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25 Family Mottos to Live By

A common refrain — whether quirky or serious — can help put things into perspective

Houzz

By Houzz

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Published on: April 21, 2017

happy family

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Amid the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s easy to lose track of what’s really important. Oftentimes, that’s your close family members — spouses, partners, children, parents, grandparents, grandchildren — with whom you charge through life’s ups and downs.

When times get tough, sometimes you need something that helps realign your family unit, perhaps a common refrain that quickly puts everything back into perspective. I’m talking about a motto. For Rosalía del Río, who shares a house in northern Spain with eight family members that span several generations, a constant refrain is: “Party, party, party. You are not allowed to come to this house without a bottle of wine — we won’t let you in.”

We gathered 25 other family mottoes — quirky and serious — from a recent discussion with our community.

  1. Always tell the truth — so you don't have to remember what you said.
  2. Be a trooper. 
  3. Danger lurks ahead — let's go!
  4. Do what you can with what you have.
  5. Don't be seen. Don't be heard. Don't be caught.
  6. Everything happens for a reason. 
  7. Expect the best, prepare for the worst. 
  8. Go lie down.
  9. Gotta-do's before wanna-do's. 
  10. I could eat.
  11. If Mama ain't happy, nobody's happy. 
  12. If you don't think it can be done, you haven't thought about it long enough. 
  13. It'll be fun, it won't cost too much and I'm sure it won't take too long. 
  14. Let me be a blessing to someone today. 
  15. No trips to the emergency room!
  16. Often crazy, seldom lazy.
  17. Often wrong, but never in doubt. 
  18. On to the next disaster!
  19. One can never have too many gym socks!
  20. People, not things.
  21. Something will turn up. 
  22. The harder you work, the luckier you get. 
  23. Work hard, play hard. 
  24. Whoever cares the most, wins. 
  25. Thou shalt not whine. 

 

Originally published on Houzz, written by Mitchell Parker

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