Smarter than me: The Dalai Lama’s Eighteen

Oh, too good to not post (and not sure how I missed it before, since it's not very new) — the Dalai Lama wrote a list of eighteen guidelines for Better Living, and every single one of them had me bouncing in my chair.  

These fall under "things you may please remind me of at any time, and no matter how annoying it is, I will thank you"!

And just to note it, incredibly relevant to me lately are #2, #4, #8, #16 and #17.  (By all means tell me which ones are most relevant to you — it's a fun exercise, if nothing else.)

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

3. Follow the 3 Rs:   

     Respect for self.

     Respect for others.

     Responsibility for all your actions. 

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live an honourable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation.  Don’t bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge.  It’s a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.