bump, on the back of your head.”
There are so many ways to get to the same place. Would you want to put in more effort, experience more stress, and still end up at the same place as someone who worked less and slept more? No, you would want to maximize your possibilities with less effort. That’s why Pooh is telling you to think about your options before you make a decision.
“Don’t underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.”
I used to be one of those people who would stress out when they have a minute off, and I would fill my schedule down to the minute. That eventually led to me experiencing burnout, which led me to understand the value of not bothering. There is always going to be something to do, and but that something isn’t going to get done if you cannot show up. Appreciate the times where you do nothing, and don’t bother about the other things.
“I always get to where I’m going by walking away from where I have been.”
It’s always very tempting to stick to what you’re comfortable with because it’s safe and you know what the results will be. However, you’re not going to grow this way. You grow through uncomfortable situations and pushing yourself beyond what you think you can handle.
“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”
Compared to Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh is a stuffed animal of very tiny size. However, Pooh takes up the most room in Christopher’s heart because he’s there to comfort him, make him laugh, and they experience all their adventures together.
“It is always useful to know where a friend-and-relation is, whether you want him or whether you don’t.”
Whether a friend or a significant other, it is always important to define the relationship. You don’t want to let anyone string you along and use you. Even though the honey is tempting, you don’t want to endure the stress it takes to get that honey.
“Just because an animal is large, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t want kindness; however big Tigger seems to be, remember that he wants as much kindness as Roo.”
Upon first impression, Winnie the Pooh was actually terrified of Tigger. Who wouldn’t be, with his energy and his size? Then, of course, he is a tiger. In the end, Pooh ended up realizing that all Tigger wanted was the same kindness that Pooh shared with all his friends. Now, they’re as close as Pooh and Piglet.
“Love is taking a few steps backward, maybe even more, to give way to the happiness of the person you love.”
There are so many quotes about love and what it’s supposed to be and look like. At the end of the day though, love is wanting happiness for another person. Love is stepping back and waiting for a person, the same way that Pooh did for Christopher Robin in the Christopher Robin movie.
These are just a few of the lessons that a bear full of fluff taught us. As we wander away from the Hundred Acre Wood, it would do us some good to remember these lessons in our hearts next to where Winnie the Pooh left a mark.