In honor of April Fool’s Day I thought I’d share a gem from Henry David Thoreau.

Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.

The goal, of course, is to avoid, or at least limit, the time you spend as either the lead fool or the follower fool.

Image credit: Wikipedia

It happens to all of us.

Family, friends, colleges.

They let us down and we have no idea why.

To protect yourself from the disappointment keep this rhyme in mind.

Just because they could

Just because they should

Doesn’t mean they would.

Flickr image credit: Celestine Chua

Looking back in my life, I can honestly say there is only one thing I truly want to change.

I can think of two more if I was granted the proverbial three wishes, but only one serious regret.

I couldn’t find a link, but according to my notes this Rule tracks back to Barbara Kerbel and in the San Francisco Chronicle in 1996.

What can’t be undone
shouldn’t leave you unstrung.

Good advice, considering how short life is.

Flickr image credit: TheeErin

Today is a twofer, because these two rules go together so well in my mind.

The first rule warns against something that can happen without your even noticing.

Don’t be afraid your life will end,
be afraid it will never begin.
–Grace Hansen

The second offers a foolproof cure to something that, if allowed to go unchecked, will kill you.

The cure for boredom is curiosity.
There is no cure for curiosity.
–Ellen Parr

To live fully requires curiosity; lots and lots of curiosity.

Flickr image credit: gfpeck

Over the years I’ve heard variations of this rule from the best managers I’ve worked with in every field and across all disciplines and levels.

It’s the wise boss who understands that the only thing more important than hiring someone new is retaining someone you already have.

One would think it’s both simple and obvious, but you can walk into any company of any size and find more managers who don’t practice it than do.

Which are you?

I was interviewed by phone last week and one of the questions was “What do you want to be in five years?”

I’ve always thought that was a silly question and responded by saying, “Retired!”

There was a shocked silence on the other end, which I found amusing since she had my background which included my age.

I thought it was nice of me not to tell her the real truth, but I’ll share it with you below.

I want to be and
outrageous
old woman
who never
gets called an
old lady.

I want to get
leaner and meaner,
sharp-edged
and
earth colored,
’till I fade away
from pure joy.

And I wish you the same joy throughout your life.

Image credit: twicepix on flickr

Image credit: Zela CC license

Everyone I know is struggling with time management issues.

One of the biggest time management caveats is to prioritize.

I’m happy to say that I learned a lot about prioritization as a result of my procrastination.

And one of the things I learned is now a lynchpin of my time management and my 18th rule.

Prioritize: why do today what doesn’t need to be done at all?

A bit of explanation. This doesn’t refer to that trip to the gym that you’re trying to avoid, nor to the time you set aside to read, think or daydream.

It does refer to all the busy work that we add to our already overcrowded lives; all the stuff that we convince ourselves must be done to keep the sky from falling.

Think about it.

The day before a long weekend doesn’t seem the time to offer up anything heavy, instead here’s another of my Rules.

Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably and never regret anything that made you smile.

Read them all, you’ll find a lot of wisdom and life help in them—I do.

And since it’s a holiday you’ll probably be seeing people, so here are a couple of good conversation starters. Both are supposedly signs, but you know how reliable Internet stuff is:)

Dr. Jones, at your cervix. (In a Gynecologist’s Office)

CAUTION – This Truck is Full of Political Promises (On the back of another Septic Tank Truck)

Feel free to add a Rule or another conversation piece.

Image credit: Wikipedia

In our health-conscious world we’re constantly told “you are what you eat,” although judging by the constant stories in the media it hasn’t sunk in for many of us.

The sentiment applies to other things, too, as Aristotle pointed out more than 2000 years ago.

Just think, he had all those brilliant ideas without benefit computer, i-Pod, TV, etc. Not to mention mastering the art of the sound bite perfectly.

“You are what you repeatedly do.

Excellence is not an event—it is a habit.”