Okay. So, I’ve been working all day on this research paper/distracting myself with Facebook and Pinterest (they are the devil), and I found this quote that I just had to stop and blog about.

These are powerful words. I know that I am a snarky bitch a lot of the time, but this quote could change your life in a very real way. Life is hard people. God (or Ala, or whoever you might pray to) didn’t say that it was going to be easy…just that it would be. There are a few simple rules to maintaining happiness.
Rule #1
SMILE!
Put on your pretty panties, grab a hairbrush, turn the radio up and sing and dance in the mirror! Go ahead and laugh at yourself when you drop that stack of papers…you can still pick it up! Life is so much less painful when you retain a sense of humor about the little things.
Rule #2
GET OVER IT!
You aren’t always going to be number one. That’s okay. You are going to fail, many, many times. But the courage to get back up and try it again might just be what you needed to get a fresh perspective on things.
Rule #3
TRY NEW THINGS!
Doing the same old routine is comforting, yes. I enjoy a cup of coffee every single morning. But, there are days that I don’t get my coffee, and on those days, I decide, what the hell…maybe I’ll have tea. And you know what? I liked the tea!!! New things make life fresh again, new friends bring new love and ideas, new stuff can be the highlight of your year if you allow it to!
Rule #4
STAY CONNECTED!
And no, I don’t mean with Facebook. CALL SOMEONE! To be fulfilled, you have to maintain real relationships with people. Even if that means picking up the phone and actually having to figure out some sort of real conversation other than that quote you found on Pinterest today.
Rule #5
GO OUTSIDE!
Seriously…get out of the house. Get your hands in the dirt, ride your bike, roller skate (I absolutely suggest this one), play softball, go to the park, enjoy nature and beauty and fresh air. Pictures online do not do nature justice.
Rule #6
FORGIVE OTHERS!
C’mon guys, we are all guilty of this. But seriously…we are all human. And what is that grudge doing for you anyway? Holding a grudge is similar to purposely giving yourself cancer, because anger grows over time. We feed it, and the key to letting yourself be free is to forgive the other people who have hurt you. People are always going to let you down, because they are people. But guess what…you have let someone down too, and they have probably forgiven you.
Rule #7
GO ON A DATE!
This is so important. It’s along the lines of staying connected, but you must do this with your intimate relationships as well. For those of us in old dusty relationships, we have to ignite the fire and remember what the hell we wanted in these people that we have been with since the beginning of time. Some days it is hard when you are staring at a nose hair that got missed by the trimmer…but date night is invigorating to a relationship. And if you are not in a relationship, that’s okay too….ask somebody out! Even if they are not your type, just to connect intimately (not sex, although that’s nice too), with another person.
Rule #8
SELF CARE!!
Do something that makes YOU happy. Not your kids. Not your mom. Not your husband/wife. Not your friends. YOU. Get a massage. Read a book. Write a song. Go on a hike. Visit Mt. Olympus. Date a hot Italian. Whatever is on that bucket list of things you love to do but you just keep putting off. Do it now.
Rule #9
HELP SOMEONE ELSE!
There is no better feeling in this world than knowing that your act has had an effect on someone else’s well being. Volunteer your time, your money, your children, whatever. I promise you, somewhere, there is someone who has it worse than you. Give of yourself and you will reap the benefits.
Rule #10
MAKE A CHANGE
The best thing about life is that you are in control of your actions. You cannot always control your situation, but you get to pick how you react to wherever you are in life, be it person, place, or thing. Make your choices, make your changes, and then appreciate them. You either achieved or you failed, but either way, you learned. Don’t let fear rule your life. Like Nike says….Just Do It.