What To Start Doing In Your Life

Pursuant to my last blog entry, this came at a perfect time!  It is completely contrary to the previously-mentioned behavior.

"THINGS TO START DOING IN YOUR LIFE"

(shared by Shanka Herath, and now from me to you).

1. FREE YOURSELF FROM NEGATIVE PEOPLE.

Spend time with people who are smart, motivated and likeminded.  Relationships should help you, not hurt you. Surround yourself with people who reflect the person you want to be.  Choose friends whom you are proud to know, people you admire, who love and respect you – people who make your day a little brighter simply by being in it.  

2. LET GO OF THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY GONE.

The sad truth is that there are some people who will only be there for you as long as you have something they need.  When you no longer serve a purpose to them, they will leave.  The good news is, you’ll eventually weed these people out of your life and be left with great people you can count on.  We rarely lose friends and lovers, we just gradually figure out who our REAL ones are.  So, when people walk away from you, let them go.  Your destiny is never tied to anyone who leaves you.  It doesn’t mean they are bad people; it just means that their part in your story is over.  

3. GIVE PEOPLE YOU DON’T KNOW A FAIR CHANCE.

When you look at a person, remember that everyone has a story.  Everyone has gone through something that has changed them and forced them to grow.  Every passing face on the street represents a story.  If you give them a chance, everyone has something amazing to offer.  Appreciate the possibility of new relationships.  Trust your judgment. Embrace new relationships, knowing that you are entering into unfamiliar territory.  Be ready to learn & grow your mind/perspectives/comfort zones.  Be ready for a challenge, and be ready to meet someone that might just change your life forever.

4. SHOW EVERYONE KINDNESS AND RESPECT.

...even those who are rude to you – not because they are nice, but because you are.  Also, there are no boundaries that define a group that gets to be respected.  Treat everyone with the same level of respect you would give to your grandfather and the same level of patience you would have with your baby brother.  People will notice your kindness.  

5. ACCEPT PEOPLE JUST THE WAY THEY ARE.

You can advise and point things out, but in most cases it’s impossible to change people unless they want it.  Mark Twain said, "Stop trying to teach pigs to fly.  It wastes time and annoys the pigs".  Save yourself from needless stress.  Instead of trying to change others, give them your support and lead by example.

6. ENCOURAGE OTHERS AND CHEER FOR THEM.

Appreciating the people around you leads to productive, fulfilling, peaceful places.  What goes around comes around, and sooner or later the people you’re cheering for will start cheering for you.

7. BE YOUR IMPERFECTLY PERFECT SELF.

In this world that’s trying to make you like everyone else, find the courage to keep being your awesome individualistic self.  If they laugh at you for being different, laugh back at them for being the same.  Spend more time with those who make you smile and less time with those who you feel pressured to impress.  We are only perfect for those few people that really take the time to get to know us and love us for who we really are.  To them, being ourselves is what they love about us.  

8. FORGIVE PEOPLE & MOVE FORWARD.

Don’t live your life with hate in your heart.  You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.”  It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness.”  Such a remedy doesn’t mean you’re erasing the past or forgetting what happened.  It means you’re letting go of the resentment and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on with your life.  It'll also give you more time to love the people who love you.  "The more you resist something, the more it persists."

9. DO LITTLE THINGS FOR OTHERS.

Random acts of kindness.  Love notes.  A smile that brightens someone's day.  Those little things occupy the biggest part of people's hearts.  

10. PAY ATTENTION TO REAL PEOPLE.

As we grow up, we realize it becomes less important to have more friends and more important to have real ones. Remember, life is kind of like a party.  You invite a lot of people, some leave early, some stay all night, some laugh with you, some laugh at you, and some show up really late.  But in the end, there are a few who stay to help you clean up the mess.  Most of the time, they aren’t even the ones who made the mess.  These people are your real friends in life.  They matter most.

11. STAY IN BETTER TOUCH 

Distance is not measured in miles, but in affection.  Two people can be right next to each other, yet miles apart.  Don’t forget someone you care about: lack of concern can hurt.  Make time for them.  Not because it’s convenient, but because it's worth the extra effort.  

12. GIVE WHAT YOU WANT TO RECEIVE.

Don’t expect what you are not willing to give.  Start practicing the Golden Rule.  If you want love, give love.  If you want friends, be friendly.  If you want money, provide value.  

13. SAY WHAT YOU MEAN AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY.

14. TALK A LITTLE LESS, AND LISTEN MORE.

People don’t need lots of advice; they need a listening ear and positive reinforcement.  What they want to know is often already somewhere inside of them.  Also, someone doesn’t have to be wrong for you to be right.  There are many roads to what’s right.