Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Learned The Hard Way
Or, at the very least, things that I wish I had paid attention to when they were told to me, and some things that I think are truisms, also learned the hard way. These are in no particular order.
1. Never drink orange juice and *then* brush your teeth. This also goes for grapefruit juice, cranberry juice, and lemon juice.
2. They can never take away your birthday.
3. Never apologize for your feelings. Apologize for the actions that you take based on those feelings, but don't apologize for the feelings themselves. Rational or irrational, they are YOUR feelings.
4. Never allow anyone to give you permission to feel something. You are the one feeling them, they are not in your head, therefore permission is not necessary.
5. Look up. I think that people lose their childhood and the sense of wonder at the world when you stop looking up.
6. Jump in puddles.
7. Allow yourself to be silly and do silly things.
8. Don't worry so much about other people's opinions of you. Very little that you do will change their opinion, so why expend the time and effort trying.
9. Be yourself. It's trite, I know, but this is one of the most important things and one of the hardest lessons I ever learned. Trying to be something or someone that you're not just to please someone else never ends well and leaves you miserable.
10. Live your life for yourself, not someone else.
11. There is no such thing as a guilty pleasure. If you feel guilty about liking something, you just took all the pleasure out of it.
12. Sing in the shower.
13. Always stand up for yourself. You can never count on those around you to stand up for you.
14. Learn how to debate in an effective manner. Don't expect that you will change people's minds.
15. Be willing to listen to other points of view. Importantly, be willing to listen fully and without argument until the entire point has been made. Consider before replying.
16. Try new things. You never know, you might like it.
17. Learn.
18. Pay attention to history.
19. Pay attention to the world. Things that happen to other people in other countries can affect you.
20. Happy dogs always deserve a scritch.
21. Smile at strangers. They probably need it.
22. Ask questions. Even the stupid ones.
23. Find joy.
1. Never drink orange juice and *then* brush your teeth. This also goes for grapefruit juice, cranberry juice, and lemon juice.
2. They can never take away your birthday.
3. Never apologize for your feelings. Apologize for the actions that you take based on those feelings, but don't apologize for the feelings themselves. Rational or irrational, they are YOUR feelings.
4. Never allow anyone to give you permission to feel something. You are the one feeling them, they are not in your head, therefore permission is not necessary.
5. Look up. I think that people lose their childhood and the sense of wonder at the world when you stop looking up.
6. Jump in puddles.
7. Allow yourself to be silly and do silly things.
8. Don't worry so much about other people's opinions of you. Very little that you do will change their opinion, so why expend the time and effort trying.
9. Be yourself. It's trite, I know, but this is one of the most important things and one of the hardest lessons I ever learned. Trying to be something or someone that you're not just to please someone else never ends well and leaves you miserable.
10. Live your life for yourself, not someone else.
11. There is no such thing as a guilty pleasure. If you feel guilty about liking something, you just took all the pleasure out of it.
12. Sing in the shower.
13. Always stand up for yourself. You can never count on those around you to stand up for you.
14. Learn how to debate in an effective manner. Don't expect that you will change people's minds.
15. Be willing to listen to other points of view. Importantly, be willing to listen fully and without argument until the entire point has been made. Consider before replying.
16. Try new things. You never know, you might like it.
17. Learn.
18. Pay attention to history.
19. Pay attention to the world. Things that happen to other people in other countries can affect you.
20. Happy dogs always deserve a scritch.
21. Smile at strangers. They probably need it.
22. Ask questions. Even the stupid ones.
23. Find joy.