A 'Not to Do' list for 2014
- By Eugene Clark
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E-mail China.org.cn, January 1, 2014
5. Eat more and increase bad food choices. Obesity is a growing problem in both developed and developing countries. I will try to be more discriminating in what and how much I eat. To eat less and more nutritional food is for most of us to be healthier. We have to take care of our bodies, for it is the only place we have to live.
6. Consume too much "junk" information. There is also the question of my "information diet." There are so many great books that I have not read. There are some that I read a long time ago that I should re-read. Just as good nutrition is good for the body, a good information diet is good for the mind and soul.
7. Spend too much time sweating the small stuff. I spend too much time worrying about things that never happen, or about things that are not particularly important. I need to be mindful of W.H. Auden's words: "Between friends, differences in taste or opinion are irritating in direct proportion to their triviality." During this coming year, I will try to follow the advice of accepting those things that I cannot change and focusing instead on those areas where I can make a difference. I will also be optimistic and count my blessings rather than my problems. I will be ready to forgive and ask for forgiveness from others for the mistakes I make.
8. Hurry so much. Modern life seems to progress at a dizzying pace. Yet there is a difference between moving fast and hurrying. When you hurry, you tend to make mistakes and certainly do not enjoy the journey. As a popular 1960s' song goes, "Slow down, you move to fast."
9. Take things for granted. It is so very easy to take things for granted until you have lost them. That is true of friends, health, fresh air and most things we value in life. I will try in 2014 to think each day of those many things for which I am and should be grateful.
10. Focus so much on myself. The older I get, the more important I realize the virtue of humility. Modern society tends to urge us to focus on ourselves and our 15 minutes of fame. Yet the deepest rewards in life often come from helping others and giving credit to the many people who are responsible for our and any success. Humility is best served with a healthy dose of doubt and willingness to admit that we could be wrong.
I firmly believe that if I can make some progress on not doing these 10 things, I will be a better and happier person. If you, dear reader, have some innovative ideas for your not-to-do list, I'd love to hear them.
The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/eugeneclark.htm
Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn
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