Handbook for Life

While purging files last week, trying to declutter my office space; I, came across the Handbook for Life (author unknown).  A breast cancer support group friend sent it to me several years ago.

Rather than filing this document again and sending it back into hiding for another two years, remaining unseen until the next filing purge, I chose to share the 39 tips in this post.

After the last tip, I give an honest assessment of where My Life is in relation to the four categories presented in the handbook:  (1) Health, (2) Personality, (3) Society, and (4) Life.

Handbook for Life

Health

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more food that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did last year.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day — Meditate.
9. Sleep for at least 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily.  And while you walk, smile.

Personality

1. Don’t compare your life to others.  You have no idea what their journey is all about.
2. Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control.  Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
3. Don’t overdo it.  Keep your limits.
4. Don’t take yourself so seriously.  No one else does.
5. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
6. Dream more while you are awake.
7. Envy is a waste of time.  You already have all you need.
8. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past.  That will ruin your present happiness.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.  Don’t hate others.
10. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.  PROBLEMS ARE SIMPLY PART OF THE CURRICULUM THAT APPEAR AND FADE AWAY LIKE ALGEBRA CLASS BUT THE LESSONS YOU LEARN WILL LAST A LIFETIME.
13. Smile and laugh more.
14. You don’t have to win every argument.  Agree to disagree.

Society

1. Call your family often.
2. Each day give something good to others.
3. Forgive everyone of everything.
4. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
5. Try to make a least three people smile each day.
6. What other people think of you is none of your business.
7. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick  Your friends will.  Stay in touch.

Life

1. Do the right thing!
2. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
3. God heals everything.
4. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
5. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
6. The best is yet to come.
7. When you awake in the morning, Thank God for it.
8. Your Inner Most is always happy.  So be happy.

My Life in Relation to the 39 Healthy Living Tips

Of the 10 tips related to Health, I gave a positive response to 8 out of 10.

I didn’t fare as well with Personality, of the 14 tips, 9 still are a part of my life.  In this area, I continue as a work-in-progress.  But, less than five years ago, I lived with the negative thoughts and behaviors cited in all the 14 tips.

Of the 7 Society tips, I have overcome 5 and 2 still remain.

Only 1 negative remains of the 8 Life tips, I live peacefully with the remaining 7 positive thoughts.

Finally,

• responding to the statements in the Handbook for Life;
• acknowledging the negatives in my life; and,
• establishing a plan to reduce and/or eliminate my negative behaviors

brings me closer to living life to its fullest with a healthy mind, body and spirit.