A Post for All Times

 I thought I would take some time to give some life tips today. I’m not saying that these are guides to follow for a happy life, or one without troubles, but these are lessons I’ve learned through others and especially through myself, the hard way.  

• Manners. Say please, say thank you, and when appropriate say you’re welcome. Make common courtesy and etiquette common again. 
• Know the differences and uses of they’re there, and their. This will reduce attacks from the grammar police.  Autocorrect is not always that correct. 
• Be honest. Your memory will fail at some point, and trust will be broken. Be honest from the start. 
• Always know a joke you can tell a five year old. A clean one, obviously. 
• Don’t rush getting old, but don’t prolong growing up. 
• Never say more than you know, but always know more than you say. 
• Sometimes you have to trust your gut, it might not always be right, but it’s not often that wrong.
• When in doubt, seek advice - preferably from a source that has been through what you need advice about. 
• You may never get a second chance at telling someone how you feel, speak up, even if for just but a moment, as long as you know you’ve been heard, that’s all you can do. 
• There is no shame in admitting mistakes. People may judge you for your mistakes, but as long as you admit and learn from your mistakes, you are two steps ahead of a lot of the ones judging, the remaining ones judging you are one step ahead of.
• High school antics should stop there, so remember that, and ignore those whose lifetime goal is to permanently remain in their pre-adulthood. 
• Make mistakes. Success comes from trying something and succeeding, but understanding why it succeeds (and often the reason for success) is the result of trial and error, often a lot. 
• Read a book, regularly. It doesn’t have to be a good one, but it makes for easier reading if it interests you. Step out of your comfort zone once in a while though. Classics may not read that well today, but neither will our current bestsellers one hundred years from now. 
• Finish what you start. If you need help, don’t be afraid or too proud to ask for it. 
• Never give your word if you aren’t sure with every fiber of your being that you can follow through. 
• Don’t make fun of or unfairly jest about anyone. You may not know their whole story and your actions can literally make or break someone. 
• Be kind. 

Once again, I’m not saying these will lead to a blissful life, only that your life may be much more rewarding and fulfilling if followed. 

The last one is the most important. Being a kind human being is often easier than a being rude or malicious one. Putting your hand over your heart and feeling it beat reminds you that you are indeed human. If we spent more time on being kind instead of caught up in our own self serving interests, the world would be a much different, a much better place. This does include being kind to yourself as well, and allowing yourself a little grace to make mistakes, but do learn from them. 

I wrote this to you as much as I wrote this to myself. By no means am I an example of the fruits of these suggestions, but I hope to be, one day. 

Until next time, dear readers…