How to Get the Most Out of Life

[Patriot]

Every so often I post my own column, voluntarily, on this and other discussion boards, mainly as an exercise in philosophical meandering. I was chatting recently with someone who felt incredibly discouraged about life: things were spinning out of control. In other words, his life was running him, and he wasn't running his life. I dropped my two cents of wisdom (mainly derived from the wits of other sages) and thought I'd also share them in this thread, for the benefit of all.

1. Don't bite off more than you can chew. No matter what you're doing, whether in work, sports, or school, "more" is not always "better". A small job well done, is worth a lot more than a big job botched or gone awry. Does this mean you shouldn't reach for challenges? No, but keep your challenges within the scope of your own probability of success. Test your limits gradually.

2. Take every task seriously. It's the best way to meet with perfection. Success is a ladder that must be climbed. You can't make it to the top by skipping the lower rungs.

3. Industry pays debts, while despair increases them. This tibit of wisdom harks back to Benjamin Franklin. Unfortunately many people suffer from "analysis paralysis". They sit and think about their problems, or analyze the best method to change their lives. They do everything except what they need to do, and that is, take action. If you're unhappy about something in life, remember that you have the ability to change it. You're not a tree.

4. God helps those who help themselves. Yes, again we are indebted to Poor Richard's Almanac for this phrase. Too often, people blame God for the problems in their lives without using the props God put in place to help them move forward.

5.Don't live in fear. People who live in fear have incapacitated themselves. Whether they're afraid of driving in icy weather, afraid of other people, or afraid of their own shortcomings, fear is the single most damaging emotion a human can possess. Live while you're alive.

6. Good habits must be instilled day by day. Self-discipline, courage, calm, temperance. All these require constant self-evaluation. To become the person you want to be demands chipping away at the block of stone until you get the desirable statue. Sometimes, chipping hurts. Don't let yourself down by failing to push yourself in the right direction. If you're an Ex-Marine ask yourself every day, "What Would the D.I. Say?"

7. Ignore criticism. It might come as a shock, but most people don't have a damned clue about anything, let alone what's best in your life. Why honor ignorance by paying credence to people who don't have a clue?

8. Dream big. Greatness in anything starts with one simple thing: an idea. Think about what you want to do today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, in a decade, and in a score.

9. If it doesn't work, change it. If you're driving your Hummer and have a defunct tire, you'd stop and change the tire. That's only logical. So, why do we insist on sticking with old methods that don't work in other areas of our lives? Alter your approach until you're tactically capable of achieving your goal.

[midcan5]

Another pov - re-post live free, live as a liberal


You too can be a happy person

You must first know empathy, this is not really hard, anyone who has survived a few years of school can understand what this means. Look at it this way, that other person shares the same world and has the same concerns as you, so instead of finding flaws look for similarities.

Religion is not the sole province of conservatives. Liberals recognize that Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and free thinkers have their beliefs too. Respect all, you could have been born into a Zen family.

Church and state, work and leisure. Some things are better separated, worship however you want but be aware that not everyone shares your beliefs. Respect that.

Taxes are not bad. Consider all the infrastructure you use in a single day and consider how that came to be and you will soon understand that, darn, my taxes are doing good things. When you visit a library or museum, enjoy them, this is part of your taxes. Say hi to that cop or fireman too.

Education does not mean filling a child's head with an adult's hang ups. Believe it or not education is to help you understand, to be able to read and compute, and to reason. It is not simply to repeat pious platitudes and tired cliches. Support it fully and thank that teacher who pushed you, who challenged you. That is where progress and civility begin.

Saying you are moral doesn't count as being moral. Be moral by backing programs that support people, vote for people whose platform is not simply to reduce taxes but want to do something positive. If any politician says I am going to reduce your taxes study the other candidate closely.

Dissent. Recognize that heroes are often dissenters. It is why we fight, it is why we are Americans. Listen to that dissent and see if you can understand why it may be valid. Debate is healthy. Love your country but do not love it so much you lose the ability to say something is wrong.

Courts and law are keys to justice, without them we have anarchy.

Corporations are just like people, People are generally motivated by self interest. Recognize that. When that self interest cheats and robs and steals that is dishonest, doesn't matter whether it is a person or a corporation.

Regulation. See above, people are motivated by self interest in most things. Do you lock your doors, do you lock your car, think of regulation as locks against the greed of some.

Economy. Read a history of Boeing, think long term, get away from get rich quick schemes. We are in this together if that person works I can work if that person spends I can spend. Think future.

Be aware that you are part of many people, of much history, of a time, and that we are all related. We all know hope and fear and we all try.

Personalization. Because you did it doesn't mean everyone can do it. Because you are lucky enough to be born in a certain place, or to be smart, or to be connected, are things we often take for granted. Think of them.

Life isn't one issue. Be aware of the whole picture, remember whenever you make a decision you need to weigh carefully what it means to all. Balance is important. Few things are black or white, most issues are somewhere closer to the middle of the spectrum.

Work hard but respect that others may need your time too.

Reading is a good thing. Fiction is not unreal, it can actually be more real than the sequential experience of life. Start with Animal Farm, 1984, and then the Brothers Karamazov. Check out Invisible Man. Read James Baldwin a Gay writer. Read some plays start with Arthur Miller. In non fiction read Howard Zinn, Peter Singer, Ernest Becker ....

Core principles matter, the work started by FDR and continued through LBJ matters, we were and are a civilized and better society because we reached for fairness. Don't forget those principles of individual freedom, of taking care of others, of working to make things better for all.

Do this some morning. Wake up and be happy. No matter what the weather, be glad to be alive. Thank liberal thinking for your free society, safe streets and clean air. Read a poem write a poem. Maybe you can leave it for a loved one. Make coffee, tea. Breath the air deeply and say, "darn, being a liberal has freed me, if I see a bum today I will treat them to lunch, I will even talk to them, I am finally free of conservatism." And pray too if you do that.

good luck