Living in the 21st century can sometimes suck. Although you may have your own great guidelines to living better, these are some I’ve come up with from the self-help books I’ve read and just overall experiencing life. Remember even taking small steps each day toward a better you is still leading to a better, happier, healthier you. Never doubt your abilities and where you can get to. We’re all here trying to simply make it from one day to the next and taking it slow is better than not taking any steps at all. Here are 10 guidelines to have a better life:
- Keep a journal. Either write down or type into your computer/tablet/phone events you want to remember that way next year you don’t end up making the same mistake over again or alternatively, remember how you did something fun to help you out when you feel sad. Start by writing a few sentences a day if you don’t like writing. Eventually you’ll learn to write down important stuff only and leave out the rest. If you do it electronically, use a cloud-based app like Evernote (what I use) to make keywords easily searchable. Are you trying to remember what you had for lunch last year at that one restaurant? Search at the top. Did you use a condom that night at the sketchy party? Search “condom bro/ho bash 2017”. Develop yourself. Some people like to write in the evening at the end of the day, some like to write the next morning after processing everything in their sleep. Do what works for you.
- Meditate. In this information age we live in, we are constantly bombarded with video, sound, animated gifs, memes, “fake” news and so much more daily. Sometimes you just need to clear your head of all of the garbage you are holding in it. Try to do this daily for at least 15 minutes. If you find it difficult to sit still that long, do it in small increments each day until you get to the point where you come out of it feeling more clear than before you started. I use a great app called Insight Timer that gives you credit for each day you meditate and keeps track of your meditations for you. You may even make a new friend through the app to meditate with in your area!
- Eat less meat, or none at all. Heart disease is the number one killer in America. If you want to know the root of the problem, try being a vegetarian for a day and see how insanely difficult it is. There are many alternatives to meat such as Morning Star Products that are typically more delicious and healthier for you than actual meat is. Almond/coconut/cashew milk is also better than regular milk. No other species on the planet drinks the milk from another animal. Milk can also contain steroids and other chemicals that make it unhealthy. Pancakes and macaroni taste better when made with the aforementioned alternative milk too, especially sweetened almond milk.
- Observe people. You can learn a lot just by watching people spend money on things they don’t need in a shopping mall, or seeing how stupid people get at sporting events, in bars or in cars. Take yourself out of the equation and enlighten yourself. You can also learn to dance awesomely by watching people at a night club or concert. That last statement segues us into my next guideline.
- Have a hobby such as shuffling, a sport, video gaming, playing a musical instrument, writing, chess, planking, etc. and encourage friends to do whatever it is you like with you. If you don’t have people to participate in the activity you are doing, you will not learn whatever it is you are trying to do as quickly as you would with others, which is ok, but I encourage you to find people who share your newfound passion. Use your social media accounts to find other people that like what you do and link up with them. Talk to them. Stop feeling that you have no friends and just do it. Because I rollerblade, I have made countless friends over the years that I will most likely have for life.
- Try to mainly collect money, as money is freedom. Collections of almost anything will drain your life, your bank account and will suck when you’re moving. Get over whatever it is you like and just buy your favorite something from a genre rather than 20 if you must. I am guilty of collecting clutter myself but I eventually realized less is more. Things to especially avoid collecting are jewelry, figurines, t-shirts, electronics, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, vehicles and so much more. Realize you’ve only got one body. Also, please realize that no matter how many forms you take on with all of your fashion items, you’re still just one person. Stop trying to be 100 different people and figure out who you are before you get lost in your own illusion. If you’ve got to be other people, do not go over three types. I’ve chosen a clean cut, usually friendly white guy, a rollerblader and a nerd as my personality types. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. Mine mostly have disadvantages but one advantage is, I know who I am. Another advantage is I rarely get laid, therefor, no STDs.
- Have fun. Stop being miserable and living in a bad mood. If you can’t stand what’s happening in your life, change your perspective. Find a place you can go think alone and release the negativity in your life. If someone drains your fun or tries to stop making you have fun, avoid them, as they are a fun vampire and will make you miserable. Just make sure your version of fun doesn’t involve needles, meth, powder or pills of any kind (unless said pills are prescribed and help you). Harming yourself or other people is not going to get you ahead in life. It will only set you back. Destroying random junk with a baseball bat on the other hand… like things you’ve collected you no longer want or need, could help you move forward. Just be careful, please, and do it somewhere safe.
- Listen to music that leaves you feeling good rather than music that turns you into an emotional train-wreck. Types of music and how they affect your mood vary from person to person. Just ask yourself “Do I feel better or worse” after listening to something. It took me many months to realize Modest Mouse makes me want to jump off a skyscraper every time I hear their music. Once I realized this, I threw their CD away. Again, Modest Mouse affects me differently than it does other people, just know yourself and you’ll improve your mood dramatically when you stop making yourself feel things you don’t need to feel. Some people like being miserable though.
- Live as a good example. Lead by example and make people want to be like you, especially if they are younger than you. Don’t waste your life being a bad influence on others, making people around you miserable, or turning them into worse people. Try to stay positive and think positive about your life. Do it little by little. Let the light in your life and enjoy it. Try to make every situation better by paying attention to the good things happening rather than focusing on the bad.
- This is THE most important guideline of them all. Don’t ever, ever, EVER compare yourself to others. You are a special and unique person and if you learn to love who YOU are, rather than who someone else is, you will become better and better every damn day. It will be a slow change but you will do it and understand that no matter how many mistakes you make, you are still you and they are still they. We’re all human and we all have our own issues. Learn to change your behavior and thought patterns if necessary and be the best you that you can be. What other people think of you is none of your business. Take compliments in stride too. Appreciate them but don’t thrive off of them. If you live to gain other people’s acceptance you aren’t living your life for you but for others and that can be a very hard and unpleasant way to live. Stay positive and shine bright like the sun as much as possible. Sing to yourself and to others, dance in the rain, smile at a stranger, hug a friend that is there for you when it’s been a while since you’ve seen them last. Let the people go who don’t want you in their life. You can’t force anyone to be there, trust me. Go with the flow and you’ll be amazed where you end up and who you naturally attract into your life. The people that support you are the only ones you need in your life. It may just be one to three people and that’s ok! Appreciate the people you have in your life and never give up on being awesome.
Some books that led me to these guidelines are The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz and You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero. I wish you all the best in your journey to a better you.
Die Happy,
Di11ingham