Introduction viii Part I Rules for You 1 1 Keep It Under Your Hat 4 2 You'll Get Older But Not Necessarily Wiser 6 3 Accept What Is Done Is Done 8 4 Accept Yourself 10 5 Know What Counts and What Doesn't 12 6 Dedicate Your Life to Something 14 7 Be Flexible in Your Thinking 16 8 Take an Interest in the Outside World 18 9 Be on the Side of the Angels, Not the Beasts 20 10 Only Dead Fish Swim with the Stream 22 11 Be the Last to Raise Your Voice 24 12 Be Your Own Adviser 26 13 No Fear, No Surprise, No Hesitation, No Doubt 28 14 I Wish I'd Done That--and I Will 30 15 It's OK to Give Up 32 16 Count to Ten--or Recite Baa Baa Black Sheep 34 17 Change What You Can Change; Let Go of the Rest 36 18 Aim to Be the Very Best at Everything You Do--Not Second Best 38 19 Don't Expect to Be Perfect 40 20 Don't Be Afraid to Dream 42 21 If You're Going to Jump Off a Bridge, Make Sure You Know How Deep the Water Is 44 22 Don't Dwell on the Past 46 23 Don't Live in the Future 48 24 Get on With Life--It's Whooshing Past 50 25 Be Consistent 52 26 Dress Like Today Is Important 54 27 Have a Belief System 56 28 Leave a Little Space for Yourself Each Day 58 29 Have a Plan 60 30 Have a Sense of Humor 62 31 Choose How You Make Your Bed 64 32 Life Can Be a Bit Like Advertising 66 33 Get Used to Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone 68 34 Learn to Ask Questions 70 35 Have Dignity 72 36 It's OK to Feel Big Emotions 74 37 Keep the Faith 76 38 You'll Never Understand Everything 78 39 Know Where True Happiness Comes From 80 40 Life Is a Pizza 82 41 Know When to Let Go--When to Walk Away 84 42 Retaliation Leads to Escalation 86 43 Look After Yourself 88 44 Maintain Good Manners in All Things 90 45 Prune Your Stuff Frequently 92 46 Remember to Touch Base 94 47 Draw the Lines Around Yourself 96 48 Shop for Quality, Not Price 98 49 It's OK to Worry, or to Know How Not To 100 50 Stay Young 102 51 Throwing Money at a Problem Doesn't Always Work 104 52 Think for Yourself 106 53 You Are Not in Charge 108 54 Have Something in Your Life That Takes You Out of Yourself 110 55 Only the Good Feel Guilty 112 56 If You Can't Say Anything Nice, Don't Say Anything at All 114 Part II Partnership Rules 117 57 Accept the Differences, Embrace What You Have in Common 120 58 Allow Your Partner the Space to Be Themselves 122 59 Be Nice 124 60 You Want to Do What? 126 61 Be the First to Say Sorry 128 62 Go That Extra Step in Trying to Please Them 130 63 Always Have Someone--or Something--That Is Pleased to See You 132 64 Know When to Listen and When to Act 134 65 Have a Passion for Your Life Together 136 66 Make Sure Your Love Making Is Making Love 138 67 Keep Talking 140 68 Respect Privacy 142 69 Check You Both Have the Same Shared Goals 144 70 Treat Your Partner Better Than Your Best Friend 146 71 Contentment Is a High Aim 148 72 You Don't Both Have to Have the Same Rules 150 Part III Family and Friends Rules 153 73 If You Are Going to Be a Friend, Be a Good Friend 156 74 Never Be Too Busy for Loved Ones 158 75 Let Your Kids Mess Up for Themselves--They Don't Need Any Help from You 160 76 Have a Little Respect and Forgiveness for Your Parents 162 77 Give Your Kids a Break 164 78 Never Lend Money Unless You Are Prepared to Write It Off 166 79 Keep Quiet 168 80 There Are No Bad Children 170 81 Be Up Around People You Love 172 82 Give Your Kids Responsibilities 174 83 Your Children Need to Fall Out with You to Leave Home 176 84 Your Kids Will Have Friends You Don't Like 178 85 Your Role as a Child 180 86 Your Role as a Parent 182 Part IV Social Rules 185 87 We're All Closer Than You Think 188 88 It Doesn't Hurt to Forgive 190 89 It Doesn't Hurt to Be Helpful 192 90 What's in It for Them? 194 91 Hang Out with Positive People 196 92 Be Generous with Your Time and Information 198 93 Get Involved 200 94 Keep the Moral High Ground 202 95 Just Because You Have, Doesn't Mean They Have Too 204 96 Do Compare Yourself with Other People 206 97 Have a Plan for Your Career 208 98 Look at the Long-Term Ramifications of What You Do for a Living 210 99 Be Good at Your Job 212 100 Be Aware of the Damage You Are Doing 214 101 Be for the Glory, Not the Degradation 216 102 Be Part of the Solution, Not the Problem 218 103 Check What History Would Say About You 220 104 Not Everything Can Be Green 222 105 Put Something Back 224 106 Find a New Rule Every Day--or Occasionally at Least 226
