RULES!

I'm not totally dissatisfied with my life. I feel that compared to most people my age, I'm actually doing relatively well. I've graduated from college with two university diplomas, and though I'm not exactly working in a field that's of my expertise, I've gained A LOT of experience. Especially in the art of keeping things in for the the sake of diplomacy! And man, has my patience been tested these last few months... But anyways, that's something I'll discuss in another post. I'm also:

- Not an alcoholic - CHECK

- Not a crack-whore - CHECK

- Not a whore, period - CHECK CHECK

- Not pregnant - CHECK CHECK WAYYYYY CHECK =)

In many ways, a success! Cheers to that! KANPAI!

However, the entire point of this entry was not to go on about my accomplishments, but rather to point out the things I need to work on in order to become even more satisfied with my life. The way I see it, there's always room for improvement. Although I claim that I'm a perfectionist through and through, I know that I will never be 100% perfect. In fact, most of my close friends have already called me "perfectly imperfect." Although I really appreciate their efforts, I will always be very hard on myself, especially because I know what I am capable of. I need to at least continue striving to be perfect. If I ever lose that spark that keeps me going, then honestly, I don't know what'll happen to me... So, after thinking it through, I've come up with a list of 10 rules that I will try to abide by from now.

I don't think anyone actually reads this, but in a weird way, I feel that by posting it online and making it public, I'll feel more accountable to them! So here goes...

1.) Set aside 30 minutes for personal reflection everyday. I need to be able to be alone with my thoughts and try to figure out what I want and need to do with my life. During this time, I need turn my cell phone off, rid myself of ALL distractions, and just focus on ME!

2.) Limit my time online to 2 hours per night, including Facebook, MSN, Skype, etc.

3.) Read, read, read. Try to read at least 2 books per month. Keep up with the news, as well. I’ve been good at reading The Economist, as it is delivered to my door, but I need to read more. I simply cannot let my brain cells atrophy. I’m so proud of my intellect! I've grown through my education, and I need to be persistent in the pursuit of knowledge to feel satisfied!

4.) Go to the gym, or engage in some form of physical activity for one hour, at least four times a week. Rain or shine! No excuses… Even if it means I need to cancel plans with people, or postpone them. Those who really want to see me and care about me will understand.

5.) Clean up my room as often as possible. Don’t just let thing accumulate on the floor! When my living environment is disorganized, I get lazy and in a bad mood! Therefore, clean, clean, clean!

6.) Don’t neglect anyone and make time for everyone! The more satisfied I feel with my personal relationships, the better I will feel as a whole. Granted, some friendships are deeper than others and may require more attention, but do not fall into the same old trap of depending too much on only a few people. Always leave room to meet others, and develop deeper friendships with everyone who is willing and interested in getting to know me.

7.) Smile, smile, smile. Even if I am feeling down, smile. Not only do I look prettier while smiling, but a smiling face is approachable! The more positive energy I give out, the more positive energy I will receive.

8.) Never assume anything about anyone. Especially not about myself. Assumptions lead to expectations, and expecting too much from someone can lead to disappointment. Disappointment leads to negativity and negativity goes against Rule #7.

9.) Limit my spending to $250 every 2 weeks. This way, I will be able to save more than $1,000 per month! I need to find other ways of having fun that are not just going out to fancy restaurants, and having fancy drinks. I need to stay at home more often, watch movies, play PS3... go back to basics!

10.) Stop thinking so much about everything. The more time I spend thinking, the less time I spend living. Learn to just go with the flow and adopt a “Zen” approach to life. Enjoy the little things…

And there you have it. I'll be checking back periodically to update. But for now, I must get my beauty sleep! Ah yes! That should have been yet another rule! Try to sleep more than 6 hours per night!

And this Krizia signing off...