Thursday, April 23, 2009

Hello! (and five rules for life)

I'm so excited to see new people coming to visit my blog! Some of you are coming from Julie's blog, Moments of Perfect Clarity, which was made blog of note this week! (Congratulations, Julie, you truly deserve it!) or I've found you through her blog. So thank you all for stopping by and thank you, Julie!

Among my new readers, I found Lynette, and through her blog My creative fling, I found the Five rules for life blog. I love this idea: people sharing "what they believe are the most important rules to follow for a happy, successful, and fulfilling life. "

So I was inspired to think about my five rules for life. And of course, I'm sharing them with you!

Learn, learn, learn
I’ve said it before. I love learning. Doing new things and discovering new skills really stimulates me. I love the feeling of going back to school, taking notes, thinking about what has been said... I’m interested in lots of random stuff, from languages, to knitting (some friends and I are going to start a knitting group) to literature, cinema, development and human rights issues… almost anything!

Spend time on your own
I think it's important to be comfortable with ourselves, and to not rely on others to define who we are. We're not only someone's partner, or someone's friend, or someone's mum/daughter. We have our own personality and it's important to keep some parts of your life to yourself: do a course on your own, take solitary walks and take photos of what you see, enjoy your own company.
I also think it's important to get to know yourself, what you like, and what you enjoy. When we spend all our time with others, we don't have time or space to listen to what we want and we end up believing that we want what others want. I’ve recently started a journal to record all the things I like, from my favourites movies or books to how I like to spend my weekends. I really think this will help me finding out more about myself.

Change your surroundings
Travel is such an important thing in my life. I love discovering new places, new cultures, and new languages. But I don’t have to go very far, just a change of surroundings, a day in the countryside or a visit to a museum you’ve never been to will help me to open me mind in lots of different way. It’s about leaving your comfort zone, and discovering new ways of doing things.

Don't take anything personally
I’ve unashamedly copied this from Lynette’s list because it really resonated with me. I do take things personally, but this was a real eye opener: People are simply too busy with their own problems! They’re not judging me, they are not talking about me, they are not thinking of how I’d react to their words… at least not most of the time.

Have fun!
Ah, yes! We tend to forget this one! I certainly do! Have fun, make the most of any situation, laugh at yourself! Be silly, jump up and down, sing in the middle street, laugh out loud!

What are yours?

17 comments:

  1. i love lists. i'm not sure i have ever thought about the guiding rules of my life, but it's an interesting question.

    thanks for your kind words and i'm glad to hear that there's some spillover, you deserve to be read. :-) that's kinda what those blog awards are all about--that last one was well-timed. tho' who knew?

    now i'm off to think about my five rules...

    xox,
    /j

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  2. This is a great list and there really is no point in me trying to think of one because it would be identical! Thanks!!

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  3. Thank you girls! Now I just need to remember to keep living by these rules! It's so easy to lose sight of what's important...

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  4. Many thanks for mentioning my site, "Five Rules For Life".

    Can I re-publish your rules there?

    Have a great day!

    Jon
    FiveRulesForLife.com

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  5. What a thoughtful list!
    I have to say my favourite part of this whole online process is connecting with and inspiring each other.
    Thank you for sharing.
    L
    p.s. You have some good reads on your bookshelf.

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  6. Oh I like your rules. Totally agree with each one. You gotta keep learning or what's the point of living?? Thank you so much for sharing. :)

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  7. I know, Lynette, you meet really interesting people! Thanks for your comment about my books, that's my to-read list!
    Sara Christine, I know, I couldn't stop even if I wanted to! :)

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  8. Brilliant list B.

    p.s. fingers crossed blogger lets me leave this comment!

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  9. Jan! I'm happy that you can comment again! Thanks!

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  10. Nice list.... the last is the best - not to take things personally. Some folks almost make a sport out of finding a way to be mad out of simple conversation.

    ...maybe this is why we blog.

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  11. OMG I just loved everything you wrote because it's exactly what happens to me...te whole thing about learning and being on my own,knowing myself,write the things I like...
    I mean...it's been amazing reading everything in my brain in your blog.
    I think I saw somewhere you were Spanish...if you were,I just wanted you to know that I am Spanish too xD
    xoxo

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  12. You're amazing. Just like Julie. These Five rules for life are amazing! The one for "Change your surroundings" applies to me in so many ways.

    Tu creatividad es innumerable! Voy a seguir pasando por tu pagina para leer mas de tus lindas palabras. Gracias por compartirlas!

    Emmy

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  13. Thank you! I'm glad that you like my list!
    Y tambien en español! Si, soy española, que ilusion, otra lectora española¡

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  14. nice list!
    i would've add another one: never be afraid to break the rules.especially the ones who kept you from being yourself!

    nice blog you have here (=

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  15. That's a really good one! We should all try our hardest to be ourselves, no matter what!

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