Getting the Most from Life (A quick summary)
Accept the intricacies of existence and learn to appreciate the poetry of life.
Explore every variable for all permutations of lifestyle that you might find enjoyable. Learn about the things you’re interested in, and learn to appreciate art as the effort and expression that it is rather than just your personal opinion of it as a viewer. Listen to new types of music. Experience different cultures around you. There’s true punks, hippies, simple country folk, islanders/beach bums, scholars, and exponentially more. Open-mindedness is extremely important and crucial to getting the most out of life.
Avoid the small-minded and self-absorbed. Rednecks and thugs are general examples, but you’ll find them everywhere. Also be incredibly weary of sociopaths. They are everywhere and they will screw you over if given the chance- and they’re really good at not being obvious about it.
Don’t tie yourself down to life choices you’re really not interested in. A good example of this is college. If you don’t want to go, and think you can find happiness without, don’t waste your time or money (or anyone else’s) on it. It’s not absolutely necessary for most lifestyles. Don’t keep yourself in relationships that are making you unhappy either, no matter how hard it is to let go- you will recover and you will grow from the recovery process.
Don’t debilitate yourself. Try to avoid committing crimes that will earn you jail time, and if you must, be very careful about it. Remember though that the worse a crime is, the less likely you are to get away with it. If you do drugs, keep away from the dangerous ones. Meth, PCP, heroin, crack, dusters, etc. are incredibly bad for you, and there are better, safer ways to get high. Alcohol, Marijuana, and most Hallucinogens can be safe and fun and even eye-opening, but like everything else it requires responsible moderation and should be inconspicuous.
Finally, when it comes to your interactions with others, be considerate. It’s way more fulfilling to go about life being the best you can be to people without substantially risking your own well-being than it is to just go around being self-absorbed and selfish. Remember that you are only a part of somebody else’s story, and it’s up to you to make that be a positive part. Be forgiving. Holding grudges is petty and will ultimately only contribute to your own unhappiness.
There is no life without adversity. Life is unfair- but happiness comes with being able to appreciate all of the little things in life that make you happy, and the feeling that you are doing something worthwhile.
-Phoenix Godwin
7-18-2011
