My Three Rules

/ Ally Bean

A couple of weeks ago I found this delightful post: “I’m better than Gibbs. I only need three rules.”  It’s written by Jo White aka Mediamum.  I like what she has to say and how she says it.

Reading her post got me thinking about what my 3 rules might be.  Here’s what I decided.

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1.  Arrive pre-amused.

Swiped this idea directly from The Little Book of Letting Go by Hugh Prather.  Attitude is everything, no?

2.  Embrace complexity.

I started saying this after we moved from a smaller city to this here big city where nothing is straightforward or easy.  Instead of whining about everything, I adopted this point of view.  It has served me well. 

3.  Say thank you.

It’s good manners.  It’s a prayer.  It makes your mother happy.  So why not demonstrate your grasp of successful interpersonal relationships and say it, huh?

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What are your three rules?  Or do you have more than three a la Leroy Jethro Gibbs?  Please share in comments below– or on your own blog.  We’d love to know.

18 thoughts on “My Three Rules”

  1. While “say thank you,” as well as please, is one of my personal rules, I’m really drawn to your “arrive pre-amused” rule. I think I’ve slipped into an “arrive assuming this is going to suck” place. Attitude does indeed make a huge difference.

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  2. Zazzy, it’s not that I don’t think that many things are going to be sucky, it’s just that I’ve decided to consider them from a humorous perspective. Whenever possible.

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  3. Pingback: the rules you live by | zazamataz.com

  4. My three rules would be:
    1. Always do what’s right. There’s always someone watching, and you’ll never get into trouble if you follow this rule.
    2. Be kind to everyone-even the driver that just cut you off. You never know what kind of day they’re having-did they just find out they have cancer, or are they getting a divorce,etc?
    3. Love unconditionally. My family has disappointed me many times, but they are all I have and I couldn’t live without them.

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    • “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” That’s one of Plato’s rules and something I am constantly having to remind myself. I’d say that’s a rule I want to live by but I am not always great at it.

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  6. Great rules to live by! I’m not always great at being pre-amused but I try. I’m usually kind on the outside, but not always on the inside. My love doesn’t have conditions, but my respect does.

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  7. I LOVE your rules. I have been arriving pre-amused for as long as I can remember: it’s so much easier than arriving in a grouchy mood.

    I can’t think of three rules that suit me better at the moment, so while I think about it a little more, I’m just going to borrow yours as my own, too. 🙂

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  8. Margaret, I love what you said: “My love doesn’t have conditions, but my respect does.” That’s exactly what I’ve been dancing around all of this “unsmooth” year. For me there’s no more putting up with rudeness, intentional stupidity, meanness, and manipulation. People can like me or not, I don’t care; but they have to be respectful of my choices and goals if there is to be any sort of sustained relationship. Finally, things about this year are beginning to make sense to me. Thanks Margaret!

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  9. Melisa, I’m glad that you like my rules. Feel free to use them as your own until you find some better ones. I loved the blog post that got me thinking about this topic. Sometimes it’s the interconnection of the blogosphere that charms me the most about keeping a blog. Fun, huh?

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  12. 1) I agree with “say thank you” but would add “say please” where appropriate. And no matter your age, addressing your elders as Ma’am and Sir is nice, too. I’m 62 and still do that.

    2) While WWJD is popular in some circles, but I prefer WWYMS. What would your mother say? It doesn’t matter if she is still living or not.

    3) Don’t drink and drive.

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