For the record, I do NOT have life figured out, and it's likely that I never will. Though, I'll die trying to discover what life is all about. Thanks to many special people, I have been granted a great life of happiness, opportunity, and love. My main goal is to ensure that I use my life for the greater good and perhaps give others the chance to experience the same kind of life. However, in order to do so, there are some fundamentals that I feel like are necessary to live a good life. Think about your own as you read through.
1. Work
Nothing in this life is free. Nothing. Even the wealthiest people who get things on a silver platter all the time still have to work. (Someone has to manage the wealth sooner or later.) Money makes the world go round and has to be earned through work. Again, being able to work for money is another luxury many of us take for granted. In this day and age, there are a ton of hurdles people have to go through in order to work. Even after those hurdles, most of the time, the work is something we might not enjoy. Some jobs are not suited for certain people, yet those people still do it. Finding and landing a job that is enjoyable is not called work anymore. It's called happiness.
2. Preparation
Life will suck at some point in time. What that exactly entails depends on the individual. Preparing does requires a bit of pessimism, but that could very well dictate the successful from the failures during certain circumstances like layoffs and natural disasters. Obviously, time is limited. Sometimes, preparation is not possible on a given day or moment, and we all have experienced this one day or another. Therefore, a good way to prepare for the worst is to expect the worst. When we expect the worst, we prepare for it. Though, I'm not saying to constantly be a pessimist. Rather, not be afraid to be one.
3. Discipline
Discipline is free, but a lot of people simply cannot afford it. This is what motivates us to do the things we have to do to succeed and live a happy life. Without discipline, nothing can be done. Choices have consequences, and we have to live with them. To ensure good consequences requires discipline. Then again, not every choice revolves around consequences, but I digress. Life has rules. Some places have more or fewer rules than others, and it is up to free will to see if they are followed or not. Discipline makes sure we do follow.
4. Gratitude
Appreciation doesn't just involve loved ones. It can involve pretty much anything that be can be used for good, even the tragic. Yes, the tragic can be a good thing, but I digress. Saying 'thank you' makes a difference for many. Politeness demonstrates honesty and respectfulness, two things this world seems to be lacking. Being appreciative makes you really enjoy life and puts things into perspective for the better. Every good thing comes to an end, so it's important to make it count while it lasts.
5. Love
Everything we have ever done traces back to the something or someone we love. Whether it be for ourselves or for others, the best form of happiness and joy, as well as the worst form of sadness, comes from those you care about. Life isn't meant to be lived alone. It's supposed to be experienced with other lives. Lives you love, trust, and care for. Of course, it's not like this for some. In times of loneliness, there is an opportunity, an opportunity to follow your own path, your own decisions, and your own will. Being able to love is a luxury, a luxury that people can take for granted. With this in mind, it's important to hold those you love close and appreciate them all the time.
Again, these are merely ideas. I'm (well, I hope) not even close to the end of my life. There are still so many things I have to learn and experience. Without a doubt, there are people out there who live completely different lives with different life fundamentals. There are no wrong fundamentals. There are as many perspectives as there are people which should be respected and welcomed, also another thing the world is lacking. With this perspective in mind, what are your life fundamentals?
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