Simple Rules For Living A Successful Life
Is your day-to-day life full of stress and chaos?
Are you scrambling to find a peaceful moment in the day when you can put your feet up and relax? Are you rushed, stressed out and ready to call it quits.
Why is that so? Who is responsible for it? Why have we made it so difficult?
The solution is simple: simplify your life. It’s the implementation part that is hard, but here are my top tips to help with that:
#1 Believe in yourself but be aware of your limitations
The first step to accomplishing all your goals and making your dreams come true starts with this simple realisation that you are human: you are not perfect and you can’t do everything alone.
Always keep things realistic. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself that you find it hard to move; trust yourself to deliver what you need to, but also be prepared to cut yourself some slack.
Own up when you make a mistake
Set goals, and enjoy the journey
#2 De-clutter & simplify
You have a thousand different things screaming for attention: you have to tidy up the kids’ room again; you have to do the dishes and laundry; and the never-ending household chores are waiting. You have to organize your calendar and make room for more appointments; make time to socialise; help the kids with homework; and make a gazillion school runs. Don’t even get started on what needs to be done at the office.
Let’s get one thing straight — you cannot accomplish anything unless you get yourself some of the clarity that comes from creating space in your life, in your relationships and your environment. You need to reduce, cut back, simplify — Only then will you stop the feeling of being overwhelmed and rushed.
Give anything you haven’t used for the past 3 years to charity
Get organized
Enjoy the concept of enjoying without owning, and appreciating without acquiring
#3 Use everything in moderation
This is something I live by, be it work, socializing, family commitments, overeating, shopping, or watching too much TV — it helps with every single thing. Embrace the philosophy of “having enough”: there’s no need to go to extremes, so exercise common sense and learn to curb any obsessive behaviour.
Spend less money than you make
Watch your diet
Watch less TV
#4 Keep things in perspective
I admit there will be times when nothing will go your way, and you will find yourself fighting battles, fixing problems and minimizing damage all day long. We all have those days, and it is too easy to get caught up in the drama. Get a handle on things: this, too, shall pass.
Your child will get better soon, the noisy neighbourhood parties will end, your backstabbing colleague will get transferred (we can hope, can’t we?) and there will be actual days where you tick off all the items on your to-do list.
Don’t sweat the small stuff
Have an open mind
#5 Treat others how they want to be treated
You might end up getting in trouble if you try treating others how you want to be treated, instead of how they would like you to treat them. For instance, if you are not a phone person, you might not call your friend because you assume that they feel the same way you do, which may not be the case.
Try to be sensitive to the needs of others, and occasionally going out of your way to do something for them.
Try not to judge
Be generous; try to do something nice for somebody on a regular basis
#6 Family first
My priority is my family, and I left work to start my own freelancing career for the flexible hours it gives. That doesn’t mean that my work is not important–it just means that I have to operate in a way that works for me and my family.
How important is it to you that you spend time with your family? Are you making sure that your work doesn’t prevent you from doing just that? What sort of arrangements have you made to make it happen? You don’t have to stop living your life for your family members, but you’ll feel far less guilt if you prioritise and make time for them.
#7 Pay attention to the moment
Stop thinking about what happened in the past, or worry about what might happen in the future. Live in the moment and learn to savour each one.
#8 Have a positive mindset
You are what you think all day long. If you have nothing but negative thoughts racing through your ahead, then that’s what you are going to get, so try shifting to a more positive outlook on life. You will be surprised to see that whatever you wished for will start to manifest itself around you.
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — you’re right.” ― Henry Ford
#9 Educate yourself
The most interesting people are the ones who take an interest in life and never let go of the “beginner’s mind”. They discover learning opportunities and continue to grow, both personally and professionally.
Be a life-long learner. You don’t have to get old to become wise.
Read good books
Try to learn something new every day
Take courses in subjects you enjoy
#10 Be passionate about something
There are some people who are so bursting with energy and vitality that others feel compelled to listen to them, and feel drawn to them. Passionate home cooks, budding interior designers, gourmet chocolate lovers, antique collectors — just try asking them a question about their interest and they will talk your ears off.
You want to be that person: someone who’s full of love for something significant. Have one meaningful hobby that encourages you to follow your passion, and you’ll begin each day looking forward to something special.
#11 Always be reflective
Do you ever think about yourself in moments of solitude? What makes you, you? What makes you tick? What bores you to death? What sort of things do you dream of? What can’t you get over? What regrets do you have of your past?
Take some time to think about those things and you’ll understand yourself more clearly and deeply. You’d be surprised at the life-changing impact such reflection can bring.
Consider doing a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or another personality assessment to develop true understanding of your self
#12 Surround yourself with supportive people
3 things can change your life: friends, books & your thoughts. Choose them wisely.
Avoid naysayers and party-poopers
#13 Banish the word “perfection”
Listen to what you tell your children: always do your best and forget about the rest.
You are expert enough
Strive for excellence, not for perfection
#14 Fix it, or deal with it, but stop whining about it
Nobody likes a person who complains all the time. If you look around you, you’ll see many people who have been dealt a bad hand, but are making the best of things.
Don’t blame others for your problems
Don’t make excuses
Don’t be overly sensitive
Don’t be a drama queen
#15 Remember things that you are grateful for
Try this exercise: whenever you are feeling low, make a list of all the things that make you happy, joyous, and grateful. A beautiful family, adoring kids, kind friends, health, happy home, a job that pays the bills, surprise dinner prepared by a loving spouse, a blog, favourite books and keepsakes, unexpected twenty dollar bill in your jeans pocket. Everything counts.
After you’ve done this, consider what has happened to the feelings of doom and gloom: it is impossible not to be cheered up after remembering all the fantastic things you have in your life. Be grateful, and always make room for more happiness.
#16 You can have it all, just not at the same time
There is no greater truth than this: you cannot have everything at the same time. You have only 24 hours in a day and need to take care of your relationships, work and spirit.
On any given day, the focus will shift: some days your children have to go to after-school care because you have an important meeting, while other times work has to take a back seat because of a sick child with a high fever. Sometimes you just need to chill with your girlfriends because it has been ages since you last took a break.
You don’t have to do everything all at once, and life doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple living is mindful living.
source:::: input from a friend of mine.
Natarajan
Take off with Natarajan 
It reminds me of Seven Habits of Effective People, according to Stephen Covey which are given below for the benefit of readers:
THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE – BY STEPHEN R. COVEY
HABIT 1 : BE PROACTIVE :
Behaviour is a p roduct of their own conscious choice, based on values, rather than a product of their conditions, based on feeling.
Proactive people take initiative and responsibility.
Proactive people have Circle of Influence rather than Circle of Concern.
This Habit says that “you are the creator, you are in charge.” It is based on the 4 unique endowments of imagination, conscience, independent will and self-awareness.
HABIT 2 : BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND :
This habit is the first or mental creation. It is based on imagination-the ability to envision, to see the potential, to create with our minds what we cannot at present see with our eyes and conscience – the ability to detect our own uniqueness and the personal moral and ethical guidelines within which we can most happily fulfill it . It is the deep contact with our basic paradigms and values and the vision of what we can become. It is the exercise of independent will toward becoming principle-centred. It is the day-in, day-out, moment-by-moment doing it.
HABIT 3 : PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST :
This habit is the second creation – the physical creation. It is the fulfillment, the actualization, the natural emergence of Habits 1 & 2.
Focus on Time Management ; “Organise and execute around priorities.”
Delegation
Paradigms of Independence – Emotional Bank Account :
An Emotional Bank account is a metaphor that describes the amount of trust that’s been built in a relationship. It is the feeling of safeness you have with another human being.
06 Major Deposits :
1. Understanding the individual
2. Attending to the little things (courtesies)
3. Keeping commitments
4. Clarifying expectations
5. Showing personal integrity
6. Apologising sincerely when you make a withdrawal.
HABIT 4 : THINK WIN/WIN :
06 Paradigms of Human interaction :
Win/Win ; Lose/Lose; Win/Lose ; Win ; Win/Win or No Deal
Win/Win is not a personality technique. It is a total paradigm of human interaction. It comes from a character of integrity, maturity and the Abundance Mentality. It grows out of high-trust relationship. It is embodied in agreements that effectively clarify and manage expectations as well as accomplishment.
HABIT 5 : SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND, THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD :
Empathic Listening
Diagnose before you prescribe
Understanding & Perception
Habit 5 is powerful because it is right in the middle of your circle of influence Many factors in interdependent situations are in your Circle of Concern – problems, disagreements, circumstances, other people’s behavior. And if you focus your energies out there, you deplete them with little positive results.
But you can always seek first to understand. That’s something that’s within your control. And as you do that, as you focus on your Circle of Influence, you really, deeply understand other people. You have accurate information to work with, you get to the heart of matters quickly, you build Emotional Bank Accounts and you give people the psychological air they need so you can work together effectively.
HABIT 6 : SYNERGISE :
What is Synergy ? simply defined it means that the whole is greater than sum of its parts.
While synergizing, we have to take into account Negative Synergies and value the differences. In this connection, we should know about Force Field Analysis.
Kurt Lewin developed “Force Field Analysis” Model in which he described any current level of performance or being as a state of equilibrium between the Driving Forces that encourage upward movement and the restraining forces that discourage it.
Driving Forces generally are positive, reasonable, logical, conscious and economic. Restraining Forces are negative, emotional, illogical, unconscious and social/psychological. Both sets of forces are very real and must be taken into account in dealing with change.
HABIT 7 : SHARPEN THE SAW
Sharpen the saw basically means expressing all the four motivations – Physical (Exercise, Nutrition, Stress Management), Mental (Reading, Visualising, Planning , Writing), Social/Emotional (Service, Empathy, Synergy, Intrinsic Security) and Spiritual (Value Clarification & Commitment, Study and Meditation).
Infact, in his latest book, Stephen Covey has also introduced 08th habit viz Greatness/Wholeness of Human being.
It may be noted Stephen Covey’s books on the above subject were the best sellers of all times.
T.Sundar