Today is my birthday. It is a Feria. Almost nothing of note has happened on this day (except for me, of course!). About the only at all well known person I share my birthday with is former miner’s leader Arthur Scargill. But let us not be forlorn!
I thought that this year I would celebrate my birthday by sharing with you 61 Lessons for Life (one for each of my birthdays). I stole the idea (and a few of the lessons) from here. They are a sort of a logical successor to my New Year post.
61 Lessons for Life
- Life isn’t fair. Deal with it.
- When in doubt, don’t.
- Life is too short to waste time and energy hating others.
- Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
- Pay off your credit cards every month.
- You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
- Learn to love yourself.
- Don’t worry about things you cannot change.
- Save for retirement starting with your first pay packet.
- When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
- Make peace with your past so it doesn’t screw up the present.
- It’s OK to let others see you cry.
- Be open and honest in all that you do.
- Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
- If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
- Don’t be afraid to admit you were wrong. Be prepared to change your mind.
- Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
- Over-prepare, then go with the flow.
- Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
- Listen.
- The most important sex organ is the brain.
- No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
- Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
- Forgive everyone everything.
- What other people think of you is none of your business.
- Time heals almost everything. Give time a chance.
- However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
- Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know.
- Be curious – about everything.
- Be yourself, not who you think you want to be.
- It’s easier to get forgiveness than permission.
- Growing old beats the alternative – dying young.
- Your children get only one childhood. Make it as good as you possibly can.
- Think as much as possible and to the best of your ability.
- Don’t be afraid to tell it like it is. If other people don’t like it that’s their problem.
- If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
- Every decision is the best you can make at the time with the information available.
- Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
- Never forget that your enemy is also a human being.
- All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
- Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
- It gets better.
- No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
- Masturbation is good.
- Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
- If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
- When you do ask, the worst they can say is “No”.
- You can never have all the information you want to make a decision.
- Every coin has two sides. So does every situation.
- Respect other peoples’ beliefs however much you disagree with them.
- Communicate, communicate, communicate.
- If it harm no-one, do as you will.
- Treat others as you would wish them to treat you.
- No regrets – just things you now know weren’t the best.
- Only one person is responsible for your orgasms – you!
- “No” is an acceptable answer.
- Be comfortable in your body.
- If you need a God, fine. If you don’t, that’s fine too.
- You are entitled to believe whatever you like. You are also entitled to express your beliefs. But we aren’t obliged to listen to them or agree with them.
- Embrace sex and nudity – they’re a natural and rich part of life’s pattern.
- Look under the bonnet of all knowledge. Remember research causes cancer in rats.
Hmmm … now how many of those do I adhere to? Hmmm …