Rules to Live By

by Michael Nolan on 26 June 2012 · 6 comments

in Articles, Good News

Michael NolanGet a houseplant. If you kill it, get another one. Eventually you will either get the hang of basic watering or there will be no more houseplants left on Earth.

Be human. Accept that you will make mistakes and when you do, apologize for them. What happens after you have made a sincere apology is beyond your control, so worrying about it is pointless.

Say what you mean. If you love someone, tell them. Don’t ever take for granted that your actions will do the talking for you because they might not be sending the intended message.

Mean what you say. Before you speak in haste, breathe. Give your brain a few seconds to catch up to your emotions so that you don’t say something that you will wish you hadn’t.

Do your best. Give every project your best effort. Then, instead of putting yourself down (or letting others do so), remind yourself that you did the best you could at the time. There is never room for shame when you gave all you had to give.

Look ‘em in the eye. The next time you check out at the market or order a meal at a restaurant, look your cashier or server in the eye and smile. When your transaction is complete, offer them a sincere ‘thank you’ as you go.

Smile. When you look at yourself in the mirror, instead of turning on your critical eye, smile at yourself instead.

Cook your favorite meal. Use the good dishes and drink the bottle of wine you’ve been saving for a special someone or special occasion. Today is a special occasion and you are special.

Don’t get (in) your way. Never forget that while your way may be best for you, it may not be right for everyone. Respect everyone’s right to make their own decisions and don’t pass judgment simply because someone did not follow your way. Mistakes made are lessons learned.

Stop hiding and love yourself. Be true to yourself. Don’t hide who you are out of fear of losing friends and loved ones. If they are true friends, they will love and support you unconditionally. If they don’t, they’re not your friends. Either way, living a lie is not living at all and you can’t love yourself if you can’t be honest about who you are.

{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

Christina Salwitz June 26, 2012 at 10:23 pm

Not one darn thing I can disagree with here. Wise words my friend. Thanks you for sharing them.

Chris McLaughlin June 26, 2012 at 10:34 pm

So I’m swooning. In the words of someone uber-fabulous, you’re awesome sauce.

Michael Nolan June 28, 2012 at 5:20 pm

You’re very sweet, my friend.

Michael Nolan June 28, 2012 at 5:21 pm

Thanks, Christina :)

Kathy Juracek January 24, 2013 at 10:16 am

WOW!! What a great post!

Michael Nolan January 24, 2013 at 10:17 am

Thanks, Kathy.

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