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Pursing my lips 👄 😂

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How to savor life…. What Italy taught me.

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11 Principles for Living Well

11 Principles for Living Well

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." Mae West

There is no exact formula for living the perfect life. We are all uniquely different and must walk our own paths. With that being said, I believe there are universal truths we can all follow to help us live well. Below, I have developed 11 such principles for you to consider. Enjoy, God bless and be well.

11 Principles For Living Well:

Principle # 1

Peace comes through perspective, not circumstance.

Analysis: It is not what is happening in your life that determines your sense of peace and happiness, it is the perspective you take regarding said circumstances that determines it. You can look at a setback or failure as unfair, or a sign to change paths, or you can look at it as an opportunity to learn from the experience and come back stronger. The choice is yours.

Principle # 2:

Live life as if today is a gift, and tomorrow is not a given.

Analysis: Time is fleeting, and if you are not careful, it will slip right through your fingertips with ease and haste. Live your life like time is your most valuable asset, and do today, what you could do tomorrow.

Principle # 3

Control your thoughts, control your reality.

Analysis: Your thoughts and how you interpret your reality, lead to your emotions and subsequent behavior. Learn to control your mind, take time to process and evaluate your circumstances honestly and logically, and you will find power and control over your reality.

Principle # 4:

Take the lessons the past has taught you and let everything else go.

Analysis: Stop living in yesterday's shadow. Every day you wake up, is a new opportunity to reinvent yourself, and be the person you aspire to be. Start living the life you want to live right now, not tomorrow.

Principle # 5:

Tirelessly pursue your interests. That is where you will find purpose, and if you are persistent and lucky, your passion.

Analysis: From early on in life, you are drawn to certain things that you have a natural inclination or interest in, and this leads to an investment of your time and energy. Choose to pursue such endeavors, and your growth and development in these areas are all but guaranteed. More importantly, from such a pursuit, you will find purpose, or a sense of value in what you are doing and what it can provide to others. This process undoubtedly can lead to finding your passion, that special something that you will stop at nothing to continue doing in your life. It all starts with following your interests.

Principle # 6

Learn first, to be happy on your own, because you and only are responsible for such a state.

Analysis: Avoid becoming someone who depends on others for happiness. People come and go in your life, like a change in the direction of the wind. Being self-reliant and able to enjoy your own company ensures that you will walk your path confidently, even when others take their own.

Principle # 7:

A kind deed done, is a good day won.

Analysis: You have no idea how much of an impact one kind deed can have on a person's life, and the ripple effect it can have on others. Doing something kind for another person, without any self-interest in mind, is one of the most pure and wonderful things you can do in life.

Principle # 8

Don't measure your value or growth by other's opinions or achievements, focus solely on your personal progress and development.

Analysis: Strive for steady progress, not perfection. You are not competing with others, but against yourself. Focus on building a stronger version of you each day and reap the benefits in your life.

Principle # 9

Look at every challenge in life as an opportunity to grow and learn something new about the world, and more importantly, yourself.

Analysis: Life is hard and full of challenges, embrace that reality and welcome the strength and wisdom that comes with the experience. Or let life push you around and see where you land. It is up to you.

Principle # 10

A true, authentic friend or ally is impossibly rare and must be treated as such.

Analysis: Quality over quantity, an ideal that applies across many mediums, and most certainly, in friendship and relationships. There will be few people in your life that you can be assured, have your best interest in mind without self-seeking intentions, but once you have found them, cherish the discovery and return the favor in good faith.

Principle # 11

If you are going to spend your time doing something, do it well and with all your heart.

Analysis: Time is finite, treat it as such. If you are going to spend time doing something, either by choose or necessity, why not give it all you got? Nothing bad can come from putting your best foot forwards, only from a lack of effort, can experience and opportunities be wasted.

My goal with sharing these "11 Principles for Living Well", along with the other content on my website, is to help you to reach your true potential, and live a life that is worth living. Remember to be present in what you are doing, and do not take for granted the opportunities of living well today. Take care.

Written By: Man with a plan aka Jeffrey Kalinoski

Source: 11 Principles for Living Well

[amanda1234]

Palm trees at dusk. ♥️. My home.

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“Breathe. This is just a chapter. Not the whole story.”

— Unknown

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Happy Father’s Day to all the SDs. 💋💋💋

[amanda1234]

When we make mistakes, it’s easy to spiral into shame or replay the moment over and over in our heads. But growth doesn’t come from punishment—it comes from reflection, accountability, and grace.

This weekend, I’m sitting with some tough lessons and actively choosing to be kind to myself. I’ve realized that I can hold myself accountable and still offer compassion. That I can say, “Yeah, I messed up,” and not let that moment define who I am forever.

In my 20s, I would’ve let this eat me alive. I didn’t know how to forgive myself yet. I thought being hard on myself was the same thing as being responsible. Spoiler: it’s not.

Now? I’m learning that making a mistake doesn’t make me unworthy of grace, love, or forward movement. It just makes me human. And being human is messy, tender, and beautiful all at once.

So here’s to giving ourselves permission to grow—even in the moments we wish we could do over. ♥️✨

[amanda1234]

I used to think I had to stay small.

Quiet.

Agreeable.

Out of the spotlight.

But something shifted.

I started to grow.

And with that growth came a deep urge to share—to show up.

Not for validation… but because it genuinely brings me joy.

✨ I notice the little things.

✨ I appreciate my life deeply.

✨ I speak, post, and express—because it lights me up.

It still feels funny sometimes.

Like—who am I to take up space like this?

To be loud, visible, alive?

But tech lets us connect.

And that’s kind of beautiful.

So if sharing your life helps you feel more present, more seen, more you…

Let that be reason enough.

Here’s your sign:

You’re not too much.

You’re just living out loud.

And that’s powerful.

[amanda1234]

Get the $300-some a night room on vacation. You won’t regret it. I sure didn’t.

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I’m crying bc this is stunning.

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“How beautiful to find a heart that loves you, without asking you for anything but to be okay.”

— Khalil Gibran

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“Apologize to your body. Maybe that is where the healing begins.”

— Nayyirah Waheed