As someone who cares not a lick about the Bucs, the Chiefs, or (most importantly) Tom Brady, I have nothing to say about Sunday’s Super Bowl. What I care a lot about is Aaron Rodgers’ amazing MVP acceptance speech at the 2021 NFL Honors.

That’s right, the night before the big game. While everyone’s talking about how the Green Bay Packers quarterback casually announced he’s engaged, I was more hung up on what he said in his closing remarks. 

As Rodgers wrapped up, he threw out a few calls to action to viewers. They were totally hippie-dippy, and so obviously I loved them. 

But here’s the thing: it was really good advice! For all of us, not just the hippies! I didn’t want it to get lost in the shuffle, so you’ll find the QB’s wisdom below.

Below, 5 life lessons from Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers:

1. Read books.

Yes! Books are great! I usually have a few on my nightstand because I borrow them from the library and you just never know when things are going to come in.

A few I’ve liked lately are: Sorry I’m Late, I didn’t Want to Come: One Introvert’s Year of Saying Yes; The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More, and Change The Way You Lead Forever, and Barack Obama’s A Promised Land

…That last one was a gift, but I’ve already passed it on. Books are for reading; bookshelves are for tchotchkes! Pass ’em on when you’re done.

Personally, I can’t go to sleep without reading at least a few pages of a book before bed.

2. Meditate. 

Okay ARodg, I see you. Does anyone call you ARodg? They should.

I’ve been practicing Transcendental Meditation for two years now—time flies when you’re sitting quietly twice a day for twenty minutes with your own thoughts!—and I’m totally hooked. 

Am I “good” at it? Well, my brain bounces around from tweets I want to post to my grocery list to whether I’ll be a good mom in the matter of milliseconds.

And that’s okay!

There’s value in bringing yourself back to the present moment. Over and over again.

Just think of how hard it is to turn on a TV show or movie and not reach for your phone so you can also scroll Instagram, text, and check your email while watching.

We could all use a little more practice just being still.

3. Manifest the desires of your heart. 

Now we’re talking! Gimme that hippie sh*t!

What do you want? When was the last time you even thought, “What is it that I want?” And sat there (in stillness!) just thinking about it? 

This one might be harder to do on your own. It could help to enlist a therapist, a spiritual counselor, a career or life coach, or simply a trusted friend. Sometimes those heart desires are buried deep! 

Once you’ve figured out what you want, those same people can help support you as you go after getting them.

Maybe it’s paying off your credit card debt so the financial stress is no longer hanging over you. Maybe it’s falling in love! Or making a huge career change that shifts the very ground under your feet.

Whatever it is, there’s no day like today to start manifesting!

4. Question everything. 

Whoah.

That is some serious life advice.

I’m guessing he doesn’t mean Q-anon-y stuff. I’m thinking more along the lines of: “Will a promotion at work actually take me away from the skillset developed, and do I want that?”

Or, “Do I really need to raise my kids in the faith tradition I was brought up in?”

Even, “Can I really not pull off cargo pants or am I just still traumatized from my middle school fashion days?”

I don’t have any of the answers, but you do!

5. Spread love and positivity.

Sounds like this is what Rodgers is doing with Shailene Woodley! (O-o-o-o-h, kissing sounds). 

But seriously, do you ever think about your friends and family who you just love being around?

We consistently vote my sister’s brother-in-law Justin to be my family’s “favorite” when we’re all together at the holidays (what, like you don’t rate and review family members after kids have gone to bed and parents have gone home for the night?!).

He wins the top spot because he’s always ready with a big hug and a bigger laugh. He’s just a positive person to be around. 

I don’t want to be a downer (though I will admit that I consistently rate somewhere towards the middle in our family’s ranking system), but we’re not all natural-born love and positivity spreaders.

Some of us (cough, me) always want to say the reason something won’t work first. Or spread gossip. 

But we can work on it!

Here’s an exercise: pick one person you know who spreads love and positivity everywhere they go—your Justin, if you will—and pinpoint a few of their habits to steal for the week.

Maybe it’s your kid, who encourages his or her siblings at every turn. Or maybe your best friend, who tells you how happy they are to hear from you every time you call. Maybe your mom smiles and nods when you’re telling her a story about work over FaceTime, showing you she’s engaged and cares. 

Think about what they do, and how they do it, and then…try doing that, too!

Your turn! What’s your MVP-worthy life advice? Share it with me on Twitter!