Some of my own Guiding Principles in Life

Some things that have kept me going in the roughest and easiest of times. These are generalities, tools that are useful when used properly. None of these things has a period at the end of the thought, because that is how Life is, open ended.

When I reflect on my Life and think, "what got me here, through the good and the bad?" these are those condensed thoughts, considerations, "Principles" if you will, that did it for me. As for the good times, even those require mediation, for when things are going really well sometimes, those are the times, when we can do ourselves, or others, the most damages.

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-Aim for the middle path in Life

[How expectedly Buddhist, huh? Well, the basics of the Buddha Dharma has been a good consideration in my getting through things; and against all odds, in my still being here after all the years, trials, and tribulations. That IS the goal after all, to still be here, to not just give up because anyone can do that, to still doing some good, to still affect the flow of Life, Nature and the people around you, but good and bad. You don't have to do all you can, just doing something helps. Moderation. Although extremism can be helpful, mostly it hurts as well as helps so better to do less, and have less hurt come along with it.]

-Don't let the little things in Life bring you down

[and most of what brings us down in life are the little things. When taken in one context or another we can make the small, large and large, small. Consider that if you are flexible on this, you can make almost anything be a little thing. But you should be intelligent enough that you will recognize when some things should be taken as a big thing; just deal with it in context and with appropriate focus and energy. Otherwise, it will bog you down, and those around you, and that does no one any good.]

-Remember to consider that the big things should be dealt with lightly and the little things with some import

[Again, you have to be intelligent on how you handle this. Handle it in a useful way. What this means is that many times, we get caught up in the big things and we freeze, and make bad decisions; if we can attack those situations lightly, with proper aforethought and action, in the end it may well work out for the best. Many things simply resolve themselves if you just give them the chance. And allowing things to evolve their own responses, matures systems and supports more around them, than if you do it for them. As for the little things, its not that unusual for a tiny thing to become a big thing over time; merely treating someone well when you don't have to for instance, giving weight to some small consideration, some social interaction, some way of dealing with what appears at the time, non-consequential, can have a large return after a while.]

-Don't let things affect you so so much, but when you select to let them, well, let them.

[not much to say about that one, really.]

Life's plan, your plan for Your Life, will change, no matter how well you do.

[One of my favorites euphemisms: If you want to make God laugh, make a plan. But that's ok, you just have to be flexible, be ready to think on your feet, change is good, or see it as so and find a way to make that true. Life may not have turned out how I expected, or planned (as IF I had a plan), but looking back on it, I had a very interesting and rewarding Life; and its not over yet.]

-There is always more

[And that, can be considered a good or bad thing, but if there's always more bad, there's also always more good coming, in Life if you just hang on long enough.]