Maddie had an interesting idea with her alphabetical advice last week, so I thought I would take her up in her challenge. Her rules were simple: One letter, one bit of advice that starts with that letter.
So here is my alphabet! A - "A" is for absolution. Free yourself from blame or guilt for things that were outside of your control. B - "B" is for beautiful. True beauty comes from within. Looks are great when you are young, but looks have a tendency to fade with time (although Christine Brinkley still has it in my opinion!). Meanwhile, a good soul can last a lifetime and possibly beyond! C - "C" is for Companionship. Having a companion for your journey through life is comforting. Make sure you marry your soul mate, though, and don't settle for someone with flaws because you are afraid of being alone. Find someone who brings out your best side... not your worst. D - "D" is for drama. I think you will be happier if you avoid drama like the plague. I like to be happy, and if someone is constantly bringing you grief, your best bet is to avoid them. Surround yourself with smart people who are happy, and more importantly, make you happy as well! E - "E" is for effort. Not everything in life comes easy. The more effort you put in to what is important to you, the greater your return will be! F - "F" stands for failure. Don't be afraid to try and fail. Most setbacks are only temporary. It is better to have tried and failed, then to always wonder what might have been. This is true in relationships, business ventures and personal goals as well. G - "G" is for gratitude. Be grateful for what you have and those who love you. It's better to be grateful for what you have, than wishing for what you don't. If you really want something, develop a plan on how you can get it, and then use effort to work towards your goal. H - "H" is for happiness. Many people go through life looking for happiness, but never really stop to consider what makes them happy. Don't be one of these people. Think about what makes you happy and then pursue it. I find it is better to look for happiness in little things that can occur frequently, rather than in large things that rarely happen. A hug from my daughters, a good cup of coffee, chatting on the phone with my sister every day, and the natural beauty in the area that I live all bring me happiness each and every day! Am I always happy? No, but I give myself many opportunities to be happy each day, and overall I would say I am happy. I - "I" is for incongruity. It's alright to not always run with the crowd. Make your own decisions about what is good and bad. March to a different drum and live your life as you see fit. Don't be afraid to walk your own path, even if it draws you away from the herd. Remember, sheep and cattle follow each other to the slaughter. Don't be a sheep! J - "J" is for joker. Remember, don't take yourself too seriously. Be quick with a smile for everyone, and don't be afraid to joke with people a bit. Deep down, everyone likes to laugh... Just make sure people are laughing with you and not at you. K - "K" is for kindness. Be kind to the people you meet. Everyone has a bad day on occasion. Don't automatically hold it against them. If it happens often, then avoid that person as much as possible. Sometimes a kind word and a smile can really work to turn someone's day around. If you meet me, be kind. I will definitely appreciate it! L - "L" is for logic. When making a decision, rational thought and deductive reasoning will nearly always get you closer to a correct answer than an emotional response will. There is nothing wrong with experiencing emotions... it's just better not to let them impact your decision-making processes. M - "M" is for memories. As I have gotten older, I have realized that memories are often my most-prized possessions. Think about it. We are all going to die some day. While we won't be bringing our money or cars with us, we may bring our memories. Based on that line of thinking, I want to make sure I have a whole lot of good memories to bring with me. N - "N" is for nice. Try to treat people as you want to be treated. I don't know about you, but I like to be treated nicely. O - "O" is for occasionally. Occasionally let your hair down and step out of your comfort zone. The only constant is change. Whether it is small incremental steps, or a giant leap, try something that is new and exciting for yourself. Sometimes, you will surprise yourself and find a new or better way of doing something that you have done for a very long time. Although small changes happen to us all daily, it is only occasionally that we will notice an event that has changed the entire direction of our life. P - "P" is for pizza. Okay, I admit this one sounds corny, but pizza is one of my favorite things to eat. Sometime, when life has you down, go grab a pizza, or whatever your favorite food is and enjoy the moment. It's okay to have a slice or two from time to time. Just don't use it as a way to fill an emptiness inside you. Treat yourself to a slice, but don't use it to drown your sorrows. Q - "Q" is for quality. Some things are worth paying up for. Not just monetarily either. Know the value of a good friend, a loyal lover or a trusted employee. Try to avoid overpaying for hype. The world is full of marketing! Make sure you get what you pay for... whether you are paying in cash or time. R - "R" is for reality. Don't live a lie! Life is better when you keep it real. Be honest, and expect honesty in return. Don't fool yourself by saying "well, everyone else is doing it!" Know your limitations and what you can live with, and then don't give up your principles. S - "S" is for selectivity. Be selective with your life. Find friends that add positively to your life. Avoid people who only bring grief and drama. T - "T" is for try. Nothing can be achieved without trying. If you don't like the way your life is going, try to change it for the better. Oftentimes, small changes can have a large impact. Don't try to change the world over night. Instead, find one little thing that you can change each day. After a year, you will have changed 365 things about your life. That sounds like a major change to me! Nothing will happen if you don't try though. U - "U" is for unique. You are unique. You are the only one that has had your experiences in the exact order you have had them. Don't try to be like everyone else. Be yourself. I believe that most people's mental problems are caused by them being so worried about how others perceive them. I can tell you from experience that what people thought of me when I was younger has no bearing on who I am now. Be yourself. People will either accept you for who you are, or not. If they don't, well, there are plenty of people out there who will. Don't worry about them. V - "V" is for vivacious. Vivacious means full of life. Have you ever noticed that there are some people who seem more upbeat about everything? Not all of the time, but most of the time? I find, these people are the most fun to be around. Do you really want to be around someone who is always moping and complaining> Me neither! I try to surround myself with positive, fun-loving people... and I, in turn, try to be the same way. Think of it this way, would you rather make someone glad, sad, or mad? I know my answer is I like to make people glad. Glad that they met me, and happy to be alive. It doesn't always work, but I try. W - "W" is for work. Work hard for what you want, and it will seem more like play. Try never to lose sight of why you are working. What is your goal? Are you still driving toward it? Notice that when I say work I don't mean what you do for a living. We all have to work. My advice is to try and find a profession that makes you happy. It is better to work at a job for seven hours a day that makes you happy rather than down. If you are not happy at what you are doing now, then look for a new job... or start a business that you do love. X - "X" is for goal setting. Think of the old pirate map. X always marked the spot where the treasure was buried. Draw a map of where you want your life to lead you. Fill it with a lot of tiny X's that signify short- and long-term goals. Once you have a proverbial map of where you want to go in your life, then start working towards finding those X's! Y - "Y" is for yourself. Try to always be true to yourself and your ideals. Don't compromise your moral compass to please someone else. Set your standards, and then stick to them. Remember, you are only really responsible to yourself and your own ideals. Z - "Z is for zen. Appreciate your life in this moment. The future is not guaranteed, and the past can't be changed. What you have is right now. How are you going to spend this moment. I am going to grab a cup of coffee and then get on with my day. I have reports to write, classes to teach and lessons to learn. Remember, the teacher is also a student, and the student a teacher. We all have things to learn, and its rare that I find a person that can't teach me something. Sometimes, the lesson is humility.
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