Olivia Joules's Rules For Living

Olivia Joules's Rules For Living

"Never panic. Stop, breathe, think."

Ok, I can totally agree with this one.

"No one is thinking about you. They're thinking about themselves, just like you."

That's a nice thought but not always true because I think about other people all the time and if they do something embarrassing or stupid and think that everyone has forgotten about it, they can be sure that I, most likely, haven't.

"Never change haircut or colour before an important event."

Doesn't apply to me because I like my hair colour and never want to change it. And it's very hard to go wrong when getting a straight hair trim.

"Nothing is either as bad or as good as it seems."

I thought about this one for a quite a while because that seemed like an interesting observation on life. But then I thought of the September 11 attacks and those people stuck in those buildings. And it really was as bad as it seemed. If not worse. Therefore this rule is not practical.

"Do as you would be done by, e.g., thou shalt not kill."

Well, duh!

"It is better to buy one expensive thing that you really like than several cheap ones that you only quite like"

What is even better is to buy lots of cheap things that you really like. Of course, not in one go (because that's quite impossible).

"Hardly anything matters: if you get upset, ask yourself, "Does it really matter?"

Does it really matter that I will never get married and never find my perfect job? (I guess not in the long run of human civilisation.)

"The key to success is how you pick yourself up from failure."

The only thing I remember failing was my year 11 half yearly Maths test. I came in the top 6% of my state for uni entrance Maths exam. But then there's my failure of finding my RG and I haven't picked myself up from that...

"Be honest and kind".

I try. Although honesty is not always the best thing in some circumstances. The most important thing is to be honest with yourself.

"Only buy clothes that make you feel like doing a small dance".

Interesting thought, although that would limit my choice of clothes.

"Trust your instincts, not your imagination."

That's a very blurred line for me.

"When overwhelmed by disaster, check if it's really a disaster by doing the following:
a) think, "Oh, fuck it,"
b) look on the bright side and, if that doesn't work, look on the funny side.
If neither of the above works then maybe it is a disaster so turn to items 1 and 5.

If I can't think of a bright or funny side to me not having a boyfriend, does that mean it's a disaster? Although.... April and I used to laugh about it quite often...

"Don't expect the world to be safe or life to be fair."

I don't.

"Sometimes you have to go with the flow."

This can either lead to adventure or disappointment.

"Don't regret anything. Remember there wasn't anything else that culd have happened, given who you were and the state of the world at that moment. The only thing you can change is the present, so learn from the past."

Very wise. Although that's an insinuation that everyone has a fate and you can't do anything to change your destiny. And that's quite depressing (unless I get happily married with a great job and lovely kids very soon, in which case, fate can continue doing its job).

Are there any rules you live by?