Better Living

• Don't worry about anything. There is no point to it, and the time can be better spent. Run your own life; if someone else makes a mistake it's ultimately their problem although of course you can help them. (Worrying and dealing with problems causes stress: the best way to deal with stress is to exercise.) (Or to laugh.)
• Stick to decisions, and don't look back.
• Be spontaneous and impulsive, willing to do new things, don't get stuck in a repetitive rut. Human intelligence could be defined as the ability to adapt to change. We lose braincells daily after age 18 and if you don't stimulate the brain and make new neural connections by performing a range of activities then you can kiss your mind goodbye before you hit 30. The day you or your life becomes predictable is the day you start to die.
• Have an opening and a questioning mind, and appreciate the world around you. Treat every day as a new beginning and a new adventure and never take anything for granted
• Do what you want, find out who you are, what you want to do and do it.
• To succeed (do what you want, usually involves garnering huge amounts of money) you need determination and the desire to succeed over and above brainpower. Unless your brain is physically damaged I can't see why anyone cannot achieve anything they want, even if they were born in a lion's den in Guatemala.
• If you want something to happen enough then it will happen, because you will be prepared to take the steps to make it happen, and you will have determination and not give up.
• You are the way you are because you want to be (job, health) or because you're a lazy bastard, because if you really wanted to change you could.
• Do not have different ways of conducting yourself before different groups of people. Be yourself and say what you feel.
• Do not withdraw an offer of help or allegiance once given.
• Don't hold grudges
• Always look at the bigger picture.
• Confront your fears.
• Do not condone or permit cruelty to any animal.
• Be courteous to everyone you meet. Most people can be pleasant, but mainly when they feel like it - I consider such people to have weak personalities. ie their behaviour toward others is determined by their own state of mind or the behaviour of others. Stronger personalities can rise above awkward situations and internal conflict and behave in the same way to others all the time.
• Take responsibility for your actions, don't look for someone or something to blame. Don't take out your anger on the wrong source. Buy a punchbag instead. (Or use a willing friend.)
• Don't do things in anger, or when tired or hungry.
• If you make a statement make sure it was worth stating, then stand by it. Do not duck, dive, beat around the bush or hide behind anonymity.
• If you practise something enough you will become very good at it, regardless of inherited characteristics.
• You have to have a sense of humour because the world is crackers.
• Be creative and don't put things off. Do everything and anything and do it now.
• Admit when you're wrong, learn from your mistakes and don't be too proud to ask others for help.
• Carpe Diem: you may not get another chance. If you really want something, make it happen.
• Don't dwell on the past, which has after all gone. To have memories is fine, but to think about past events constantly is unhealthy. In fact, doing anything constantly is unhealthy. The present does not exist, since the more accurately you try to define it, the faster it slips away from you. Look to the future.
• Don't stop other people from doing things. You might do this if you are dominating or desirous to prevent your children making the same mistakes you did. Let 'em do what they like, then when they screw up you can say "I told you so" or stand back and laugh, depending on how sick you really are. In any case I believe the only way to learn is to make mistakes.
• If your life feels like crap, travel. If you can't afford that then watch South Park.

To be happy/ energised/ stress free- exercise heavily, include breathing exercises. Drink lots of water, eat fruit. Listen to music. Laugh and interface with others.

written by Ed in 1998. last modified 25 October 2003