I like rules because they are like boundaries. If you have firm healthy boundaries, you have the ingredients of a self-disciplined, determined and on-purpose individual who knows what they want and don’t want. 10 rules for a happy life will help you set a course for what you really want. Often in life we stop setting goals without even knowing we have done it. We tire of losing and of not having reached goals in the past. Instead of facing the disappointment of it, we just stop doing it. We stop aiming for what we truly want of of life. Setting rules for yourself will be like stars guiding your ship home into the harbour. Sometimes it is a game of trial and error however you become what you do. 10 rules for a happy life have been learned from working with people from all over the world at our Centre for Healing and Life Transformation in South Africa and provide everyday, practical steps that can be the foundation to your renewed success this year.
Rules for Life are intentional, on-purpose patterns of spiritual intentions that provide structure and direction for growth and contribution in our lives. They are an exterior framework for an interior journey. Creating rules for yourself establishes a rhythm for life which is helpful for being real personal growth that, with enough practice, starts to form part of your higher or Spiritual Self. Rules create a rhythm that reflects our emerging love for God, self and others which is the very reason why we are spinning around on this big blue marble in the first place.
Rules simply provide structure to remind us of what is really important in our lives. All great spirituality is about what we do with our pain.
Our rules for life should be the minimum standards for your the life that you want to live and create. Rules and practices will differ greatly from person to person but the need for direction and meaning is the same for everyone. Here are 10 rules for a happy life to help you create the life you want, need, demand and deserve.
1. Always tell the truth. The truth will set you free. Lies will only confuse you and others. When you tell the truth you have nothing to hide by default and people will notice that. People are perceptive and build relationships on trust and open communication. It is true that the truth will indeed set you free.
2. Develop self-discipline. self discipline enables you to choose what you want for your life and then follow through unwaveringly with those decisions. It also gives you the power and inner strength to overcome your limitations and vices and withstand cravings and temptations for things that don’t work for you like addictions or procrastination. Developing discipline will help you to mater you thoughts and emotions and get what you really, really want out of life.
3. Create a plan. Bad plans are better than no plans. We all need somewhere to aim. Aimlessness gets us poor results and we seldom hit the targets we are aiming for. Zombies walk around aimlessly in on mans land. Write your plans down with a title of what your life looks like, what you need to do to get there and what you shouldn’t do that will hinder you getting there.
4. Progress not Perfection. A key to happiness is not “perfection”, but it is “progress.” Perfection simply focuses on what is not working one hundred percent while progress is always happening and evolving. Think about it, perfection is about the fantasy of a finished state. Death is a finished state that you don’t need to aim for. Focus on progress by making small steps count everyday and enjoy the journey not the destination.
5. Stay out of drama. Dont rescue others, nor persecute them with gossip and bad-mouthing and don’t become a victim to your own thinking. Victims tend to blame others for our problems and get nowhere until they can become personally accountable for living their own lives. Drama is a bad habit that can be cleaned up with some spiritual hygiene. Let go easily. Be quick to forgive and keep your side of the street clean. What others choose to do or not do is none of our business.
6. Become fearlessly authentic. To thine own self be true. Never loose your authenticity to people please. Prana or life energy flows at its peak when you are true to your own nature. Authenticity starts in your heart and requires vulnerability, integrity and courage to flourish. Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day for ourselves. Authenticity is also magnetic to others.
7. Let go of resentments. Have the courage to let go of resenting others. It will only make you angry and bitter. Resentment takes down more good people than almost anything else in this world. Be quick to forgive. Surrender to what is. Learn to let go.
8. Love. Daring to love in an imperfect world takes courage. Be curious and take an interest in other people, animals and nature. Love the world with deepening affection as much as you love the skin you’re in.
9. Fail Gracefully. Dont be afraid to fail. Failure is inevitable and it happens to us on a daily basis. Failures make us kinder, more empathic and more real. We can connect more deeply with other people when we are vulnerable enough to share our failures as much s out strengths. Accepting our failures is a humbling process and humility is our surest sign of strength. Life is the process of failing forwards.
10. Practice the law of detachment. Commit yourself to detachment by not trying to rigidly impose your idea of how things should be on others or on yourself.
For more information on 10 rules for a happy life or to see the full 21 rules for life, click here or email us at centerforhealingandlife@gmail.com
Wonderful are those whose brokenness brings forth change and shrewdness. Read my blog What Transforms A Person? hope it will transform your life. Thank you.