21 Wise Thoughts

I got one of those "forward this so you can have good luck" e-mails yesterday. I felt like adding more to it before I sent it out. Lots of people liked it, so here it is....
-----------------------
ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
- and make sure you don't expect anything in return! It truly IS better to give than to receive.

TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
- that's what I call the "80 year rule" - when you are both 80 years old and rocking in your chairs on the front porch, you better like the person for who they are!

THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
- It's also better to want what you have than to have what you want.

FOUR. When you say, "I love you," mean it.
- and say it often. Never leave them guessing!

FIVE. When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.
- and don't say "I'm sorry, but...." That negates the whole apology!

SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
- My theory: get through at least one holiday season with someone. That's usually when childhood trauma and family dysfunction shows its ugly face.

SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight. but know the difference between love and lust.

EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dream. People who don't have dreams don't have much. If you don't know where you want to go in life, how will you get there.

NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
- And when you get hurt, learn from it. (I'm SO much smarter now!)

TEN. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
- Better yet, try arguing the other person's side. It'll give you a better insight.

ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.
- Don't judge yourself by your relatives, either.

TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.
- Talk less, think more!

THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"
- and don't let them go until they answer!

FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
- and both take great work!!

FIFTEEN. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
- Better yet, say "GOD bless you." When I was married, my husband would say "God bless you" whenever I sneezed. My response was always "He already has." I still believe that.

SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
- Don't think of it as "losing." Think of it as a learning opportunity.

SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.
- and forget these three: Regret, Retaliation and Rage.

EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
- Don't let a little dispute become a big one.

NINETEEN. When you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it. and OWN it.

TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
- Use your caller ID to use their name when you answer. It makes them laugh, but also make them feel special. Our name is our most valuable asset, and we always smile when we hear someone use it.

TWENTY-ONE. Spend some time alone.
- Spend time doing nothing. Listen to your mind and don't get lost in the "busy-ness" of life!