Phrases to Live By (12/3/08)

I know I haven't posted anything in awhile. It's partially because I've been busy and partially because I never know what to write. You don't want to get too personal and you don't want to write about the weather or what you had for dinner.

So here are some random phrases that many of my friends have heard me say. We could call them life philosophies, things I've learned through out my life...

“Say what you mean, mean what you say.” These are words to live by. Ever heard the phrase ‘think before you speak’? A lot of people have trouble with this one or ignore it completely. Let’s face it, if everyone did this there would be a lot fewer miscommunications and a lot more positive honestly in the world. Too many people don’t think at all before they speak and because of this either don’t say what they really mean or come across completely wrong.

“There is no such thing as stupid questions, only stupid people.” A pretty self explanatory statement if you ask me. However, this isn’t to say that anyone who has a stupid question is a stupid person all of the time…maybe just some of the time or in regard to certain subjects. I know I’m guilty of it once in awhile. Then again, there are quite a few truly clueless people in the world.

“To truly love someone else you need to love yourself.” This is something that few people think about. If you think about it though, how can you love someone else if you don’t love who YOU are? I think when people don't love themselves they easily get caught up in the person they’re with and lose themselves. So sad and the reason a lot of relationships end. Too many people don’t really know themselves, when they start to discover who they are, they change and their partner either can’t keep up or can’t change with them.

“It is looks that matter but the heart that counts.” I like to call this one, beer goggles with a twist! Obviously physical attraction is important in a relationship BUT what really makes a lasting relationship? That has much more to do with the heart. If two people are on the same page in life, have similar beliefs and are physically attracted…watch out! Too often people put so much weight on looks that they don’t look to what really counts. Physical beauty fades, people, the lasting beauty is on the inside! Yet another reason relationships fail…pretty face…ugly heart (or maybe they just fall into the stupid people category!).

“Those who judge should be the first to be judged.” One of my biggest pet peeves in life is the judgment of others. I’m not talking about judging the difference between what is legally right and wrong there are people we all pay to do that. I’m talking about taking sides, jumping to conclusions and in general making a decision about something when you don’t have all of the facts. Oh, this happens ALL the time in our society. Face it people, life is not black and white, it is every shade of gray. Just because you think you should go one way doesn’t mean that the opposite direction isn’t right for someone else. Get over yourself. There is only one being that should judge and He’ll be making the final judgment. So don’t you worry about what other people are doing, you worry about yourself.