Words to live by
 

Anybody have any sort of phrase or quote that inspires them in a way? I have one that I adhere to as much as I possibly can:

"Treat people the way you want to be treated."

I was told that by my former manager... I forget why or in what context it came out, but I never forgot those words. It's such a true statement that's very easy to adhere to. If you're a dick, don't be surprised when people are dicks right back to you. If you're nice but people still treat you like shit, screw them. They're not worth it.

That phrase has definitely helped me out a lot in life.

Honestly, I've always loved this quote:

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!”

yeah i go by that too, of course i had some bad experience with thta, not everyone is nice..and of course i wasnt able to treat anyone i ever met as i would liked to be treated

i also go by "who cares"/ "let him/her be, everyone as its pleasing him/her"

i can deal with like anything that doesnt really affect me and i hope other live by the same motto

I have to agree with that one too. It's one of the major rules I live by. I'm normally a nice guy to everyone, but it takes a lot to push my buttons the wrong way.

I've been shaping my life along the lines of "look out for yourself because no one else will do it for you." I think my dad told me that in reference to the private sector. My experience has generally taught me that this is truth.

After finishing Alice Sebold's book, Lucky, I find myself trying to live by and understand the quote she uses...

"Save yourself, or you go unsaved."

While yes, friends and family are always there to help, they can only do so much. I've been forcing myself to understand that people will be bastards, assholes, what have you, but only you can determine where you go in life. You cant rely on other people to make you happy about yourself. You can rely on them to make you feel SHITTY about yourself, no doubt about that whatsoever. But only you can get on with your own life.

"Enjoy everything."

<3 Yotsuba.

"Play it cool, wrap your tool."

"He who dies with the most toys... still dies"

http://www.snowdesign.com/img/pf_nofear1.gif

I used to have a shirt with this quote and it's really one that has stuck with me. Stupidly stated for sure, but effective. Rich or poor, we are all resigned to the same fate. Perhaps this is a way of saying not too place too much value on money above what is really important... maybe I shouldn't be getting too deep with a fucking quote from NO FEAR. :eagletear:

Well, I just remembered some words I live by.

"Shit happens."

Whether we like it or not, no matter how we try to make it possible or prevent it, Shit happens. Can't really do anything about it, huh?

.............................

"Whatever happens, happens."

What it really means in a laid back way is that you should just do the best of the situation and what's to come. There's no use losing hope and being a worry wart, because it'll just make it all worse.

"If it seems too good to be true, it probably is."

"Try to appear as smart as possible on an internet video gaming forum board"

"Ignore the poster above you"

"Do others are you would have them do you."
~ Dr. Sadie Allison, sex therapist extraordinaire. She writes some interesting books.

In other words, if you aren't willing to eat out that girl that just gave you that awesome blowjob, then you're a douche.

"Stop posting. Seriously. Just... stop posting."

-Denicalis

"Maybe you'll marry. Maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children. Maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at forty. Maybe you'll dance The Funky Chicken on your seventy-fifth wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance - so are everybody else's."

Baz Lurhrman.

I always found that portion of the "Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen" monologue to be a very apt bit of guidance.

It's just another reiteration of "do unto others", but...

"If you want to change the way people respond to you, change the way you respond to people."
- Timothy Leary

Something I had an incredibly hard time doing, but a principle I'm still making an effort towards following.

I truly don't know if this is a quote from a famous person. It is a saying I've lived by for quite a long time ever since my late years of high school.

"The greatest respect comes from knowing and understanding that you are no better or no worse than anybody else."

As much as I despise and hate certain things about society and certain people in general. I can't truly hold it against them. Its their life, they're going to live it how they see fit even if I may disagree with some of the choices they make. They'll have to live with the consequences of their own actions.

The author of that quote is Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich, not Baz Luhrmann.

I've got one that was in my email signature for YEARS that I came up with myself... I just recently replaced it.

"I'm not stupid, just selectively ignorant."

You don't say. I'd never heard this but I've no reason to believe you're lying. I've only heard it attributed to Luhrmann. Regardless of its source, however, it's still the kind of even advice I value.

The ''Wear Sunscreen'' single was on an album produced by Baz Luhrmann, but it is not actually read by him (it's Australian voice actor Lee Perry), and the whole speech is taken verbatim from Mary Schmich's Chicago Tribune column (with her permission). It's a good speech though, I agree.