Read Every Day

I made a list, I guess it's nothing new. It's half inspired by the index of a book my friend Steve told my sister about, but honestly I've had the list in my head for a long time.

01. Waste as little as possible, and want less.
02. Strive to always be pleasant
03. Believe in something bigger than you
04. Appreciate suffering, but not cynicism
05. Love people as they are, no matter what
06. Don't confuse potential for a promise
07. Do something productive, every day.
08. Never loan something you want to get back
09. Remember that the worst case scenario, is never that bad
10. Invest in before you withdraw from, yourself and others.

I could easily say that you could draw a direct correlation between how happy I am, and how successfully I've followed these rules. Obviously there's extended details in each of them, and if you're a friend of mine, you've heard me quip a handful of them like old men do any time I'm asked for advice. These are all things I've believed for a long time, and phrases I've coined for myself or otherwise adopted. If you've never seen the movie Harvey, you should... Elwood P. Dowd was a huge role model for me growing up.

I'm terrible at doing some of these things, and a professional at doing others. But I can, and in full confidence, say that these things make life easier and more successful. It wasn't until last night that I felt compelled to type them up.

Anyway, I hope that writing it out will force me to reckon with my weaknesses (like doing something productive every day, and trying to not confuse potential with a promise) And I challenge you to save the list somewhere and check yourself against it when you're unhappy. If you're unclear about what a specific rule means, ask.. I'll clarify.