Rules for living

In this corporeal world, we have to adopt and bear in mind some rules to live by. Having rules to live by helps us to parry the blows of life and its negativity and lead us to the right path in living.

In our group discussion yesterday afternoon, I have learned new rules to live by. Here they are:

Contentment. Be contented with what you have and don’t be envious with what others have. You just don’t know the journey  they are going through. Most of all, count  your  blessings and be thankful to the Lord.

Detachment. Learn to detach from people  and things, especially those that do not contribute much to the betterment of your  inner being. Detachment can spare you from pain and  frustration.

Live in the present moment. There’s no use living in the past because it’s gone already. You cannot unwind the hands of time and go back to the old memory. Move on, whether those memories are sad or joyful. Don’t trouble yourself with the future for it takes care of its own self. Savor the present moment because this is the only  moment that you have.

Worship and glorify the Lord. Upon waking up, there’s nothing like praising and thanking the Lord for all the blessings that He has showered upon us, especially the gift of life.

God is in charge of everything. No matter what happens in our life, let us bear in mind that God is in control of everything. We have to trust His goodness and kindness. Proverbs 3: 5-6 declares, "Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

In the same perspective, spiritual leader, Dalai Lama cites his own rules of living. Here they are:

Take into account that great love and  great achievements involve great risk. Risk is involved in every great opportunity in life.

When you lose, don’t lose the lesson. If you lose what you have learned not to do, you will  be doomed to repeat it.

Follow the three R’s: 1. Respect for self; 2. Respect for others; 3. Responsibility for all actions. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. Not everything that you desire will be necessarily good for you in the long run.

Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship. Obviously, friendship is more important than small fight.

When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it. And do not let your pride get in the way of taking those steps.

Spend some time alone every day. No matter what you do, take  at least 30 minutes out of your day to spend alone in a quiet place.

Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values. This world is constantly changing. If you are not open to change, then you are going to live a miserable life.

 Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.