life philosophies
Dec. 6th, 2005 03:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
snugglekittyMany books discuss the concept of "rules for life." These can be either rules that make your life easier or rules that keep your behavior in line with your beliefs. (Examples - the Five Rules in Sword of Orion, Maureen's version of the 10 Commandments in To Sail Beyond the Sunset.)
Here's one version of what I try to live by.
- Be honest. Be honest with your friends, lovers, family, and especially with yourself. With strangers, if it's necessary that you not tell the whole truth, omit rather than lie. Being honest includes not making promises you can't keep. Which leads to...
- Know yourself. Know what you're capable of, what you're good at and bad at.
- Be tender in your care of the people and things in your area of influence, and they will care for you in return. This includes yourself.
- No one is an island, but be self-sufficient as much as you can. Among other things, this means you should have a savings account, know how to cook a meal and use a plunger, and know how to calm yourself in crisis.
- If something is important, have a Plan B of what you will do if it goes south.
- Get, and state, your terms up front.
What are yours?
Here's one version of what I try to live by.
- Be honest. Be honest with your friends, lovers, family, and especially with yourself. With strangers, if it's necessary that you not tell the whole truth, omit rather than lie. Being honest includes not making promises you can't keep. Which leads to...
- Know yourself. Know what you're capable of, what you're good at and bad at.
- Be tender in your care of the people and things in your area of influence, and they will care for you in return. This includes yourself.
- No one is an island, but be self-sufficient as much as you can. Among other things, this means you should have a savings account, know how to cook a meal and use a plunger, and know how to calm yourself in crisis.
- If something is important, have a Plan B of what you will do if it goes south.
- Get, and state, your terms up front.
What are yours?