10 Rules to not suck at life
I need to keep reminding myself not to suck at life. Here goes
Rule 1: Control what you can and accept what you can't
Focus your energy on what is within your control. Let go of attachment to things outside of influence.
"Some things are up to us and some things are not up to us" - Epictetus
"The wise person acts effortlessly, in harmony with the flow of life" - Daoism
Rule 2: Seek balance in all things
Avoid extremes in thought, behavior, or emotion. Balance and moderation in all aspects of life.
"Virtue lies in the mean between excess and deficiency" - Aristotle
"Balance is the way of all things, the natural state of being" - Daoism
Rule 3: Live authentically and take responsibility for your life
Own your choices and take full responsibility for your actions. Create meaning through deliberate and authentic living.
"Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself" - Sartre
"Amor fati: Love your fat, no matter how difficult" - Nietzsche
Rule 4: Embrace the absurd and laugh at chaos
Understand how unpredictable life is. It is often absurd. Choose to find joy, humor and lightness even in chaos.
"One must imagine Sisyphus happy" - Camus
"Life's chaos is the dance of the cosmos. Embrace it" - Daoism
Rule 5: Return to the present without judgement
When the mind wanders, bring it back to the present moment gently and without judgement
"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment" - Buddha
"The pain is not due to the thing itself but to your estimate of it" - Marcus Aurelius
Rule 6: Align action with core values
Let your actions reflect your deepest values and aspirations. You cannot be happy if you don't like yourself.
"Happiness is the exercise of virtue in accordance with reason" - Aristotle
Rule 7: Build mental fortitude through small challenges
Strengthen your resilience by intentionally embracing small, controlled discomforts.
"Difficulties are things that show a person what they are" - Epictetus
"What does not kill me makes me stronger" - Nietzsche
Rule 8: Respond to immoral people with strength and integrity
Do not let selfish or immoral people shake your faith and character. Their success does not diminish the worth of your values.
"The best revenge is to not be like your enemy" - Marcus Aurelius
"The only way to deal with an unfair world is to become absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion" - Camus
Rule 9: Practice gratitude and reframe negativity
Focus on what you are grateful for, even in adversity. Reframe negative situations as opportunities for growth
"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things he has not, but rejoices for those which he has" - Epictetus
"Gratitude unlocks the fulness of life" - Buddha
Rule 10: Leave the world a little better than how you found it
Let your actions, however small, contribute to the greater good.
"Act in such a way that your actions could become a universal law" - Kant