William R. Adan
NAAWAN, Misamis Oriental (MindaNews / 10 February) – We may be able to course through the challenges, trials or the roughs and tumbles of life, if we don’t complicate the way we live. Here’s how, my take.
Be simple. Simple is beautiful. Simple is correct. Simple is good. To be strong and forceful in expressing a thought, a sentence should be kept simple. It must not have unnecessary words or phrases. So should one’s life; it should not be burdened or weighed down by useless complications in desires, wants, relationships or material things.
Expect nothing, or at least reduce expectations to the barest minimum from anyone to avoid disappointments. If something is to happen, it will. If it is good, rejoice; if not, cry if you may, but don’t sulk for long. Be thankful that it happens now than later: you can re-start early.
Do what you can do for others and expect nothing in return. Without your knowing it, you may have already gained psychic dividends for extending them a helping hand.
Do not flirt with unnecessary trouble by developing a relationship beyond friendship with anyone unless you still have no commitments and are still free to do it. Remain as friends. Friendship may also have wonderful romantic moments and memories even without the excitement and thrills of sex.
Spend time and sustain wholesome and beautiful relationship with people that matters to you most rather than make repairs with or despair over missed opportunities later. More often than not we forget that life is short. Our parents are now old and may disappear any time soon from our sight; and our children may sooner or later leave our home to build their own. So kiss and hug tight while still possible.
Buy and possess only what you really need to survive and those that support your daily grind. Acquire, if you may, things that give long lasting not fleeting enjoyment and joy.
Avoid cluttering your life with things you no longer need. Take them out of sight. Others may love to recycle for you. Grant them the joy of doing it.
Establish priorities. Focus on doing something one at a time to produce excellent results. Multi-tasking is a failure in time management; it could lead to undesirable outcomes.
Don’t let you job ruin your life. If work is no longer pleasurable and the environment is no longer healthy, leave as soon as you can and find another.
Forget what you may have lost along the way; it was not meant for you.
Now might be the time to enjoy what you love doing best.
(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. William R. Adan, Ph.D., is retired professor and former chancellor of Mindanao State University at Naawan, Misamis Oriental, Philippines.)
