Thursday, November 17, 2011

True Rules

True Rules are "an idiosyncratic collection of principles for making decisions and setting priorities." (According to Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project)

In other words: rules that you've picked up, somewhere along the way, that you turn to (consciously or unconsciously) when making decisions. They are not necessarily widely recognized, and are--more often than not--learned from your parents.

After reading the book, I began to pay more attention to some of the True Rules that I have come to live by:
  • Write thank you notes within 1 week of receiving a gift
  • Respond to a dinner invitation with "What can I bring?"
  • Never show up empty-handed
  • There's no such thing as a budget when you're on vacation
  • Two is always the right portion-size when it comes to cookies
  • When forced to choose between two things, ask yourself: "Which is a once-in-a-lifetime event?" and choose that one
  • If you're bored, read a book
  • The best way to cure a headache is to eat some protein
  • Don't sit down until your house is clean
  • Clean your toilet before people come over
  • Soda is not a breakfast beverage, unless you're eating French Toast
  • Sponges are filled with bacteria and should never be used to wipe a counter
What are some True Rules that you adhere to?

8 comments:

Julie Hibbard said...

Hmmm...you MAY have learned some of those from your Mother.
Wow...I really like this list!
I'm so proud of you! :)

Jojo-I Don't Know said...

I absolutely love these rules :D

Unknown said...

I suspect there is an inverse relationship between age and adherence to ‘rules’. At 68 the banality factor of rules seems to increase in direct proportion to my growing lack of concern for committing a “faux pas”. However, I will leave you with one self imposed rule that will never be ignored: “Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about.”
Oscar Wilde

trump said...

I'm visiting new blogs today for the first time, so i also thought id wish you a Happy Thanksgiving to you and your readers. And i hope that the day is spent generating positive memories for years to come. Richard from Amish Stories.

Big D said...

1. Don't stick with a movie, book, or tv show if it doesn't grab you in 10-15 minutes.
2. Get it while the gettin is good: ie: fill your car with gas before the snowstorm.
3. A dog will make you a social magnet and dog owners are generally pretty nice.
4. Expect your friends to let you down..but don't give up on them..forgive them and move on.

Heather Leith said...

Have you done any "favorite book" stuff lately? I'm looking for some great ones to put on my Christmas list!

Frane said...

What can I say??

For me true rules are hard to say since I change constantly, not in physical matters...

I can say, though, for sure that I am contented to what I am

Atta Rehman said...

This is not the first of your posts I've read, and you never cease to amaze me. Thank you, and I look forward to reading more.
atta ur rehman