Thoughts for 2007

Well, we are crossing into a New Year, and my dear, long-time friend Gracie sent me these words, which I think are worth passing along as we close out 2006 and segue into 2007:

There's some mighty fine advice in these words.

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR. When you say, "I love you," mean it.

FIVE. When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.

SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dream. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way

to live life completely.

TEN. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.

TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"

FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

FIFTEEN. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

TWENTY-ONE. Spend some time alone.

I would add a few of my own:

Try to discover a little beauty in every day. If you don't find it, try introducing it yourself.

Every now and then, when you have a choice between being right and being kind, try just letting go of being right, in order to be kind.

In situations where you said "Yes" to doing something that you really didn't want to and later resented it, try saying, "No" up front instead.

Every week, try to carve out some time to nourish your spirit.

Keep in mind that there are people who might be smarter, wealthier, and more talented than you in some things, but NO ONE has the unique combination of gifts that you do, to offer to the world.

Anyone else have any words of wisdom for us to consider as we head into the New Year?

Comments

[Laura Wesley]

"In situations where you said "Yes" to doing something that you really didn't want to and later resented it, try saying, "No" up front instead."

Boy howdy, did that one hit home for me! I spent years and years in the printing and publishing business, both as art director and then sales. Everyone one thought I was an "artist" and could do anything and everything they couldn't do in regards to art. I got asked "favors" all the time. I could never say "no" and mean it. I was miserable. I hated doing those things, but did them anyway. They drained me.

My solution, while talking to myself in a mirror, was to say "let me think about it."

After a few days of "thinking about it", if I was remotely interested in doing it, I asked questions about the project. To not get their hopes up, I would repeat the "thinking about it" scenario. This left the door open to agreeing to do the project because there really was some interest in it on my part, and to saying "no" without hurting anyone's feelings about it. I also never had a guilt complex about telling a good friend "no" because, after all, I did think about it.

This has saved my life. I just wish I had learned it earlier.