"He who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation." - Machiavelli, The Prince
Rules for Life
Author: Jack
I have a friend who wrote ten beliefs she has that often counters mantras she hears. I thought they were very interesting. Read through them, and tell me what you think.
So ever sit around thinking? I do that alot and I've been thinking about life's greatest maxims. And how I disagree with them. So, here is my advice for life. Just as I've been thinking about it in the past half hour.
10. Don't dance around in the rain without a coat on just to feel cool. It's bad for your health. At least carry an umbrella with you. Better to be healthy than feel cool for five minutes. ;)
9. Don't dance around like nobody's watching. Dance around as if you were surrounded by your best friends...even if you aren't. ;)
8. The people who don't like you really do matter. They're the ones who remind you of your imperfections. Rather than completely turn from them, appreciate them for not idolizing you all the time. That's easier said than done though.
7. Life isn't complicated. Decisions, relationships, people aren't complicated. It's all very simple really. You make decisions and then you brace yourself for the consequences.
6. When people tell you no to be afraid of anything, they're lying. Go ahead and be afraid. Be so incredibly scared that your knees buckle and your stomach turns to jell-o. Then, go ahead and go through with whatever you're afraid of anyway.
5. The phrase "Live. Laugh. Love" never made any sense to me. You should be able to get more than love and laughter out of your life. If you can't experience heartbreak and grief well then you'll never appreciate life and love.
4. For all the talking people do, all the maxims passed around, nothing really takes effect until you decide to do something.
3. When you really discover that you in fact care about someone. Don't tell them. SHOW them. Do something BIG to say "You are, in fact, an amazing part of my life". Small and simple might cut it but since when has anyone said "wow, that BIG thing was nice but could you just tie my shoelace?" BIG always gets the message across. :)
2. I hate that people say "love without holding back". I say hold it back. Wait for that one person to show up who'll unlock the floodgates of love that you held safe just for them. If you continously shower all your love on people who don't deserve it, you'll be completely run dry by the end.
1. Don't live every day as if it were your last. You'll be too busy saying goodbye to everything all the time. Wake up to every sunrise as if it were the first one you'd ever seen. Live every day as if it were your FIRST. Rediscover the world every day you're alive.
Okay that is all for now. Enjoy your lives and remember that sometimes, the phrase that "they" say isn't always accurate. ;)
Which friend was this??? Do I know her?
10. The point may be to enjoy the moment, occasionally its healthy to throw caution to the wind and just be in the moment even if the consequences aren't great, sometimes they're worth the risk. Also Houston Rain isn't that cold, LOL!
9. Some people may not dance at all in front of others. It's good to let loose sometimes. :) See last point. Besides, it'd be weird to dance like my friends were there when I was alone, roflol!
8. BUT if we place too much emphasis on them and their opinions it's not going to get us anywhere good. :)
7. WHICH isn't always simple. It's hard to make decisions that will effect people in big ways without feeling some emotional turmoil.
6. Just don't let the fear stand in your way.
5. Me nether, well at first it was cool, but then it went all trendy... "everybody's doing it!" BUT, life has those lows anyway, so why not try to remind yourself to laugh and love through life?
4. EXACTLY. :)
3. Without the little things the big things are just Pomp, and therefore meaningless. Think about a husband that brings home chocolates, flowers, gifts weekly but then leaves all the "little" family stuff up to the wife. Does she really feel loved? When some guy Though people do use the "I'm just not romantic" card too much and miss out on showing people that really need to know how much they really do care.
2. But that's the Beauty of Love, the more you do it the more you have to give. I agree, don't waste love on those who don't deserve you falling IN LOVE with them, but did Christ hold back his love? I don't thing he held back a pinch of it. And isn't our goal to always be more Christlike? OF course he would want us to be smart and not be abused, but to love regardless. Hmm, that's something I need to work on...
1. I like that. The last day thing always bugged me cause well, yeah, but I do see the point of it, treat everyone well because you never know if you'll get a second chance.
OK, I'm just having fun, it's nice to see other perspectives though.
Great thoughts. Couple of comments:
8. True, but I still like a ration of about 4:1, with four people basically liking me to every one that's criticizing...just to keep a balance between 'ees I can' and 'dang I could do that better!'
4. Sounds like Yoda, 'There is no 'try'. There is only do or not do.'
Here's one more maxim I like, by Winston Churchill: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”