Commandments of this life…

Over the past few years I have grown in many areas except size, I’ve actually shrunk by about forty pounds.  I have created a list of ten commandments or rules to live by which when I follow them religiously, no pun intended, my life always gets better.

1.  Laugh more.  Sounds easy but some days it’s the hardest thing ever.  I watch comedies, share jokes, and laugh out loud at the amusing things people do!  

  

2.  Live life like there is no tomorrow. I believe that by putting things off I actually create stress. If there is something I want to do, or someone I need to see, I do it, or at least make a plan so it will happen. Bucket lists have been all the rage for years, but I prefer to just live in the moment. 

3.  Love me.  I’m far from perfect and I know it. But there are many things I am good at, things that I can be proud of myself for. 

  

4.  Smile through the tears. Like most people I have sad moments, times when a memory hits and it brings tears. I know that for me if I can force a smile or a little giggle, things will get better. 

5.  Take a moment to remember the little things. Life is stressful, pausing to enjoy a short walk or five minutes extra in the shower makes a huge difference. Gratitude is important, without it I find that I lose my momentum. 

6.  Choose my friends wisely. There is a saying that goes something like “keep your friends close and your enemies closer”. It is true that not everyone has the best intentions, and unfortunately some are not as honest as I think they are. Move slowly when forming new relationships, watch reactions and analyze responses. 

  

7.  Challenge myself to do everything, everyday. It would be easy to just curl in a ball and say “I can’t”. But I choose to challenge myself to keep walking, exercising, learning and growing on a daily basis. 

8.  Learn something new everyday.  Not a day should go by that I don’t learn something new. It doesn’t have to be a Phd a day, but I read, Google, and search out information. I believe it makes me a better person. 

9.  I don’t need to know everything.  Each person that passes through my life, does so for a reason, not knowing why, is ok.  It will all make sense at some point and that’s good enough. 

  

10.  Age is just a number that represents my years on Earth in this life.  It does not dictate what I can do, how I do it, or who I do it with. I am young at heart with so much left to do in this life and I won’t let the ‘number’ slow me down. 

Live, love and carry on.