I’ve had these ’20 rules’ from the Dalai Lama up on my refrigerator for years now and do my best to read them and put them into practice as often as I can. As with most things, it is easier said than done, but definitely a great goal to strive for. I especially revert back to them when things seem off in my life, or when facing a dilemma. They definitely in the least help give me some perspective on what to do and what I may have done wrong in a particular situation I am facing.

Of course I can be doing a better job at putting them into practice in my life, but I am getting there! I hope you find them helpful and can put them into practice in your life. I have also read online just recently that these ‘rules’ or advice which I think is a better way to approach them, may have not even come from the Dalai Lama! Either way, I think this advice is spot on and can enhance your life if put into practice. So here they are:

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, Respect for others, Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

19. If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.

20. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.