Rules of Life by Richard Templar

Part I: Rules for you

    Keep it under your hat, don't preach, propagate or even mention this

    You'll get older but not necessarily wiser; wisdom isn't about not making mistakes but about learning to escape afterward with our dignity and sanity intact

    Accept What is done is done and you need to just get on with things

    Accept yourself. You don't have to improve or change or strive for perfection. Quite the opposite. Just accept.

    Know what counts and what doesn't. There are some things in this life that is important and a whole lot of things that aren't
    Dedicate your life to something. A yardstick to measure How and what I am doing and where I am going

    Be flexible in your thinking. Try not to see life as an enemy, but as a friendly sparring partner

    Taking an interest in the outside world is about developing you, rather than for the world's benefit

    Be on the side of the angels, not the beasts

    Only dead fish swim with the stream. Life is meant to be a series of struggles and lulls

    Be the last to raise your voice

    Be your own adviser, intuition.

    No fear, no surprise, not hesitation, no doubt

    I wish I'd done that, and I will. The world is divided into those who look at others enviously and those who look at others as a motivational tool

    Count to 10, you'll get an appropriate response
    Change what you can change, let go of the rest. Dedicate yourself personally to things you can change, areas where you can make a difference.

    Aim to be the very best at everything you do, not the second best. Failing is fine. Aiming for the second best isn't.

    Don't be afraid to dream

    Don't dwell on the past. Live here, live now. Live in this moment.

    Don't live in the future. Dreams are great but reality is fine too

    Get on with life, it's whooshing past. You have to give it a bit of thought if you want to get the best out of it

    Dress like today is important. People will react differently to you if you dress as if it matters.

    Have a belief system. You don't have to prove it to anyone else, justify it, even show it

    Leave a little space for yourself each day, where you do absolutely nothing

    Have a plan, or it will always remain a dream
    Have a sense of humor

    Choose how you make your bed. Do the right thing every time, you know what it is

    Life can be a bit like advertising, you'll never know from which bits of effort comes the best reward.

    Get used to stepping outside your comfort zone. Expanding your comfort zone makes you feel good about yourself.
    Learn to ask questions

    Have dignity. It's about showing self-respect and having quiet self-esteem
    It's ok to feel big emotions

    Keep the faith

    You'll never understand everything.

    Know where true happiness comes from, it's right in yourself
    Know when to let go, when to walk away.

    Look after yourself

    Maintain good manners in all things
    Prune your stuff frequently

    Remember to touch the base
    Draw the lines around yourself

    Shop for quality, not price

    It's okay to worry, or to know how not to
    Staying young is trying out new tastes, new places to go, new styles
    Throwing money at a problem doesn't always work
    Think for yourself
    You are not in charge
    Have something in your life that takes you out of yourself
    Only the good feel guilty
    If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all