Since my children were small, I launched their day with the invocation to “be good, have fun and learn.” I hope they remember that mantra, but when my daughter Samara began her independent life as a college freshman 3,000 miles away, I thought a more detailed set of maxims was needed. So I assembled a collection of concise (20 words or fewer) insights that I hope will guide, protect, nourish and inspire her to reach her potential for happiness and success.
Here are the first 10:
- You will be as happy as you are willing to be; choose to be happy.
- Have fun and enjoy your life, but never confuse fun or pleasure with happiness.
- Never let your happiness or sense of self-worth depend on someone else’s love or approval.
- Pain is inevitable but suffering is a choice.
- How you deal with what happens to you is more important than what happens to you.
- Real friends make you feel good about yourself but encourage you to be even better.
- It’s not just what you say, do, or intend, but how you make people feel that is most important.
- Failure is not a fact; it’s a perspective. Find the lesson in every setback and you’ll never fail.
- It’s never wrong to admit you were wrong; no one is always right.
- Don’t let grudges or resentments ruin your life or your day; let go, forget, move on!
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.