1. Love yourself. Above all, you need to love and accept yourself and
if you don't know who you are, find out. Too often people interpret
this as being selfish, but I know that in order to love others, loving
oneself comes first. It frees up your energy in order for you to give
your love to others.
2. "Be" love to all you meet. This is challenging at times, but life is
definitely better and fulfilling when one is "being" love. Be the
example of love as much as possible.
3. Listen. Listen. Listen. When engaging in conversation with someone,
place all of your attention towards that person and make them feel as
if they were the only person in the world.
4. You really are not in control, so what's the point in trying to control everything?
5. Give generously of yourself, your time and money.
6. Don't forget to play! Have fun! Laugh!
7. Act in service, without any expectation of reward or recognition.
8. Treat everyone as you would want to be treated. (The Golden Rule definitely applies here!)
9. When people don't treat you right, forgive them. Forgive yourself
and forgive others. Don't beat yourself up over past mistakes. Don't
let pride or principles stand in your way of having meaningful
relationships with others. Even if they don't forgive you, forgive them
anyway. Always be the example that you want from people.
10. Happiness is never defined by the amount or quality of possessions
you have. Spend time with people, not with your things. Spend time
collecting friends, not things!
11. Figure out your passion and go for it, no matter how old you are or where you've been.
12. When faced with a difficult situation, ask yourself, "What would
Jesus do?" Even if you're not a Christian, the answer to that question
will give you guidance.
13. Listen to your inner voice, no matter how you call it (intuition, Holy Spirit, the spirit within, God, soul, etc.)
14. Focus on good things. Find and see the good in everything around you.
15. Be grateful. Find something to be grateful for everyday. The more you find, the more you'll attract that's good.
16. Make it a point to appreciate people; especially people who you
have difficulty with. Find something positive in the situation and in
that person to appreciate.
17. Breathe! Find time for yourself in each day, even if it's only 2
minutes of deep breathing you do before the rest of your household is
up, before work, or whenever you need that "quiet" time.
18. Read. Turn off the television and read. There has to be something you'll find interesting.
19. Make a place for the arts in your life, whether it be music, arts,
theater, writing or whatever moves you. Exercise that right brain of
yours!
20. There is no reality but yours. Someone else's perception will
always be different than yours. Learn to accept the differences and
celebrate the diversity!
21. Pay cash! No credit is allowed, with the exception of a mortgage.
This is controversial, as society tells us we need to build a credit
score and we do that by getting credit cards and paying them off
responsibly. What about emergencies, you ask? Save your money. If you
begin to practice paying cash, you will soon realize how little you
really need to live on and you'll be debt-free, which is a liberating
feeling.
22. Stay in school. After high school, try college. There are many
types of colleges and universities available for all kinds of careers,
so there is certainly one for you.
23. Exercise your body regularly and exercise your mind just the same. Both are equally important.
24. Learn to meditate. Pray. Do whatever works for you to connect with
God. This doesn't mean any particular organized religion, but rather is
all about having a personal relationship with God.
25. Vote. Get informed and vote. We are fortunate enough in the U.S. to
have a political system where we do have a voice. Recognize that we are
blessed with this right and go make a difference. Your vote does count.
Barbara A. Clark has been a professional in higher education for over 25 years. She holds a Master's degree in Counseling from the University of Iowa and completed all course requirements for a Ph.D in International Comparative Education before several life-changing events interrupted her studies. It was during the interruption that Barbara discovered her passion for service to the world through love and intention. She is passionate about her new journey as "The Spirited Strider," serving the world in love, one step at a time. Barbara is a writer, educator, speaker, counselor and coach, specializing in the law of attraction and EFT techniques, and is an accomplished cross-cultural trainer.
» left by April Lorier(0) April Lorier (303 days 9 hours ago.)
When I was learning who I was, I used a photo of me at 3 yrs of age. I talked to this precious beautiful child who God had created. Over time, I became very protective of her, and therefore, of myself as I realized we were one and the same. Sure did work for me! Good article, Barbara! All of your points were good ones and you wrote them well. Respond to this comment
» left by Teresa Ortiz(4,822) Teresa Ortiz (293 days 3 hours ago.)
Hi Barbara, I love this list of things you learned - we should pay attention to each one on the list. Although I have to disagree with the one about listening to my inner voice - from experience, it is my inner voice that gets me into trouble :-). I much rather listen to the voice of God. # 21 is a must for every young adult - this is one of those times that my inner voice got me into trouble. Who was it that said ignorance was bliss? HA! Blessings to you Respond to this comment
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
