12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson, this book was really interesting. Some parts of it were a little harder to get through for me than others, but overall I enjoyed it. These are some of the rules that stood out to me. 

#1 – Stand up straight, with your shoulders back 

• “the acts of life we repeat everyday need to be automatized”

Meaning, create habits so that the things you do everyday become normal, gives you more time and energy to try new things

• “People size you up. If you present yourself as defeated, then people will react to you as if you are losing.”

Always be confident in whatever you are doing. If you are not confident in the task you are trying to tackle, no-one else is going to think you are confident. You can see defeat on someone’s face a mile away, don’t let it be shown on your face. 

#4 – Compare yourself to who you were yesterday not to who someone else is today 

• “Where you start might not be as important as the direction you are heading.”

Maybe let’s read that bullet point above again. Where you start might not be as important as the direction you are heading. This is so very true but sometimes hard to remember in the moment. Looking back over my journey, my start was rough, it was rocky, it was trying to survive. Now, I am thankful for all that. It has helped me become the person that I am today. Helped me on a journey to constant improvement and confidence to know that I am make it through anything.  

• “Perhaps happiness is always to be found in the journey uphill, and not in the fleeting sense of satisfaction awaiting at the next peak.”

I think everyone just wants to be happy. I think we all have a hard time finding it sometimes. I have often heard that happiness is found in the journey. Well, sometimes the journey is hard and anything but happy. But, there are moments each day that bring happiness, you just have to be willing to look for those moments. The sunrise, the birds singing, the fawn running or the great music on your drive in to work. Shift your mindset and look for the things that make you happy.

• “I want things in my life to be a tiny bit better than they were this morning.”
• “What you aim at determines what you see.”

Each day strive to be just a little bit better than yesterday. If you are striving to be a little better each day, after time it adds up. If you don’t have goals and dreams, get some. If you aren’t aiming at something, it is very hard to keep moving forward. Sometimes, I feel like I am just drifting, then I remind myself of the dreams, goals.

#8 – Tell the truth or, at least don’t lie.

• “If you will not reveal yourself to others, you cannot reveal yourself to yourself.” 

If you can’t be honest, you will never truly know you. Be bold enough to be honest and tell the truth. You only get better from your mistakes. Eventually, all things will catch up to you, just be honest from the start and true to yourself. Sometimes, honesty can be super hard to tell and to hear, but in the end it is worth it. 

Interested in more of the rules? Check out the book

As always, share some love, we could all use a little more love. 

XOXOXO

Casey