Handbook to Life

G'day Salty Sweater-ers. I feel like I'm always copying Peanut Butter Fingers with my posts because I take so much from her blog, but she really knows what she's talking about! After all, she is one of the reasons I decided to start this here blog so, PBF, if you're out there, please take my copy-cat posts as a compliment :)

Anyway, I was going through some of her old posts and came across the Handbook to Life. I feel like every one of the things on this list is what I've been trying to work on over the past year. I've also highlighted my personal favorite pieces of advice.

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don’t have negative thoughts over things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don’t overdo. Keep your limits.
14. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. Be grateful for what you have been given.
18. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
21. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away (like algebra class) but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
22. Smile and laugh more.
23. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:


family members

 24. Call your family often.
25. Each day give something good to others.
26. Forgive.
27. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
28. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
31. Do the right thing!
32. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
33. God heals everything.
34. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
36. The best is yet to come. 
37. When you awake alive in the morning, thank God for it.
38. Your inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

This nugget always makes me happy

I feel like I am a happier, calmer, more real version of myself by doing some of the things on this list. My sister Kate was visiting from New Jersey a few weeks ago and one of the first things she said to me was, "you seem so much happier since the last time I saw you" which was October 2010. I didn't really realize how taking time to really focus on myself and change certain things about my life can be so noticeable to others. That being said, I ain't perfect, and I am fully aware of that. But I think remembering the things on this list will help me continue to grow in a positive direction. And hopefully it helps you too!