1. Sometimes thinking through things is the worst thing you can do. One remedy for this that has drastically changed my life is to simply trust my gut. Our bodies contain more wisdom than our minds.
2. If you try to rationalise religion by thinking it through, you’ll miss the point. You can’t put God into a box, writing and art only help us get some sort of glimmer of God. Don’t ruin the mystery of God by overthinking.
3. Your body contains thousands of years of evolutionary wisdom, when it tells you something listen to it.
4. Nothing of this world can truly make you happy, we humans have supernatural desires that require supernatural means. To believe in God is one of the most natural and human things you can do, humans have always believed in something throughout millennia.
5. If you can’t be happy here now, you won’t be happy anywhere else, because we carry ourselves with us.
6. Don’t let anybody tell you any different, most problems can be solved by a 15-30 minute power nap.
7. You have no obligation to treat someone like a king when they treat you poorly. Justice means treating people how they deserve to be treated, but make sure whatever you do, that you don’t become like them. Marcus Aurelius, the Stoic Roman Emperor, said: “The worst revenge is to be like that”.
8. Whatever occupation you choose, make sure it’s one where you truly help others. No BS jobs allowed.
9. Don’t be surprised to feel stressed if you never switch your mind off. Sitting in silence with your eyes closed for 20 minutes will do the job.
10. Don’t let the noise of the world kill your soul, keep your spirit childlike, and you’ll forever, as Frank Sinatra said, be “young at heart”.
11. Never get in debt, never be a slave to the lender.
12. When you learn to detach from your thoughts, you learn what true peace feels like.
13. Without philosophy and religion, humans are no different to animals.
14. We all need to work, make sure you choose a vocation instead of a job i.e., learn a trade/ specialised skill. Plumbers have been around for thousands of years, and so have physicians, office jobs haven’t and thus are fragile.
15. Three of the most underrated things in life are getting a good night’s sleep, eating a hearty dinner and being able to detach from your mind at any given moment.
16. Some people never detach from their minds so much so that it leads them to self-destruct, God bless their souls.
17. Don’t work too hard. Be efficient at work, but don’t try to be productive to no end. You don’t live to work, you work to live.
18. One sign that you’re in the wrong job is that it drains you of all your energy in and out of work.
19. Sins of the flesh are serious, i.e., greed and lust. But sins of the heart are far more serious, i.e., hate, arrogance, envy. The former is a human frailty; the latter is more of a choice.
20. When you try to use “tough love” on people, for many it won’t work. I’ve found that the best way to handle people is not to argue with them to get them to change their ways, but to be patient with them. Some people eventually do change, and some don’t, but at least your peace has been left intact. And remember, before you judge other people, first and foremost, make sure you’re perfect.
21. Having a poor memory is a great blessing. Don’t hold on to the past any more than is needed, the world changes fast.
22. Some people might drive you crazy but be patient with them, be kind. If Jesus can forgive his persecutors while being crucified, you can in your pampered life.
23. Never be heard complaining, not even to yourself, and if ever you get the urge, then thank God from the bottom of your heart for all you do have, and realise that your life could be much worse. Realise that all the good things could be taken away at a second’s notice, but haven’t, so enjoy them to the full.
24. Don’t make any more problems for yourself. Life is challenging enough even when everything is going well.
25. One day you’ll be dust, the life quenched within you. So enjoy heaven on earth while it lasts. But don’t turn it to hell on earth by going against your conscience.
26. Never stop believing in and trusting in God, because doing so helps us to believe and trust in ourselves, because God lives in all of us.
27. Stop being distracted by social media, make time to read books that have stood the test of time. Start with reading the Stoics. But as much as I love reading, remember that reading is worthless without doing anything in your own life. I’d much rather you never read anything but live well than be a nerd who sits alone in his room reading every book under the sun. Binge-reading the classics is better than binge-watching social media. But even better is actually keeping your feet on the ground and living life well. The goal of life is to be a doer, not a reader. But if reading helps you become a doer, then you’re reading properly.
28. Love whatever happens to you, it was meant to happen that way, since the beginning of time.
29. Writing ceases to be fun when you stop writing for yourself.
30. If you don’t enjoy someone’s company, don’t feel obliged to spend time with them to be “polite”.
31. It’s okay to play video games, but remember they’re built to be addictive. Saint Carlos Acutis advised that you play video games no more than two hours per week, that way you won’t be controlled by technology.
32. I know it can be difficult, but when you meet someone, see beyond their looks and instead look at their heart. Your heart is the most beautiful thing there is, especially when it is full of love.
33. Your mental and spiritual health will get better in direct proportion to how clean your house is. The cleaner and more orderly your house is, the better you’ll feel.
34. Life is short, but it can seem long if you live it properly. Long and well-lived.
35. I’ve never seen anything foster a greater sense of community than religion. Is it any surprise that more people are unhappier and lonelier than ever as people who practice religion decrease?
36. When you no longer let negative thoughts and feelings affect you, you become indomitable.
37. When you speak to someone, be sure to ask lots of open-ended questions and take an interest in them. People will talk all day about themselves, some people are very interesting, and it’s a pleasure to listen to them.
38. When you start to make yourself into a victim, i.e., the victim mentality, pause for a second and remember that the world doesn’t revolve around you. Don’t make the mistake of turning yourself into God.
39. One of your goals in life should be to love your life so much that you lose yourself in it. This is what I call humility in action. Not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. When you start to think of yourself less, i.e., the perpetual “I” starts to disappear, most of your mental and spiritual suffering ceases.
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