11 things I've learned about life.

Life has no manual, and that is some serious bullshit. There's this terrible truth - experience is what gives you insight, but by the time you get it, you don't need it anymore.

Here's my attempt to short-circuit that process a bit, and tell you what I've learned about life.

1. Have core practices.

Focus on them. Put all my spare energy into them. Take care of my mind, body, and clarity. Understand my keystone habits, and build them. Learn how habits work, then build and protect them.

2. Spend my fucks/spoons/minutes on my values.

Sarah Knight is funnier than I will ever be, and she really nailed it with her books and flowcharts. Christine Miserando was talking about lupus, but she also nailed it with this article. It's not my favorite piece I've ever written, but I'm not far off the mark here.

The point is the same in all of them: I have finite energy. Spend it on what I care about, and absolutely refuse to spend it on things I don't. Never feed the trolls. Never try to convince someone in the youtube comments that they're wrong. I only get this one life. This day. These hours. These minutes. Make them count.

3. Be Kind.

Being kind is the simplest, most effective thing I can do for myself and for others, in basically every situation. It's such good advice I got it tattooed on my wrist so don't forget. It will never, ever point me wrong.

4. Your answer is what matters.

There's no one true way to live. Ignore anybody who's trying to tell us otherwise.

5. The world isn't fair. (But we should try to make it that way.)

Privilege is real. Inequity is real. Understand what we have. (Here's a great list.) Use it to make the world more fair.

6. Follow your fear.

It's where all the good stuff is.

7. It's not about you.

Remember we exist in a big world. Live that way.

8. Experience things, don't be them.

Feel things. Think things. Don't become things, or believe things. Stay open to growth and the possibility that I'm entirely wrong on something. Future us will thank us for it.

9. Growth Sucks. It's worth it. It still sucks.

I have never grown in any meaningful way without thinking while it was happening, "Fuck. This sucks."

It has always, always been worth the pain.

10. My Brain has Blind Spots.

I am being lied to every single day by biases in how my brain is wired. It's up to me to recognize them, and do something about them. The world isn't quite what it looks like.

11. My body drives everything. Take care of it.

I can't get very far without the collection of cells I inhabit. Be kind to them. Take care of them.

Did you enjoy these? Maybe check out another one below. Or the tools we have to live your most meaningful life.

Love