In the midst of family visiting this week, I woke up with a start this morning and realized July 1 was a paperwork deadline for a $50 bonus. That’s TODAY.
I have Christian down to nap and am busily writing and editing.
Here is my submission for the annual Not Back To School Camp Bliss Book:
“So tell me what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”– Mary Oliver
I’ve just finished reading Gretchen Rubin’s book, The Happiness Project, and I love the fact that she distilled her life philosophies into her Twelve Commandments, her Secrets of Adulthood, and Her Splendid Truths.
It occurred to me that a bliss book might be the perfect place to share some of the principles I have come to accept as personal truths as a grown-up. I was tempted to copy Ms. Rubins’ secrets, but upon closer inspection I realized that my own secrets are actually quite different than hers. These are my own. Perhaps centering them will make them look more official.
Everybody wants to be loved.
Everybody is doing the best they can.
Attention and time make the best gifts.
Good food is not just the way to a man’s heart, but to most people’s hearts.
Things that are hard can be more rewarding than things that are easy.
What people think about you is really of very little consequence.
It’s a good idea to wait to be emotionally intimate before being physically intimate.
It’s impossible to guess what people are thinking, so don’t bother; you’ll almost always be wrong.
It takes a couple years to get decently good at something. And a couple of years can go by fast!
Strong relationships need tending and maintenance.
Take the time to surround yourself with people you admire and enjoy.
You can get rid of a bad habit by focusing on a good habit.
In fact, most problems can be solved with extra attention and focus.
Making eye contact with a big smile can go a long way (especially if you need to change lanes in bad traffic).
Supporting others and doing good is nourishing for your soul.
You can only change yourself.
Not everything needs to be said out loud.
Criticism is only useful if it’s been requested, and sometimes not even then.
A good night’s sleep can cure many emotional ills.
Ditto for a good day in the wild.
Eating lots of vegetables is always a good idea.
Doing something, anything, every day is very, very hard. Practice it.
Exercise will make you feel better.
Generosity is always repaid.
You’re the only one who gets to live your life, so make it a good one.
P.S. You can see my staff bio for NBTSC Oregon Session II here. Gee, I look so friendly in my photo!