Old Farmer's Advice

“Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.”

“Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.”

“Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.”

“A bumble bee is considerably faster than a Massey Ferguson tractor.”

“Words that soak into your ears are whispered…...not yelled.”

“Meanness don't just happen overnight.”

“Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads.”

“Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.”

“It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.”

“You cannot unsay a cruel word.”

“Every path has a few puddles.”

“When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.”

“The best sermons are lived, not preached.”

“Most of the stuff people worry about, ain't never gonna happen anyway.”

“Don 't judge folks by their relatives.

“Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.”

“Live a good and honorable life, then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.”

“Don 't interfere with somethin' that ain't bothering you none.”

“Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.”

“If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.”

“Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.

“The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin'.”
 

“Always drink upstream from the herd.”

“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.”

“Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.”

“If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.”

“Live simply, love generously, care deeply,
speak kindly, and leave the rest to God.”

“Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you”

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Remember, if you’re headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns!  ~Allison Gappa Bottke

If you don't like how things are, change it!  You're not a tree.  ~Jim Rohn

See everything; overlook a great deal; correct a little.  ~Pope John XXIII

Give thanks for what you are now, and keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow.  ~Fernanda Miramontes-Landeros

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Now that it's all over, what did you really do yesterday that's worth mentioning?  ~Coleman Cox

Laziness will cause you pain.  ~Slogan on T-shirt worn at the Vee Arnis Jitsu School of Self-Defense

Never miss an opportunity to make others happy, even if you have to leave them alone in order to do it.  ~Author Unknown

Sometimes it's more important to be human, than to have good taste.  ~Brecht

Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win.  ~Jonathan Kozel

God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it's me.  ~Author unknown, variation of an excerpt from "The Serenity Prayer" by Reinhold Neibuhr
 

A day is Eternity's seed, and we are its Gardeners.  ~Erika Harris, lifeblazing.com

Excess on occasion is exhilirating.  It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit.  ~W. Somerset Maugham, The Summing Up, 1938

The vow that binds too strictly snaps itself.  ~Alfred Lord Tennyson, "The Last Tournament," Idylls of the King

Every one should keep a mental wastepaper basket and the older he grows the more things he will consign to it - torn up to irrecoverable tatters.  ~Samuel Butler

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.  ~Theodore Roosevelt

Be pleasant until ten o'clock in the morning and the rest of the day will take care of itself.  ~Elbert Hubbard

To sensible men, every day is a day of reckoning.  ~John W. Gardner

Don't look where you fall, but where you slipped.  ~African Proverb

Practical life teaches us that people may differ and that both may be wrong: it also teaches us that people may differ and both be right.  Anchor yourself fast in the latter faith, or the former will sweep your heart away.  ~Augustus William Hare and Julius Charles Hare, Guesses at Truth, by Two Brothers, 1827
 

The important thing is this:  To be able at any moment to sacrifice that which we are for what we could become.  ~Charles DuBois
 

Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time.  ~Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
 

If you keep rephrasing the question, it gradually becomes the answer.  ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com
 

Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.  ~John Lennon
 

It is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.  ~Albert Einstein
 

Have a heart that never hardens, a temper that never tires, a touch that never hurts.  ~Charles Dickens

When you start treating people like people, they become people.  ~Paul Vitale

I thought growing up was something that happened automatically as you got older.  But it turns out it's something you have to choose to do.  ~From the television show Scrubs
 

If you have to do it every day, for God's sake learn to do it well.  ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

Dare to be imperfect and one day there will tug at your sleeve a soulmate.  ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com
 

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.  ~Robert Louis Stevenson
 

In this age, which believes that there is a short cut to everything, the greatest lesson to be learned is that the most difficult way is, in the long run, the easiest.  ~Henry Miller, The Books in My Life
 

Never explain.  Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe it anyway.  ~Elbert Hubbard, A Thousand and One Epigrams, 1911
 

Do not condemn the judgment of another because it differs from your own.  You may both be wrong.  ~Dandemis
 

Whatever you are be a good one.  ~Abraham Lincoln
 

It's better to fight for something than against something.  ~Author Unknown
 

The day will happen whether or not you get up.  ~John Ciardi
 

Nature gave men two ends - one to sit on and one to think with.  Ever since then man's success or failure has been dependent on the one he used most.  ~George R. Kirkpatrick
 

One should always play fair when one has the winning cards.  ~Oscar Wilde

Half the failures in life arise from pulling in the horse as he is leaping.  ~Augustus William Hare and Julius Charles Hare, Guesses at Truth, by Two Brothers, 1827

Giving up doesn't always mean you are weak.  Sometimes it means that you are strong enough to let go.  ~Author Unknown

Promise only what you can deliver.  Then deliver more than you promise.  ~Author Unknown

Don't compromise yourself.  You're all you've got.  ~Janis Joplin
 

Life is like riding a bicycle - in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.  ~Albert Einstein
 

The biggest problem in the world Could have been solved when it was small. ~Witter Bynner, The Way of Life According to Laotzu
 

Be the master of your fate, be the captain of your soul, but do not hesitate, should the chance befall you, to be the slave of your heart.  ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com
 

In the hopes of reaching the moon men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet.  ~Albert Schweitzer
 

Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.  ~Robert Frost
 

What you can't get out of, get into wholeheartedly.  ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

Never believe in mirrors or newspapers.  ~Tom Stoppard

Never confuse thoughtlessness with malice.  ~Robert Charles Whitehead
 

You want to run out in front, prepare to be tripped from behind.  ~S.A. Sachs

Now and then it is a joy to have one's table red with wine and roses.  ~Oscar Wilde

It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.  ~Howard Ruff, How to Prosper in the Coming Bad Years, 1979

While seeking revenge, dig two graves - one for yourself.  ~Doug Horton

To do nothing is sometimes a good remedy.  ~Hippocrates

Work out your own salvation.  Do not depend on others.  ~Buddha
 

Make somebody happy today.  Mind your own business.  ~Ann Landers

Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?  ~Abraham Lincoln

There are two kinds of light - the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures.  ~James Thurber
 

The essential question is not, "How busy are you?" but "What are you busy at?"  ~Oprah Winfrey
 

Don't get your knickers in a knot.  Nothing is solved and it just makes you walk funny.  ~Kathryn Carpenter
 

Never undertake anything for which you wouldn't have the courage to ask the blessings of heaven.  ~G.C. Lichtenberg

Watch the little things; a small leak will sink a great ship.  ~Benjamin Franklin
 

Don't despise empiric truth.  Lots of things work in practice for which the laboratory has never found proof.  ~Martin H. Fischer

The best way to predict your future is to create it.  ~Peter Drucker
 

You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.  ~Irish Proverb

It is better to sleep on things beforehand than lie awake about them afterwards.  ~Baltasar Gracian
 

It is the false shame of fools to try to conceal wounds that have not healed.  ~Horace
 

Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours.  ~Swedish Proverb
 

The three great essentials to achieve anything worth while are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.  ~Thomas Edison

It's all right letting yourself go as long as you can let yourself back.  ~Mick Jagger
 

When you lose, don't lose the lesson.  ~Author Unknown
 

There is often less danger in the things we fear than in the things we desire.  ~John C. Collins
 

Your future depends on many things, but mostly on you.  ~Frank Tyger
 

Dig the well before you are thirsty.  ~Chinese Proverb
 

Wish for nothing so much that you forget to make it come true.  ~Jeb Dickerson, www.howtomatter.com

Be nice to people on your way up because you'll need them on your way down.  ~W. Migner
 

When you throw dirt, you lose ground.  ~Texan Proverb

Everyone should learn to do one thing supremely well because he likes it, and one thing supremely well because he detests it.  ~Brigham Young
 

Sometimes the only way you can take a really good look at yourself is through somebody else's eyes.  ~From the television show Scrubs
 

Sometimes the best way to hold onto something is to let it go.  ~Author Unknown
 

It isn't what you know that counts, it's what you think of in time.  ~Author Unknown
 

The future lies before you, like paths of pure white snow.  Be careful how you tread it, for every step will show.  ~Author Unknown
 

For visions come not to polluted eyes.  ~Mary Howitt
 
 

Remedy it, or welcome it:  a wise man's only two choices.  ~Terri Guillemets
 

To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.  ~Chinese Proverb

Be wary of the man who urges an action in which he himself incurs no risk.  ~Joaquin de Setanti
 

God is good, but never dance in a small boat.  ~Irish Saying
 

It is better to stir up a question without deciding it, than to decide it without stirring it up.  ~Joseph Joubert
 

Sandwich every bit of criticism between two thick layers of praise.  ~Mary Kay Ash

Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.  ~Malcolm S. Forbes

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1. Be grateful
Being grateful is perhaps the most important attitude you must have to live a happy life. No matter how bad the situations around you are, you can always choose to respond positively. Being grateful makes you look at the world through positive lens and energizes your life. Don’t take things for granted. Be grateful even for simple things.
2. Follow your heart
Nothing can replace following your heart. People may tell you about the right thing to do or what they expect from you, but at the end, it’s your life. If you don’t live your own life, who will?
So slow down and listen to your heart. What does it tell you about your career? What does it tell you about your relationships? Listen to your heart and find the courage to follow it.
3. Dream big
How far you go is very much determined by how big your dream is. Having a small dream is like putting yourself inside a small box. You might end up living far below your fullest potential.
Of course, it’s not easy to dream big. Perhaps your failures in the past scare you. Perhaps you don’t think you have what it takes to achieve your dream. But don’t let negativity push you down. Dare to dream big.
If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse.
Walt Disney
4. Good is the worst enemy of best
When you reach a position that is good enough, you may become comfortable and think that it’s no longer worth it to continue fighting for the best. That’s why good is the worst enemy of best: it makes you stop before you achieve your fullest potential. It distracts you from pursuing your best life. Be grateful for what you have but understand that you still have a lot more in front of you.
5. Run your own race
Your race is different from other people’s races. Realizing this is liberating because it frees you from envy. When you hear that other people are successful, you can sincerely be grateful since you are not in competition with them. At the same time, it also pushes you to live your best life. Why? Because you are competing against yourself.
I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself.
Mikhail Baryshnikov
6. Focus on what you can control
Sometimes you might have bad experiences that you can’t do anything about. If that happened, don’t dwell on it. You are wasting a lot of mental energy if you do. Move on and focus instead on things you can control. Applying this frees you from a lot of stress and worries.
One application of this principle is on changing people. Which one do you think you can change: yourself or other people? You can’t change other people but you can change yourself. So focus on changing yourself.
7. Failure is your friend
Befriending failure makes you dare to try new things. It puts you on the path of inventions, breakthroughs, and innovations. Failure is often the price of progress.
Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure.
Thomas J. Watson
8. Relationships are your greatest treasures
At the end, what do you want to achieve in life? Will it be meaningful to have a lot of money if you have broken relationships? Will it be meaningful to be famous if you lose love? I don’t think so. Your relationships are your greatest treasures. Understand it before it’s too late.
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Don't Worry--Be Happy
It's easier said than done, of course, but looking back I have found that the things I worry about are almost never the things that happen. The real "bone crunchers " of life have always seemed to come out of left field. I've had my share like everyone else--but they have always been things that never crossed my mind to worry about, and they have always simply blindsided me.
Don't Look Back
I try not to look back with regret at any part of my past (should I have taken this or that job, could I have saved my marriage, Should I have married somebody else, had more/fewer children etc.) and I try not to worry about the future. I don't have a crystal ball. I just do the best I can, and I don't look back. My aim is to stay firmly grounded in the present moment. When I can do that. which is far from 100% of the time, I have an almost indescribable sense of peace and happiness. I can intensely focus on and enjoy life's immediate gifts: a good cup of coffee, a laugh with friends, or just the satisfaction of checking a task off my to do list. Staying in the moment makes each moment matter more. When the crunches hit I get through them by staying in the moment too. An old friend once said to me "take the action, let go of the result, and don't look back." It was good advice that has served me well.
The only thing I can really control is myself, so why worry? Worrying just makes me feel frightened angry and powerless so why do it--that's my life lesson and I pass it on for whatever it is worth.
Things That Help
While I'd like to say that I glide through life, serenely living in the present moment at all times, I have to admit that it is just not true. I worry, fret, and get stressed out over family, money, health, work, neighbours and all manner of things just like most people. Here are a few specific tricks I've developed over the years to handle worry and I pass them on in the hope that they will prove helpful.
• Distract yourself. It sounds too simple but it really works. When you are fretting over a major life problem or crisis, make yourself think about something else by doing something. Even a small, rote task like re-arranging your desk, washing your car, or scrubbing pots and pans will do it if you can really focus on the task. Throw yourself into it and you will not be thinking about anything else.
• Talk to Someone You Trust It is said that a problem shared is a problem halved. I have found that to be true and if you try it you find it is so.
• Get Enough Exercise and Sleep This is tough, especially when you are filled with anxiety. When I'm stressed out, I make sure I walk a couple of miles a day--tires me out and improves my mood. I try to wind down at night--no going online or doing work before bed--just a hot bath and a cup of herb tea and then lights out.
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20 LIFE LESSONS FROM MY 20?s
1. Don’t buy a brand new car: You want to talk about a money sink, a brand new car is it. The insurance is high, it depreciates the second your drive it off the lot and it takes a nice chunk of change out of your monthly paycheck. I’ll probably never buy a brand new car again in my life. With so many certified pre-owned vehicles on the market that are in great condition, there’s no need to buy a new car.
2. Starbucks is evil: Well not really.  The economics of drinking coffee is really ridiculous so I want to break it down for you. Over a period for about 4 years, I drank a latte and had a pastry every day. At some point I switched to regular coffee. For the sake of nice round numbers, let’s say you spend 5 bucks a day on Starbucks.  5 bucks a day X 5 times a week=25 bucks a week=100 dollars a a month=1200 dollars a year x 4 years= $4800 that I spent on cofeee. Even if you bought an espresso maker and brewed Starbucks coffee at home it would be WAY Cheaper
3. Save 10% of every paycheck and don’t touch it: This is your rainy day fund. I honestly never had one and it was really stupid. If I had done this consistently throughout the last few years I would have had much more freedom and flexibility when things got messy.
4. Defer your student loans for 1 year: Some people might disagree with this one. But let’s say you don’t exactly make a fortune your first year out of college. If you are stuck sending of triple digit checks to your lender, then saving for that rainy day becomes way tougher.  Once you have that rainy day fund set up, then paying those triple digit checks every month won’t be as bad.
5. Don’t buy shit you don’t need: You really should question things you purchase that are nice-to-haves rather than needs. I bought a lot of crap in my 20’s and half  of it is probably in landfills polluting the earth.
6. Pay Cash for all your luxuries: Credit cards are another evil that pulled me into a vicious spending cycle in my 20’s and even as late as last summer. If you want to buy anything: take a vacation, buy electronics, etc, pay for it with cash. The one exception to this is if you decide buy something like an expensive TV and the credit card company offers a protection plan, then buy it with the card, but pay it off right away.
7. Start your personal development: In my first job out of college I had a 3 hour a day commute where I used to sit in traffic and curse all the other aS#$#holes on the road because they were there. Looking back I could have used that time for some serious personal development. Nowadays I spend time listening to language tapes, audiobooks, etc, anytime I’m stuck in traffic.
8. Buy the following items at Costco: If it’s something you are going to use on a REGULAR basis, then buy it at Costco: Toilet Paper,Laundry Detergent, Dishwasher Detergent, Soap/Shampoo/Toothpaste/Toiletries, Paper Towels
9. Exercise Regularly: One thing that I was really bad about in my early 20’s was consistent exercise. I’ll not go on about the benefits of exercise, but consider it preventative maintenance on your body.
10. Set Goals: I didn’t really focus on setting goals till I was in my mid to late 20’s and if I had done that earlier I would have saved myself a lot of hell in my mid 20’s.
11. Don’t compromise your values in relationships because you are afraid to be alone: It amazes me that people will stay in bad relationships or relationships where they are just not into the other person, in order to avoid being alone. I only know because I did it, TWICE. In the long run you not only hurt yourself, but the people you are in a relationship with.
12. Buy things on craigslist: There’s a lot of things you can buy on craigslist second hand that’s in really good condition. Furniture, household items, and more that people just need to get rid of can often be found for a bargain.
13. Don’t choose jobs only based on the money: My first job out of college I chose over another job for 5000 dollars extra. Three weeks after I started I got a 20% paycut, and I never got paid a commission check. To add to that, it was the most hellish working environment on earth. The price of admission: a supposed extra 300 bucks a month.
14. Get involved with your field outside of work: The truth is that climbing the corporate ladder is a really long route and you’re going to have to do some things outside of your office to get ahead. Get involved by attending events and networking with people.
15. If your job sucks and is making you miserable, look for another one: People have a tendency to stay in jobs they hate mainly out of fear. That really isn’t going to help you or the company you are working with. Don’t be afraid to cut the  umbilical chord.
16. Be a learner: A while back I told you that you should operate from the learning perspective. It’s not uncommon to come out of college ready to take over the world. Guess what? YOU DON’T KNOW EVERYTHING.  Be open.
17. Work on your goals just a little bit every day: What you have in your early 20’s is something that nobody can buy much more of, TIME. So, if you do just a bit every day towards any goal, you’ve got almost 10 years to accomplish it.
18. Meet with your boss on a regular basis: One thing I didn’t do enough of in the early part of my career was meet with my boss on a regular basis. I should have been more proactive about it. By doing this you have an opportunity to address problems before they arise, and make sure you are meeting expectations.
19. Look for the opportunity in adversity: In my 20’s every time something horrible happened I wallowed in my misery and did nothing. No matter how bad a situation may see there’s always something to be gained from it.
20. Don’t buy things when they are first released: I used to buy TV Show seasons the day they came out on DVD. My guilty pleasure was the TV Show the O.C. I would buy a season for 50 bucks, 6 months later it would be on half.com for 20 bucks.
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Random Quotes About Life
Deliver me from writers who say the way they live doesn’t matter. I’m not sure a bad person can write a good book. If art doesn’t make us better, then what on earth is it for.
Alice Walker
Life is a handful of short stories, pretending to be a novel.
Anonymous
An attitude of allowing life and people to be their unpredictable selves, while maintaining a positive inner attitude that has security either way, can bring ever-increasing rates of success, personally and professionally.
Doc Childre and Bruce Cryer
Beginnings are often scary, endings are often sad, but it’s the middle that counts. You should remember that when you find yourself at the beginning.
Steven Rogers
Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued.
Socrates
A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.
Charles Darwin
It’s just so uninteresting to live without love. Life has not risk. Love just seems to make life not just livable, but a gallant, gallant event.
Toni Morrison
The way we live our days, is the way we live our lives.
Annie Dillard
Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.
Booker T. Washington
Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.
J. D. Salinger
Any idiot can face a crisis – it’s day to day living that wears you out.
Anton Chekhov
Life’s like a novel with the end ripped out.
Danny Orton and Blair Daly
A great secret of success is to go through life as a man who never gets used up.
Albert Schweitzer
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I walked a mile with Pleasure
I walked a mile with Pleasure;
She chatted all the way;
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.
I walked a mile with Sorrow,
And ne’er a word said she;
But, oh! The things I learned from her,
When sorrow walked with me.
-Robert Browning Hamilton

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Below the most powerful lessons in my life.
1. Often those who aren’t the easiest to love are the ones who need it the most.
2. Seeing children play can make even the bluest day brighter.
3. Money is not the root of all evil, fear is.
4. The secret to happiness is the acceptance of yourself.
5. Happiness is not based on external status, it is an internal state.
6. Money can’t make me happy, but self-sufficiency gives me the freedom to share myself creatively, without worrying about how I’m going to pay the bills.
7. Every man has a right to choose his own destiny.
8. The path is the way.
9. Life is the largest stage.
10. Music is one of the most supreme expressions of life. It is art in its most transitory form. It is gone within an instant, and therefore, extremely precious.
11. Follow your gut, you’ll thank yourself later.
12. Remember what your mother taught you, it came from the most sacred place of love that exists.
13. Never let an argument last, never hold a grudge, it will make your heart heavy.
14. Be grateful for this moment, it is all there is.
15. The source of most of your frustrations and anxiety are the result of living in the future, or the past.
16. Spend time alone with yourself every day.
17. Always go with yourself, never against yourself.
18. You have to be your own best friend.
19. If you don’t like what someone else says to you, you can walk away. But if you don’t like what you say to yourself, you can’t walk away. Therefore, if you’re going to be with yourself all the time, you might as well be nice to yourself.
20. The truth shall indeed set you free.
21. Lies only exist if we believe in them.
22. Even the most fundamental beliefs about reality are not true in themselves. Our thinking makes them true in our experience.
23. The biggest lie is the lie of your imperfection.
24. Being kind is more important than being right.
25. Your heart is your best compass.
26. Cherish those that you love, you never know if you’ll see them again.
27. Love is the supreme expression of life, it is the essence and ground of all creation.
Read part two of this series: 33 of Life’s Most Powerful Lessons (pt. 2)
For more powerful life lessons subscribe to Illuminated Mind.
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1. Get a good start on the day
I learnt this one when I was a student. I’d struggle to get down to work before 10am or 11am – and during vacations, I often spent the whole day playing computer games. Although it was fun in its way, I always felt a bit dissatisfied – I was slightly bored most of the time.
Since starting freelancing in particular, I’ve learnt how important it is to “crack” the day right at the start. If I get up on time and get straight into my day, things go well. If I sleep late and start off by checking emails or playing around on Facebook, I invariably end the day feeling frustrated with my lack of progress.
2. Work through problems by writing
As a student, I got into the habit of journaling. I didn’t write in my journal every day, but I often took it out when I had something on my mind. I do my best thinking on paper, and writing helps me to work through problems, so the journal was an invaluable tool for facing up to my feelings about exams, relationships, my health and other potential stresses.
3.  Ditch the “shoulds”
I spent a lot of my life telling myself that I “should” do certain things. For example, when I graduated from university, I believed that I “should” move out of my parents’ home and get a full time job. And that’s what I did. It made me unhappy for two years – and I wish I’d questioned my assumptions about why I “should” do that. (My parents would have been happy for me to stay at home.)
Whenever I tell myself that I “should” do something, it ends up being joyless. Nowadays, when a “should” creeps into my thoughts, I ask myself where it’s come from. For example, if I start saying “I should lose weight”, I reconsider what I want – to be fit and healthy.
4.  Set limits on your ability to spend
This is one I got to grips with young! As a teen, I invariably ended up spending my whole allowance well before the end of the month (usually on Star Trek books and magazines…) and I quickly realized that I tended to spend however much money I had.
When I had the options of an overdraft and credit cards as a student, I avoided them completely: I wasn’t sure that I’d have the self-control not to spend the money if it was available. Unlike many friends (who ended up working in the summers to pay off their overdrafts), I graduated with only my student loan as debt.
5.  Don’t follow the crowd
I was always a bit of a geeky kid, and never made much attempt to fit in at school. But at other times in my life, I’ve ended up following the crowd and going with the flow. This has led to all sorts of negative experiences, from getting frequently drunk as a student, to taking a full-time graduate job because it was what I thought people my age all did.
In recent years, I’ve become much more relaxed about doing my own thing. I’ve stopped worrying about what everyone else is doing, and started thinking about how I want to live my life.
6. Create something new
I’m happiest when I’m putting something new into the world. Usually that means writing (mostly blog posts and fiction). Sometimes it means baking a batch of cookies, or making a cross-stitch picture or knitted scarf.
There’s nothing quite so satisfying as creating. If I end the day having made something which didn’t exist before, I feel like I’ve accomplished something!
7. The first time is always scary
I’m often quite timid about new experiences. I don’t like uncertainty, and I feel uncomfortable when I’m not sure what to expect. But I’ve learnt over the years that most things are pretty scary the first time – and that they quickly become easy or second-nature!
Although it doesn’t make the fear go away, I’ve learnt to take a deep breath and brave that first time at doing something new (like attending a Toastmasters’ meeting, or meeting someone for the first time), because it always gets easier!
8. There’s often a better method
Once I’ve figured out how to do something, I tend to stick with that particular method. But one of the lessons I’ve learnt during my life is that there’s often a better way of doing things. Perhaps there’s a more optimal route from A to B, or there’s a way to do a particular task more easily.
For example, when I started out blogging, I used to painstakingly add HTML tags into all my posts and then copy this code into the blogging software. Since then, I’ve found the very handy “paste from Word” feature… which must have saved me hours of tedious work!
9.  Being organized is less effort
I’m someone who likes a reasonable amount of order and structure. Friends at university often think I’m very organized and on top of things because I tend to know when assignments are due! I don’t really put in any extra work, though; if anything, I probably do less work and have less stress than other people.
Why? Because being organized is actually less effort. Think about the stress caused when you have to rush something at the last minute, or when you lose a vital piece of paper. Or think how difficult and expensive it can be to get things done in a hurry – e.g. if you have to pay for overnight shipping. Being organized is much less effort in the long run.
10. Settle for good, not perfect
Finally, as a slightly Type-A type, I’ve had to learn to settle for “good” rather than “perfect”! It’s only in the last year and a half that I’ve grown confident enough to show first-drafts of my fiction writing to tutors and fellow students at university. If I kept insisting on making everything “perfect”, I’d spend a lot of time for very little actual effect.
In so many cases, there isn’t a perfect solution. It’s better just to settle for something good, and to move on!
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Life Lessons for Boys, Young Men, and Men
Things I've learned over the years that, if taken to heart by a young man, will save him immense amounts of grief. If you are a father or mentor to young men and/or boys, make it a point to help instill these things into them. By example is always best, but weaving such things into daily conversation and situations can have a positive affect as well.
Feel free to add useful items in the comments section!
(note: These are in no particular order)
1. Get to know your potential wife's mother as well as possible, because she is very likely a close approximation of who the love of your life will turn out to be. A girl gets a lot of her values and beliefs (and half of her genes!) from her mother.

2. When you love a girl and you think you want to marry her, the true test is to look at yourself. If she makes you twice the man you could ever be on your own, then there's a good chance that this is the one. ;)

3. Buy a house at the earliest possible time. Any house, any place, any terms. Just do it. You will not regret the investment.

4. CARE about your credit from the moment you take your first job, and treat it as a precious thing.

5. Practice the self-discipline of having moderation in all things; too much of ANYTHING will have a negative effect on you.

6. Always remember that you are not the captain of the ship, but merely a first mate...you do NOT have control of every aspect of your life. Therefore, be aware of the nudges and hints and road signs that "fate" will give you, and follow them; watch for the doors that open, and walk through them.

7. Do everything with the understanding that it will come back to you eventually (because it will indeed come back to you), so give it your best effort, morally and physically. Believe this: NOTHING in your past will ever just disappear; if you do not deal with it now, you WILL deal with it later.

8. Adopted from Solomon, but so, so true: Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. If a thing is worth doing at all, then do it to the very best of your ability.

9. Do not fear change, no matter what form it appears in; Change is good and a door of opportunity: utilize it as a step upward.

10. Whatever you break (relationships, moral obligations, physical items, etc.), FIX IT immediately. Procrastination can render a thing unable to be fixed...ever.

11. Silence (in a relationship) is never your friend. Communication is the pathway to healing and growth.

12. In order to make every argument result in a positive outcome, remember and practice this truth: The ONE thing that all sides need above all other things is TO BE HEARD. Not shallowly, not patronizingly, but sincerely listened to. Give them that, and they will be able to hear you. Deny them that one thing, and they will never be able to hear you no matter how solid your case is.

13. Whenever possible, buy yourself a used car outright ($2000-$5000) then plan on occasionally investing in repairs. This is MUCH wiser than financing and you'll be happier and smarter for it.

14. NEVER resign yourself to a less than desirable outcome until you have exhausted every possible avenue, and I do mean EVERY one. Do NOT be a "door shutter"...you open those doors, and you check them out.

15. If you want something, ASK for it, no matter how certain you are of the answer beforehand. You never know what you can have until you ask.

16. Do the things that cause you to like and be happy with yourself; choose the things you know to be right and good no matter how hard your peers or even your own self pressures you to choose otherwise. Elect to do the thing for which you will have no regrets later.

17. In all of your relationships, romantic or not, GIVE. Practice it.

18. Honor those who trust you by doing what you commit to, for they have honored you by believing that you will.

19. All politics aside, you ARE physically the stronger of the sexes; use that advantage to protect, provide, and love; never to harm.

20. Ascribe great value to your relationship with your parents, even through the tumultuous teenage years. You may feel like you don't want it now, but you WILL want it later.
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I've learned that ...
I've learned that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I've learned that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. The same goes for true love.
I've learned that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.
I've learned that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
I've learned that you can keep going long after you can't.
I've learned that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I've learned that either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.
I've learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
I've learned that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I've learned that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.
I've learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them, and less to do with how many years you have lived.

I've learned that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I've learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
I've learned that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do love each other.
I've learned that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.
I've learned that two people can look at the same thing and see something totally different.
I've learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.
I've learned that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you you will find the strength to help.
I've learned that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
I've learned that the people you care about most in life are sometimes taken from you too soon

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Mistakes
Mistake #1. Pushing My Friends away - It Just Leaves Me Lonely.

Mistake #2. Letting love make me go out of control - I think I should follow my heart, but love wisely. It isn’t good to love someone that doesn’t treat you right, and it isn’t a healthy love if you can’t let them go when they want to be let go.

Mistake #3. Fooling around with someone I don’t love - My body is a precious thing, and I have to watch out for my health.

Mistake #4. Not giving a boyfriend space when he needs it -... (read more)

Lor-the-Giraffe to treat every day like it was your last, think of things you want to do today, and tomorrow, and if you have a good chance to do something... don't turn it down, it might never come back again.
 

? I can answer this in one word.
 

L O V E !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...
 

Dr. Help Probably the awareness of the shortness of our time on earth, and that fighting over small issues will not be what stands out on your death bed. Live for the little moments of how ur dog looks at you, or a funny laugh someone does. In the end, noone regrets NOT working enough. Enjoy life, because it is GOOD!!!!!!!
 

my2cents

The best lesson in life is Family is Everything! I am so grateful I have a loving and forgiving family! Friends also make me happy
 

Cheryl K That I will never understand the why's? That I just have to have faith and give as much love as I can and realize I don't have to understand I just have to make life better for someone else.
 

prairiefire_14

Trust is a term used too loosely.
 

az2 my family makes me happy
the best lesson I've learned is to live life to its fullest, ignore bad people just go and make others happy
 

Anna Nichole Smith take the pills the Dr. gives you - there for a good reason
 

Julie The best lesson I have yet learned is that no one single person or thing holds the answer to happiness, and no single mate or friend can meet all your needs except for God. The lesson is that we need God in every aspect and every moment of our lives. Even when we are unconscious we are in need of His greatness in our lives. We have to trust in Him.
I also learned that heartache and unhappiness are the best seasonings in our life because they force us to go beyond where we have been comfortable and find ways to overcome our humanness by accepting our need for God.
Lastly, by accepting the truth about life and God, we find inner joy regardless of our circumstances...Life is only complete when we aren't living it selfishly, but for God.
 

Right on

To be myself......... little o me.... I feel happy in life as you asked... when I look in the mirror and see the............little "O" Wise One..
 
 
 
 
 

?Greed?

If you are tall Duck
if you are short look up
 
 
 

thedavecorp

Knowledge is power, and there are many things I learned this year that all my life I did not know.

Such as:
Shout gets stains out of clothing.
College is NOT the only way.
And chicks want it as much as we do but NEVER show it.

As for happy: buying sh!t I don't need.
 

mel that's two questions.
 

I feel content that I have done and will continue to do the best that I can in all endeavours.
 

choy_daniel

keep things simple
 

spray_kit to be humble, learn lots of good stuffs from professional out there and help the needy when possible.
 

Cap'n Donna don't sweat the petty things

(and don't pet the sweaty things)
 

texas boy

hold on tight to your loved ones family and friend and boy/girlfriends
 

Roberts Baby

what makes me happy is realizing:
suffering is only temporary
settle when u get tired of hurting
that things can only get so "worse" then they have to get better
no matter how bad things may seem someone always has it worse than u.

this has really helped me get over my depression that and help from my friend. no psychologists or medicines helped me. i was depressed 11 yrs and after thousands of scars that faded and a lot went a way 100s of failed suicide attempts that it isnt worth it.
i am here for a reason and no one should take life for granted because u never know when it will be gone~
 

hope waking up each & every day that makes me happy as 4 learning from life since am living that means i learn every day.
 

plumouttamymind

Why you should always use protection when having sex...everyone was right...you CAN get pregnant...LOL
 

magdalina do unto others as you would have them do unto you!!!!!!
people doing good deeds make me feel good!
 

Arch Teryx No matter how hard you think may be someone has it twice as difficult.

Also life is what you make it.
 

Justsyd

That it's up to me to feel happy regardless of my circumstances.
 

*bossy* the best lesson i learned was that no matter how bad things are there is always someone worse off than me... My children make me happy when they dance it's hilarious..
 

i have no idea

That the best way to get through it is with a sense of humor.
 

RealDeal 1. To live every day like it's your last.
2. Don't count on your friends always being there for you.
3. Love and surround yourself with family.
 

Jon P The most important life lesson I ever learned, was to live everyday like it's your last, because you never know when it could be.

I learned that from my fathers death,.
 

mamabird

The best lesson I've learned from life is not to be attached to material things. I learned this when I lost everything in a fire, and the only surviving things were the people that I loved, my husband and daughter. Now I just don't care about material things, because I know that they don't mean anything and could be gone tomorrow. My children make me happy.
 

http://sourcesofinsight.com/2009/09/16/my-top-10-lessons-in-life/
My Top 10 Lessons
Here is a summary of my top 10 lessons learned in life:
• Lesson 1. Model the best.
• Lesson 2. Be YOUR best.
• Lesson 3. Set boundaries.
• Lesson 4. Life’s not static.
• Lesson 5. Follow the growth.
• Lesson 6. Focus on one pitch at a time.
• Lesson 7. Version your perfection.
• Lesson 8. It’s what you know and who you know.
• Lesson 9. Use metaphors to shape your experience.
• Lesson 10. Structure your success.

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What is the greatest lesson that you have learned in your life?
I have learned that I do not have all the answers...just an opinion.
by JACK the nice man
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
3*Never trust anyone even yourself as you should monitor yourself all the time and account it everyday and who are important for you like you family and your country people and give rewards for right actions and punishments for wrong actions..
We should give trust for others but others also should prove that they deserve this trust and I mean me as one of the others ..

7*every living creature searches for Happiness and Success and few people only reach it and go in the true way although a lot of people may appear happy but it is a false and temporary happy ..

the true happiness when you sleep daily and feel you satisfy your God, your self , and your family and have favors for different poeple although you are not rich or famous or professor or strong or any other form..

……………………………………………………………………………..
 
 
 

1. Love has nothing to do with looks, but everything to do with time, trust, and interest.
2. Laughing, crying, joy and anger… All are a vital.  All make us human.
3. Greed will bury even the lucky eventually.
4. Bad things do happen to good people.
5. Paving your own road is intelligent only if nobody has gone exactly where you are going.
6. Time heals all wounds… regardless of how you feel right now. (Heels wound …)
7. Most of the time what you are looking for is right in front of you.
8. Your health is your life.
9. Chance is a gift, so act on chance when given the opportunity.
10. Kindness and hard work will take you further than intelligence.
11. People deserve a second chance, but not a third.
12. Marry your best friend.
13. Take lots of pictures.  Someday you’ll be really glad you did.
14. Money makes life easier only when the money is yours free and clear.
15. Carelessness is the root of failure
16. Your actions now create memories you will reminisce and talk about in your elder years.
17. Stepping outside of your comfort zone will put things into perspective from an angle you can’t grasp now.
18. Motivation comes in short bursts.  Act while it’s hot.
19. Purposely ignoring the obvious is like walking backwards toward the enemy.
20. If you never act, you will never know for sure.
 
 
 

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No sense in being pessimistic It wouldn't work anyway!

Subject: Fw: wise words Five (5) lessons to make you think about the way we treat people.
1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.
During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:
"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her    name?
I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet
Many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello."
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain
One night, at 11:30 P.M., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride.  Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.  A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached..
It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along.  Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."   Sincerely,  Mrs. Nat King Cole.

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.
"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies..
You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock.
Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.
After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for
the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand! Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.
I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.
He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away".
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.
Now you have 2 choices.  1. Delete this e-mail, or  2. Forward it to people you care about.
I hope that you will choose No. 2 and remember.
Most importantly.................. "Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody's watching."
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Some Chinese Proverbs
The participant's perspectives are clouded while the bystander's views are clear.
Follow the local custom when you go to a foreign place.
It is impossible to change your basic characteristics.
Once bitten by a snake, you are even frightened by a rope that resembles a snake.
When you go up to the mountain too often, you will eventually encounter the tiger.
Good luck seldom comes in pairs but bad things never walk (occur) alone.
Man's schemes are inferior to those made by heaven.
If you have money you can make the ghosts and devils turn your grind stone.
The arrogant army will lose the battle for sure.
Tens of thousands of bones will become ashes when one general achieves his fame.
The crafty rabbit has three different entrances to its lair.
A single conversation across a table with a wise man is worth a month's study of books.
He who asks a question is a fool for a minute; he who does not remains a fool forever.
 If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.
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Napoleon Hill: Quotes on Teamwork
The best job goes to the person who can get it done without passing the buck or coming back with excuses.