8 Principles to Live Your Life By
These are simply some of the principles I try to live my life by. I'm by no means perfect, but it is helpful to have some values I can refer back to when trying to make a difficult decision, and these 8 principles have helped me along the way:
Don't Be Afraid of Failure. Fear of failure will prevent you from taking risks. Risks are necessary for doing anything of value really, so embrace failure, learn from failure.
Never Close a Door or Burn a Bridge. My mother always says "Never close a door", and I can't tell you how much this principle has benefitted me. There have been many times when out of anger, I've wanted to close a door but chose not to because of my mother's words in my head. You never know who knows who. Everything connects. Closing one door, may close another door for you down the road. Don't close doors or burn bridges. It's bad juju. Trust me, this principle will serve you.
You're Only as Good as Your Word. You really are, only as good as your word. If you say you're going to do something, do it. This is especially true in the work place. Don't be flaky. Be incredibly editing with commitments, but once you commit, follow through. Working with children truly cemented this principle for me because sticking to your word is crucial for building trust.
Make Your Goodbye Positive. I always try to leave on a good note, even if it's a job I can't want to say goodbye to. Expressing gratitude for the positives is a good practice for keeping your doors open, and strengthening your own positive thinking patterns.
The Means Must Meet the End. You can't reach happiness with unhappiness. You can't reach peace with violent means. The means must meet the end you're wanting. If you want to have a life in which you feel gratitude, you must express gratitude for the positive things in your life along the way. Practice kindness and compassion if you want to receive kindness and compassion, practice healthy routines if you want to achieve health.
People Remember How You Make Them Feel. Always, be conscious of your energy. How do you make others' feel? This is truly important because people will remember how you make them feel more than what you did or what you said. I always want to make people feel heard, seen, and respected. You can choose to spread joy, or sorrow. Choose joy.
Live Sustainably. I always try to live a sustainable lifestyle, meaning that my lifestyle sustains me rather than drains me. Work, diet, exercise, and relationships should sustain you, not slowly drain you. Reflect on whether you are being slowly drained or whether you are being sustained by your lifestyle choices. Adjust accordingly.
Always Be The Bigger Person. I've had many instances where people yelled at me, spoke to me in a disrespectful manner, or pulled a downright dirty move. Always choose the high road. Always be the bigger person. In the long run, I promise it will serve you. You will feel good about yourself, others will respect you, and most often, those who have wronged you will feel extra guilty for it because you didn't give them any ammo to justify their wrong-doings.