life's little instruction book

• son iki senedir sene sonlarinda okumaya calistigim kitap. icinde ufak tefek onlarca guzel oneri var. her sene 2-3 tanesini benimseyebilsem ne mutlu bana.
  
  notlarima eklediklerim:
  --- spoiler ---
  -look people in the eye.
  -say "thank you" a lot.
  -compliment three people every day.
  -in a fight, hit first and hit hard.
  -learn to identify the music of chopin, mozart, and beethoven.
  -save ten percent of what you earn.
  -be brave. even if you're not, pretend to be. no one can tell the difference.
  -learn to make something beautiful with your hands.
  -give to charity all the clothes you haven't worn during the past three years.
  -choose your life's mate carefully. from this one decision will come ninety percent of all your happiness or misery.
  -learn to identify local wildflowers, birds, and trees.
  -when someone is relating an important event that's happened to them, don't try to top them with a story of your own. let them have the stage.
  -when playing games with children, let them win.
  -get acquainted with a good lawyer, accountant, and plumber.
  -give people a second chance, but not a third.
  -be your wife's best friend.
  -don't worry that you can't give your kids the best of everything. give them your very best.
  -park at the back of the lot at shopping centers. the walk is good exercise.
  -when complimented, a sincere "thank you" is the only response required.
  -praise in public.
  -criticize in private.
  -never tell anyone they look tired or depressed.
  -when someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.
  -never pay for work before it's completed.
  -never buy something you don't need just because it's on sale.
  -be cautious about lending money to friends. you might lose both.
  -when meeting someone for the first time, resist asking what they do for a living. enjoy their company without attaching any labels.
  -take family vacations whether you can afford them or not. the memories will be priceless.
  -when facing a difficult task, act as though it is impossible to fail. ıf you're going after moby dick, take along the tartar sauce.
  -don't burn bridges. you'll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.
  -don't expect life to be fair.
  -don't believe people when they ask you to be honest with them.
  -never go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink.
  -judge your success by the degree that you're enjoying peace, health, and love.
  -hear both sides before judging.
  -don't say you don't have enough time. you have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to helen keller, pasteur, michaelangelo, mother teresa, leonardo da vinci, thomas jefferson, and albert einstein.
  -remember that winners do what losers don't want to do.
  -regarding furniture and clothes: if you think you'll be using them five years or longer, buy the best you can afford.
  -never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
  -don't miss the magic of the moment by focusing on what's to come.
  -be there when people need you.
  -don't be rushed into making an important decision. people will understand if you say, "ı'd like a little more time to think it over. can ı get back to you tomorrow?"
  -just to see how it feels, for the next twenty-four hours refrain from criticizing anybody or anything.
  -let your children overhear you saying complimentary things about them to other adults.
  -start meetings on time regardless of who's missing.
  -focus on making things better, not bigger.
  -send a lot of valentine cards. sign them, "someone who thinks you're terrific."
  -when you and your wife have a disagreement, regardless of who's wrong, apologize. say, "ı'm sorry ı upset you. would you forgive me?" these are healing, magical words.
  -read to your children.
  -sing to your children.
  -listen to your children.
  -get your priorities straight. no one ever said on his death bed, "gee, if ı'd only spent more time at the office."
  -make a list of twenty-five things you want to experience before you die. carry it in your wallet and refer to it often.
  -tape record your parents' laughter.
  -become someone's hero.
  -love deeply and passionately. you might get hurt, but it's the only way to live life completely.
  -open the car door for your wife and always help her with her coat.
  -create a little signal only your wife knows so that you can show her you love her across a crowded room.
  -ask about a store's return policy when you purchase an item that costs more than $50.
  -when you know someone has gone to a lot of trouble to get really dressed up, always tell them "you look terrific."
  -remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.
  -don't trust your memory; write it down.
  -every once in a while ask yourself the question, “ıf money weren't a consideration, what would ı like to be doing?”
  -when someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "why do you want to know?"
  -remember that the person who steals an egg will steal a chicken.
  -meet regularly with someone who holds vastly different views than you.
  -when you have the choice of two exciting things, choose the one you haven't tried.
  -remember that no time spent with your children is ever wasted.
  -there are people who will always come up with reasons why you can't do what you want to do. ıgnore them.
  -when boarding a bus, say "hello" to the driver. say "thank you" when you get off.
  -when you are totally exhausted but have to keep going, wash your face and hands and put on clean socks and a clean shirt. you will feel remarkably refreshed.
  -ask yourself if you would feel comfortable giving your two best friends a key to your house. ıf not, look for some new best friends.
  -don't confuse comfort with happiness.
  -don't confuse wealth with success.
  -be as friendly to the janitor as you are to the chairman of the board.
  -allow your children to face the consequences of their actions.
  -hold your child's hand every chance you get. the time will come all too soon when he or she won't let you.
  -carry a list of your wife's important sizes in your wallet.
  -never say anything uncomplimentary about your wife or children in the presence of others.
  -when you are a dinner guest at a restaurant, don't order anything more expensive than your host does.
  -at meetings, resist turning around to see who has just arrived late.
  -don't trust a woman who doesn't close her eyes when you kiss her.
  -never tell a man he's losing his hair. he already knows.
  -once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
  -remember that everyone you meet wean an invisible sign. ıt reads, "notice me. make me feel important."
  -when camping or hiking, never leave evidence that you were there.
  -judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
  -give children toys that are powered by their imagination, not by batteries.
  -never give an anniversary gift that has to be plugged in.
  -never forget that it takes only one person or one idea to change your life forever.
  -never criticize your country when traveling abroad.
  -plant a tree the day your child is born.
  -be the first adult to jump into the pool or run into the ocean with the kids. they will love you for it.
  -enter a room or meeting like you own the place.
  -when you are angry with someone who means a lot to you, write a letter telling him or her why you feel that way - but don't mail it.
  -remember that wealth is not having all the money you want, but having all the money you need.
  -ıf you know you're going to lose, do it with style.
  --- spoiler ---