A few commandments of happiness

For writer Gretchen Rubin's happiness project, she started a blog as one of her work goals, to expand her identity as a writer and connect with a new community. On this blog, over the course of the project, she shared her own Twelve Commandments for Happiness, and many readers shared some of their own. A great list of them is in the book. I wanted to share. The ones in italics are my favorites.

• Forget the past.
• Do stuff.
• Talk to strangers.
• Stay in touch.
• Stop the venting and complaining. 
• Go outside.
• Spread joy.
• Never bother with people you hate.
• Don't expect it to last forever. Everything ends and that's okay.
• Stop buying useless crap.
• Make mistakes.
• Give thanks: for the ordinary and the extraordinary. 
• Create something that wasn't there before. 
• Notice the color purple.
• Make footprints: "I was here."
• Be silly. Be light.
• Be the kind of woman I want my daughters to be.
• Shit happens--count on it.
• Friends are more important than sex.
• Choose not to take things personally.
• Be loving and love will find you.
• Soak it in.
• This too shall pass.
• "Be still, and know that I am God."
• Remember, everyone's doing their best all the time.
• Expect a miracle.
• I am already enough. 
• Let it go, man.
• Light a candle or STFU.
• Recognize my ghosts.
• What do I really, really, really want?
• Help is everywhere.
• What would I do if I weren't scared?
• If you can't get out of it, get into it. 
• Keep it simple.
• Give without limits, give without expectations.
• React to the situation.
• Feel the danger (many dangers--saturated fats, drunk driving, not making deadlines, law school--don't feel dangerous).
• Start where you are.
• People give what they have to give.
• Be specific about my needs.
• Let go, let God.
• If you're not now here, you're nowhere.
• Play the hand I'm dealt.
• Own less, love more.
• One is too many; a hundred aren't enough. 
• Nothing too much.
• Only connect.
• Be a haven.