We all need a motto. Something to keep us on track when times get rough.
Is it listening to music, or a little voice in our head that gives us a way forward?
Or is it just a simple rule of thumb that can keep us through everything?
u/wolfpack202020 asked:
Reddit, what's your Rule No 1 in life?
Here were some of the answers.
Little Traditions
GiphyAlways have something to look forward to. Make some future plans. It keeps me going.
To piggyback off of this, find a hobby that takes place regularly and on a weekday. It greatly diminishes the "work for the weekend" mindset that many people have. I bowl league on Tuesdays and Thursdays and honestly look forward to those just as much as I do the weekend.
Valuing Yourself
Directly expressing my needs instead of hinting.
This is one of those rules I needed to pick up again as an adult. I got discarded and messed with a lot as a kid because I was small and weird, so I got into a kind of mindset of minimizing and hiding my desires. It turns out being upfront with what you really want to do makes it far easier to be a friend to rather than them feeling more and more annoyed that they have to guess what you want or feeling bad that they always dominate or get to pick but you insist it's fine doing whatever. The rule is to make sure it's not a huge hit to group plans and also to not do it so often or every single time. Yes, wanting to lurk in the apartment playing Halo is fine, but it gets boring when that's all you want to do every single time.
Step Back
Listen to my gut. I don't have to always follow it, but taking a moment to step back and ask how I feel about things, and ask myself a few questions to try and see why, has been a lifesaver. Works wonders for handling emotions and making decisions.
The Ball, I'm On It
Don't waste anybody's time. If you asked somebody for a ride, be waiting outside when they arrive. If somebody asked you for a report at work by 3 o'clock, have it ready by five minutes to. Basically, just plan ahead and have everything ready to go when it needs to be ready. Nobody's going to want to bother with you if you're not on the ball.
That Word
If you make a promise to someone make sure it's one you can keep. If it's something that might not happen, I'll say "I will do my best on this but I can't promise anything." I try very hard to keep my word good.
Just Try Your Best
Smile and say thank you. I had a friend once tell me my smile could melt and disarm anyone. So since then I've made it a point to smile as much as I can and especially when interacting with retail workers I always make sure I smile and say thank you. I almost always get a big smile back which feels good because you never know how many jerks that person has had to deal with that day. You might be the only decent customer they've had.
Silence Is Golden
If you want your plans to come true, NEVER, I say NEVER tell about those plans to anyone. Even to the closest relatives and friends. The only exception is that those people are directly involved into your plans.
My Oxygen Mask First
Bruh, love yourself first and foremost. Most people out there will not.
ETA: Basically keeping yourself physically and mentally healthy. It includes recognizing how others or ourself are causing harm; this includes removing ourselves from relationships, habits, environments that can be detrimental, and damage control.
Being kind and respectful to oneself, not selfish and greedy is one way to do it.
Conditions
Life is difficult, painful, and confusing; it's difficult, painful and confusing for everyone. So be compassionate and understanding. There's a story to everyone's struggles, there's a reason behind anyone's failures. Be kind.
With the addendum that this rule does not apply to Yankees fans and Toronto FC fans.
Mind Over Matter
GiphyIf someone else can do something. Why can't I achieve the same? In other words, never sell yourself short. You are capable of much more than you think. Having that failure mentality is usually the reason you're constantly failing.
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