1. Learn how to Cook

Food that you cook yourself is cheaper and tastes way better. Maybe not as good as your mom’s though.

2. Learn how to Dance

Learn at least a few styles of dancing and keep on practicing. It will keep you fit, reduce stress and help you make countless connections.

3. Wear Sunscreen

It only takes one bad burn for skin cancer to develop over a period as long as 15 years. A sunscreen flask is cheap and lasts you for months. This unnecessary risk is not worth it.

4. Always take pills with Water

You don’t want them stuck in your throat and cause a burn down your oesophagus which will leave you with long lasting nerve pain. (like someone I know) 

5. Exercise Daily

Even if it’s just a long walk or 15 minutes of stretching, put your body in motion. Sedentarism won’t do you good.  

6. Be comfortable being Yourself

Don’t accept compromises for the sake of blending in. You’ll be way happier around people that accept you just the way you are. 

7. Practice at least a Martial Art

It will teach you discipline and ways to control your anger and power. Only use it to defend yourself.

8. Get plenty of Sleep 

It might be true what they say, that you’ll sleep when you’re dead but you’ll be dead a lot quicker if you don’t get enough sleep every night. Almost aim for around 8 hours of sleep, never less than 7 and no more than 10.  

9. Hold on to your Connections

Strongly hold on the meaningful connections that you make and never fully let go of the apparent less meaningful ones. Learn to only allow select people in your closer circles, but never hesitate in expanding those circles or shifting them around. Use these circles wisely but never dissolve them. Because as Bojack once said, all that we have in this terrifying life, are the connections that we make.  

10. Don’t fall in Love with images of people

Too often people will show you their true colours and you will only choose to see the ones you like. If you can’t accept all of them, then you have to let them go.  

11. Love Yourself but don’t overdo it

The world does not revolve around you. Be mindful and treat everyone around you just like you would like to be treated.  Always stay humble and remind yourself your limitations. There will always someone be better than you at something, regardless of what others tell you. Don’t become a narcissist, seek altruism instead.

12. The only one worth being in competition with is Yourself 

It doesn’t matter if you’re better than anyone else at anything else or vice versa. What matters is how much better you are than what you used to be. This is the only way to grow. 

13. It’s never too late to say Sorry 

You don’t have to be forgiven, as long as you’ve done your best to make amends for your mistakes.  

14. Learn to Forgive and Let Go  

Forgive but don’t forget.  Learn your lessons and move on. Holding grudges will only wear you down. Don’t get trapped in the cycle of revenge.

15. Temper your Emotions, you can’t control everything 

Learn to accept that some things are simply out of your control and consuming yourself over them will not be beneficial for you.  

16. Don’t let Anger act on your behalf 

Ideally, wait at least three days before making a decision regarding an event that caused you anger. These days should be enough to allow you to reflect on your anger and the right decision to be made. It also provides you with enough time to discuss your feelings with others. If you’ don’t have three days, wait at least one. If you don’t have a day, find it.

17. Always Ask for Help when in Need  

As Shaykh Ali Al-Jamal  once said ‘If people knew how many secrets and benefits are to be found in need, they would have no other need but to be in need.’ Don’t be afraid to ask when you’re in need. Ask the people around you, and if there’s none ask God, if you don’t believe in God, ask the universe, ask yourself just ask for help. You will get it.  

18. Find a job that brings you Satisfaction

If you spend most of your day at work, make sure you get satisfaction from it. Money will never be enough. 

19. Always seek medical advice from Healthcare Professionals  

If you’ve got a health issue, seek medical advice from a doctor. If you don’t agree with that doctor or if he’s not helping, get a second or third or fourth opinion from other doctors. Only use alternative medicine (naturist, functional etc) as complimentary.  

20. Take Mental Health Seriously  

For your own sake, and for the ones surrounding you, always talk about your mental struggles and listen to others about theirs. You might save their lives and they might save yours. 

21. Don’t forget to Give Back

Always try to help the ones around you as you were helped when you needed it. Don’t except for anything in return. If you feel bad giving, then don’t do it at all. Rather, focus on learning how to give. 

22. It’s ok to have or not have Faith

Don’t be ashamed or scared to pursue spiritual knowledge. Seek guidance within religion but don’t allow dogma to dictate your life. Never be afraid to question human guidance. Faith is personal, only you need to believe, not the others as well.  

23. Maintenance is dull but Necessary 

Taking care of your body is not easy work. It requires routine. And routine can be boring and tiresome.  But it is necessary in order to make the most of your life. Brush your teeth two to three times a day, floss, eat your 5 a day and beware of alcohol, sugar, tobacco and drugs.  

24. Spend time with your family

Talk to your family and spend time with them as often as possible. You might not have as much time together as you think.  

25. Learn how to Give Back 

Always try to help the ones around you as you were helped when you needed it. Don’t expect anything in return. If you feel bad when giving, then don’t do it at all. Rather, focus on learning how to give. 

26. Don’t try to change people

No matter how hard you try, you will not be able to change people directly. The only way to change someone is indirectly, through your own example. You will not be the active change factor. Rather, the active part will be that someone who will choose to follow your example and change as a result. Change is a two-way process. It first requires incentive, and then will. If people around you don’t have the will to change and they become a reason for your unhappiness then perhaps you should reconsider your social circles. You can be the incentive but never the will.  

27. Accept the burden of knowledge

Ignorance is bliss. The more you know, the harder life gets. When you are young and oblivious to pretty much everything around you, life is a lot easier and happiness can be found within your immediate reach. However, the more knowledgeable you become of your surroundings, unhappiness, disease, decay, the harder some things become to digest. From here on you only have two options: Resist knowledge and suffer immaturity’s consequences ; or accept the burden that comes with knowledge and learn how to live with it. In the process, don’t let your own intelligence work against you, always raise above it.

28. Stay true to yourself

The only way to live without guilt and be closer to that which we humans call unhappiness is to always stay true to our beliefs. That means to always act accordingly to the principles that define you as a human being. These principles are not the same for everyone and can be quite different from individual to individual, country to country, culture to culture and so on. The first step is being honest with yourself. Completely. This is the hardest part. Once you can wholeheartedly accept what your flaws and qualities are, and what are the main things or people keeping you alive, then you can start applying the principle of being true to your word. Many sets of religious or ethical beliefs advocate this. Basically, don’t be a hypocrite, don’t pretend to be someone who you are not, practice what you preach, be the change you want to see in the world and you will be able to live guilt free from that moment on as you will have no reason to believe you have acted wrongly. Mistakes might set you back but they should not be seen as a setback but rather as an opportunity to revise your set of beliefs, and keep on acting in accordance with them.