Home > Work > 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans
1 " You are not responsible for all the things that happen to you, but you are completely in control of your attitude and your reactions to them. If you feel annoyance, fear, or disappointment, these feelings are cause by you and must be dug out like a weed. Study where they came from, accept them, and then let them go. If you let outside pressures determine how you feel and what you do, you have just abdicated your job as CEO of your own life. "
― Karl Pillemer , 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans
2 " It’s my responsibility to be as happy as I can, right here, today. "
3 " If you are entering into a permanent relationship based on the intention of change, you are on the wrong track. "
4 " It’s a fact that life will hand us problems and difficulties—if that hasn’t happened to you yet, you’re lucky (and probably very young). Despite this fact, we all have the power to choose. We can make a conscious decision each day to embrace a positive attitude. It requires convincing yourself that you can wake up and decide to focus on positive emotions. "
5 " translucency "
6 " the experts have become attuned to the minute pleasures that younger people often are only aware of if they have been deprived of them: a morning cup of coffee, a warm bed on a winter night, a brightly colored bird feeding on the lawn, an unexpected letter from a friend, even a favorite song on the radio (all pleasures mentioned in my interviews). Paying special attention to these “microlevel” events forms a fabric of happiness that lifts them up on a daily basis. They believe the same can be true for younger people as well. For "
7 " DON’T BE AFRAID TO move around and try different things, no matter how old you are. The most important thing you want to find out is who you are and what capabilities you have. "
8 " The experts counter by saying that travel is so rewarding that it should take precedence over other things younger people spend money on. They believe travel has special benefits for the young because it broadens their horizons, helps them to find a focus for their lives, and challenges them in new ways. "
9 " THERE WILL ALWAYS BE many who are richer or more distinguished than I am, so if my purpose in working is to attain these extrinsic rewards, I will be disappointed, for I will always compare myself to those whose attainments are greater. But if I work principally for the pleasure or the fulfillment it gives me, my success is assured. There are few blessings greater than finding such work and keeping it. "
10 " Life isn’t fair. I believe it is important to have arms outstretched, holding one hand up to the person who is giving you a lift up, and one hand down, giving someone else a helping hand up. "
11 " You just have to take one day at a time. It’s a good idea to plan ahead if possible, but you can’t always do that because things don’t always happen the way you were hoping they would happen. So the most important thing is one day at a time. Tip "
12 " Another recommendation has to do with balancing money and time. If you are willing to accept a lower income level, you can gain enormous benefits by choosing part-time work as a lifestyle. "
13 " get into something that you love, that you have an aptitude for, and where you’re totally happy. "