“Never do—what they do, what they do, what they do…”
— The Roots, “What They Do”, Illadelph Halflife (1996)
So we’ve discussed worrying and temptation—both of which aren’t necessarily bad things, but in smaller quantities. In larger amounts, they can take control of your mind and make you act in ways you might not prefer. But moreover, controlling these is but one of many tools to ensure that we operate as half-decent human beings.
One of the main life rules I abide by is to try and make sure that the actions I take don’t hurt anybody—including myself. Not always easy. Sometimes this means taking the high road, sometimes it’s all about standing up for those who don’t (or CAN’T) stand up for themselves. Life will be full of difficult decisions, but if we all held ourselves to a higher standard, then life would be a little bit easier for everybody.
So I’ve put together a short list of rules that I think everyone should take into consideration. They’ve come from observing others and their behaviours in public, and I’ve tried to make them as universally applicable as possible:
- Wait for people to get out before you get in (public transit, rooms, situations, etc..)
- When getting off of stairs, an elevator, escalator, whatever—don’t just stand there all confused—get out of the way so that people can get where they need to go. If you need to figure out your next move, just step aside so you don’t obstruct the flow of traffic
- Shoving is not a polite form of communication
- Saying “sorry” doesn’t make you any less of a person—it actually enhances your personality
- Hold doors open for people, even if you don’t know them
- If you’re not in a rush, let someone else go first
- Pick up something someone’s dropped items if you see it happen—otherwise, if it’s not yours, leave it alone
- Don’t cut in front of anyone (in line, in traffic, in conversation, etc.)
- Try and make someone’s life easier with anything you do—karma will make sure it’s repaid to you in kind
Obviously, these are but a few ideas of how one could improve their habits to benefit the lives of those they encounter, and by indirect association, their own life as well. I hope you take these to heart, and one day, maybe I’ll collect enough of these for a book! You never know 😊
Anyway, cool cats, you all have a great Thursday—I’m a man on a mission and it’s time for me to return to it!
All the best,
–case p.
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