At school we quickly understood that in order to learn something well we needed to repeat it several times, and this is true of everything else as well, including the principles of a good life. Deep down you probably know that it's okay to say "no" sometimes, to be blatantly honest, to accept people’s imperfections, to forgive and forget and so on, but sometimes it’s difficult to do these things in moments of truth.
To be able to do these things, you need to memorize the following 10 principles for a good life. Some may make you feel a bit uncomfortable, but the truth that is found in each of these principles is important for your mind in the present, and especially in the future.
In other words, you can’t control the feelings you create in others. Anything you do or say is filtered through the minds of others and seen through a lens related to what they are going through at the moment - and it has nothing to do with you. Just keep doing things out of love and goodwill, and try to support people who are dear to you when they are going through tough times.
When someone "annoys" us, it is often because they behave in a way that does meet our expectation. The frustration that arises in us, therefore, doesn’t come from their behavior, but rather from the difference between it and what we expect. So do not get carried away with your feelings, and remember that calm is power.
As we get older we learn to value our time, the relationships we have with others, the work we do, the moments of peace and quiet that we enjoy and more and more. Apart from these, there are very few other things that are important to us in life, and the best sign of personal growth and development is the understanding that there is no reason to stress or worry about trivial things that used to drain us.
Don’t fall into old habits that you had in the past, even if you felt that life was much easier then. Remember, you stopped these habits for a reason - to improve your life, and now you have to keep moving forward rather than looking back, and certainly not go backward.
Peace does not necessarily mean that there is no mess, trouble or difficulty to deal with. Peace is found among all of these when one learns how to balance life from a practical, emotional and intellectual standpoint. The problems in life won’t stop, however, the way you react to them will determine how large or small they’ll be.
Most of us spend too much time waiting for the right path of life to come before us, but that’s never going to happen. We tend to forget that the same course of life is one that we pave by walking it, and it doesn’t exist until we do so. You don’t need to feel safe before you take the first step - that step is what will build your confidence.
Forget what others think of you, just do what you love with passion, modesty, and honesty. Don’t wait for applause, but do what you do simply because that's what you want to do - because it's right for you. This is the only way to realize your dreams.
It's never too late for anything, and you didn’t stay back or miss a chance – right now, you’re exactly where you are supposed to be, and every step you took was necessary. So do not judge yourself or underestimate yourself because of the length of your journey - we all have to go a long way to find out who we really are and what our mission is in the world. Give yourself respect and appreciation for reaching this point and continuing your journey - it isn’t over yet.
You may not have been responsible for what happened to you in your childhood, but you do have to take responsibility for actions that will correct the mistakes that have been made, as well as the patterns of thoughts you have created for yourself as a result of those situations. Don’t blame the past for what is happening to you in the present, because it won’t correct the situation. If your responses lead you to the same place, change your pattern and thinking according to the things you’ve learned so far.
In retrospect, everyone can find something in their past that made their life difficult, but today they live with these things without a problem. Sometimes we even grow to love situations that in the past seemed only negative. Life often leads us on a journey we would never have chosen if it was up to us, but you mustn’t be afraid. Trust that your journey will lead you to where you are supposed to be.
These messages should be read at the beginning of each day in order for them to be in your head for the whole day, and if you do so, they’ll slowly be engraved in your mind for the rest of your life. You can do this either at the end of each day or during a break at work, but it is very important that you repeat them regularly, even if at some point you feel that it is unnecessary. If you want to take it one step further, write these principles on slips of paper and hang them around the house so that you can see them from time to time and remember them – doing so can really change your life!
