What's your formula?

I'm often amazed at how amazingly different people are from each other.

The way they think, the way they behave, the way they react to situations, the friends they make, the values they have, the priorities they have, the way they treat other people, even the way they treat themselves. The way they live their life.

How does a person decide how to live his/her life? Is there a formula to it?

Perhaps there really is a formula. Each one of us has a formula by which we live our lives. A formula derived over the years by umpteen observations, experiences and experimentations, umpteen mistakes and umpteen lessons learnt from these mistakes. And the most amazing part is -- this formula keeps changing as the years go by. And no two people have the exact same formula.

It's a continuous process of improvisation. We add certain ingredients, remove some, some work out, some result in explosions, and then finally we come up with a suitable formula. Suitable for our life at that particular moment. Because come tomorrow, it may change. Heck, it will change.

Here are a few ingredients that go into the present formula of my life, that I remind myself of, now and then:

• Never forget that the most important people in your life are your parents.
• If you love and trust, do so completely.
• Accept people for who they are.
• A smile goes a long way. When you smile, do so from the heart.
• Take your job seriously. Some day you will want to look back at it and be proud.
• Play hard.
• Be nice to guys. They won't always understand you. Understand that.
• Do not neglect your health. It should be right at the top of your list along with dignity and self-respect.
• There may be certain people who dislike you and piss you off, but for each of them, you have ten others who love you.
• You can't possibly love everyone on the planet. It's okay to not like some people.
  
• It's okay to be angry, hurt, jealous and negative at times.
• Invest in your friendships. They are precious. And you have to work at them to make them work.
• Travel more. There's a lot to be seen, and there isn't enough time.
  
• Money is important. Save some of it.
• Be polite.
  
• Take time out for your hobbies. They are an important part of you. If you neglect them, you lose a bit of yourself.
  
• If you are in a position to help someone in need, don't think. Just do it. You have no idea how fortunate you are just to be able to help.
  
• Love people around you, but be prepared to steer your ship alone in a storm.
• Regretting is a waste of time. Every day is a new beginning.
• Don't sit and complain. Do something about the problem instead.
• Don't hold grudges. They will only fill you with negativity.
• Never lose your sense of humour.
• Be tough in the face of adversity. Remember "Tough times don't last, tough people do."
  
• Take time to dress up. Pamper yourself now and then.
• Look good to feel good.
  
• Feel good to look good.
• Never miss an opportunity to surprise a loved one.
  
• Don't let anyone hurt you without your explicit permission.
  
• Don't ever forget how special you are.
• Life is short. Live it up.
  

It's true, no one has yet discovered the one magic formula that would be applicable to everyone to live that 'perfect life'. Perhaps because there is no such thing as a perfect life. Perhaps because we need to create from scratch, our own little perfect lives, with our own little imperfections.

So this is my formula. At the moment.

Would you like to share yours?