Seen in e_juliana's LJ

[cupcake_goth]

Let me save you $40, here's how to be happy. (Clicky-link!)

Yes, what the author is saying is obvious. And yes, I know that lots of us follow some (or all) of his advice. But hey, reminders are good!

You really should click through and read the post, but the condensed version is this:

1. Stop being a dick.
2. Stop whining.
3. Get out, get some exercise, unplug and deal with real people.
4. If people are treating you like crap, then let them go.
5. Your critics are always right.
6. Do hard stuff for a change.
7. Let stuff go / suck it up.

Sooo, I really need to keep working on 2, 6, and 7. I need to remember all of them, really, but 2, 6, and 7 are the ones I tend to not be as diligent about.

EDIT: a comment from javagoth made me want to clarify something. No, I don't entirely agree with #5. But, I think it's meant in the "Their perception is valid, and you might want to try and figure out what has given them that particular perception of you. Don't just dismiss it out of hand."

One's critics aren't always right. But I do think listening to one's critics is more valuable than a knee-jerk dismissive reaction.

Comments

[staxxy.livejournal.com]

like most advice of this kind, it has some great concepts (effectively - be interactive instead of reactive), but the execution leaves me lacking in the massive amounts of assumptions it makes about how everyone lives their lives.

Being indoors and on the computer *can* actually be providing more healthy social time than you would get by going to the town library - you can be talking LIVE to REAL people, while DOING STUFF with them. ;) I do it all the time.

also, there is a difference between venting and whining. And a lot of people do not know that, for some stupid reason. Whining is not so healthy, but *venting* when things bother you is far more healthy than sucking it up.

/rant

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

Yes, venting is important. But I know that *I* fall into the trap of thinking I'm venting, when actually I'm being fussy and merely whining. :)

And yeah, online interaction is absolutely a valid form of socializing. But there is something to be said for going out and seeing people, too.

[staxxy.livejournal.com]

I totally agree. I was more thinking things like the Talk Server which are a lot like being on the phone with a group.