Life's Little Instructions

It's that time of year when we're updating some of our website content and we decided to add to our 'about me' pages some motivational quotes, mantras, poems and the like which means something to each of us as individuals. 

I'm adding this list of 'Life's Little Instructions' which by all accounts was written by a 95 year old man, William Snell, to a young friend.  I first encountered this on a poster that my sister had in her guest bathroom and I've always tried to follow these (apart from having a dog!) There’s some really good ones her, for instance, I don't particularly like cake so I was known to often refuse it - now I've learned to just take the calorie hit, accept with thanks and life is so, so much easier....

I hope that you like them as much as I do…

Life's Little Instructions

• Sing in the shower.
• Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
• Watch a sunrise at least once a year.
• Never refuse homemade brownies or birthday cake
• Strive for excellence, not perfection.
• Plant a tree on your birthday.
• Learn three clean jokes.
• Returned borrowed vehicles with the petrol tank full.
• Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
• Leave everything a little better than you found it.
• Keep it simple.
• Think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures.
• Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
• Be forgiving on yourself and others.
• Say "thank you" a lot.
• Say "please" a lot.
• Avoid negative people.
• Wear polished shoes.
• Remember other people's birthdays.
• Commit yourself to constant improvement.
• Have a firm handshake.
• Send lots of valentines cards, sign them.
• Look people in the eye.
• Be the first to say "hello".
• Return all things you borrow.
• Make new friends but cherish the old ones.
• Keep secrets.
• Plant flowers every spring.
• Have a dog.
• Always accept an outstretched hand.
• Stop blaming others.
• Take responsibility for every area of your life.
• Wave at kids in school buses.
• Be there when people need you.
• Don't expect life to be fair.
• Never underestimate the power of love.
• Drink champagne for no reason at all.
• Live your life as an exclamation, not an explanation.
• Don't be afraid to say, "I made a mistake".
• Don't be afraid to say, "I don't know".
• Compliment even small improvements.
• Keep your promises no matter what.
• Marry only for love.
• Rekindle old friendships.
• Count your blessings.
• Call your mother.
• And your father too, if they happen to be alive.