10 ‘Life is Hard’ Truths

You can have a good, enjoyable life. Even though life is hard we smile. Here are hard earned truths about life after 60 years of trials & errors.

1. Relationships & love are more important than wealth and fame:

Family and friends have helped me though job losses, bankruptcy, relocations, illnesses, grief, and breakups. Plus celebrated my successes. Be Kind. Listen when someone is having a bad day. (You don’t need to solve it.) Celebrate their successes. Eat together even if vegan. Have stopped at McDonald’s later, and enjoyed strange new meals with friends.

2. Help Others, Volunteer and Support Charities:

No possessions will make you happier than a kid asking you to tie their shoes or for a hug. Neighbors needing a hand with a project. Welcoming people. Doing grunt work at a volunteer event. Helping people move. Can’t pick up as much, but gotten better at packing. Always a contribution you can do.

3. Be Grateful:

What went right today? Who said hi? Write it down or review them going to bed. Most of us focus on our few mistakes or challenging people. Happy people look for good moments to savor and smile more.

4. Spend much less than you make:

You don’t need everything you want. You need peace of mind. Avoid impulse buys. When you get raises, increase how much you put into retirement or emergency funds. You will eventually need them.

5. Learn new skills: 

Be horrible at first, and work hard to be bad at it. Fail often. Became a writer because writing terrible first drafts, then edit & edit some more. Not because I was a natural. Still can’t spell nor type well. We get better.

6. Travel to see people or new places:

Go to parties. Smile. Meet new people. Vacation somewhere new. Attend weddings and funerals. Always make the funeral.

7. Politics are not important to your life. Turn off the news to be happier:

Most news is sensationalistic opinions to make you emotional. Neither President Trump nor Clinton would change my day today. (Voted 3rd party).

What makes you happy? Do it.

8. Be very kind. People do not want to be corrected, lectured, nor feel guilty:

If you try, you will become people they and I run from. No one needs negativity. People need to be understood. Besides we are all wrong more than we care to admit.

9. Hire people to do what you can’t:

See your doctor for physicals and illnesses above the common cold. Learn from a therapist how to cope better. Recommend the good service pros to people. Do what you are good at.

10. God Loves You:

He wants you to have a relationship with Him. Not scold you for your failings. He knows, forgives and loves you unconditionally. Be open and God will be revealed to you.

This one makes it easier to do 1 – 9. The stress goes away.

Life’s Rules of Thumb

Growing up was taught simple shortcuts to solve issues or designs. People learned them from experience. Now they are called “Life Hacks”. Here are a few of my Rules of Thumb:

Life is Hard

Bad days will hit you. Family and Friends die. Jobs go away or we get fired. Illness strikes. Mental illness strikes loved ones, or happen to you. No one has life go right every day. We all suffer.

Life is Awkward

No one learns anything the first time. We date the wrong person. We are confronted by the unexpected. We make mistakes and bad decisions. (Parenting anyone?) This is called Experience.

Ask Questions and Ruminate

No one knows everything. Business, technology and customers change every year. Learn is ask questions and listen to answers. People will tell you surprises about their lives. Find time to think deeply about what is happening. Where are the challenges? Where are opportunities? What changes can you make?

Try Things

Knowledge is useless without Action. Try what you learn, and learn more from trying. Making mistakes and failing are learning.

“Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life.” - Sophia Loren

Faith is Necessary

We need an anchor dealing with life’s trials and difficulties. Meditation is wonderful. Meditation with prayer is better. Know God Love You.

“I do not believe because I understand. I believe so I can understand.”

Life is Worth It

Yes life is good. It is not other people recognizing you. It is when you said the right thing to someone who needs to hear it. You give a hand or encourage someone who needs one. We all need someone’s help. You discipline a kid or employee so they learn. You may not realize it until later. You did good. Keep track of what went right. Be grateful every day for something.

 "You will never know how high you can jump until you reach a failure point." - Rev. Robert Schuller