Person to Person

When you take the time to think about what you know rather than what you don't know, you may be amazed about what a wise philosopher you are. Here are a dozen things that life has taught me that serve me well, especially when I keep them in mind. 1. Springtime doesn't always arrive when it's "supposed to." Neither do a lot of other things that simply refuse to operate on my time schedule. It's old news but true: Patience is a virtue worth cultivating. 2. Everybody has secrets to hide. And those who are the most self-righteous often have the biggest whoppers!3. Making a decision based on what you want is usually a lot better than making one based on what you fear.4. You never really know a person until you experience how he/she behaves when angry, disappointed or frustrated.5. Being with someone who has an infectious sense of joy can make your day.6. Constantly comparing yourself to other people can really ruin your day.7. Everyone's got his/her Achilles' heel. Even someone who is the picture of confidence can be a scared little kid when not in his element.8. The more you demand that things should happen the way you want them to happen, the more you need to loosen up, lighten up and let go.9. Life is much sweeter when you celebrate what's going right instead of worrying about what may go wrong.10. More communication is not the same as better communication. 11. You've really got it made when the line between work and play is fuzzy.12. The happiest people are those who are easily entertained, finding joy in the simple things in life.Linda Sapadin, Ph.D., is a psychologist in private practice who specializes in helping individuals, families and couples overcome self-defeating patterns of behavior. She is the author of Master Your Fears: How to Triumph Over Your Worries and Get On With Your Life (John Wiley, 2004). www.psychwisdom.com © Copyright 2005