Five Rules to Live By: An Idiot's Guide on How to Live a Happy Life

1. All acquaintances are not friends, and all strangers are not enemies.

Sometimes the people you hold closest to your heart don't care for you at all. If you want to lead a happy life, it is best to know at all times who are your friends and who are your enemies. This way, you don't sever any important ties and you never carry any extra baggage.
Never miss an opportunity to meet someone new. Everyone I've ever met is completely unique and you would be surprised at the advice complete strangers can give you. Prejudice with prejudice- racism and intolerance has reaped nothing but heartache and suffering for mankind.

2. Talent is a gift. Character is a choice.

If there is a God, he has bestowed upon you a variety of talents that make you who you are. Wasting these unique abilities is the one of the biggest mistakes we can make in our entire lives. Squandering potential is regrettable, but squandering character is disastrous. We choose who we are and how we treat people. We are not born with character. Use your ability to make people feel the way you want them to and never be reckless with the heart of someone you care about.

3. Revenge is served sweeter cold, but compassion is always better warm.

Know when to seek revenge, but don't be blinded by how you feel. Half of the things that other people do to you are done at random- most people aren't out to get you, and you shouldn't read into their actions too much. Know when to turn a cold shoulder to someone who has betrayed your trust, but also know when to lend a crying shoulder and a second chance to someone who deserves it- balance is the key. The nice guys don't always finish last.

4. Develop your powers of observation... nothing is ever as it seems.

Even the most obvious actions often have hidden meanings. As human beings, it is essential that our actions serve a purpose, and that purpose is often to improve our lives. Everyone is out to get something, but don't take that as a malicious or selfish way to live. You do the same thing, whether you realize it or not. Recognize when you are being used, and know when to escape from a bad situation with a significant other. The most agreeable people in this world are unassuming, but they will be trampled on the most. Find a happy medium and avoid heartache. Most importantly, keep you wits about you. No one who has ever amounted to anything "went with the flow."

5. The big, bad outside world doesn't owe you a damn thing. Work for anything you want, and everything you need will become yours.

You get what you give. A bad work ethic will get you nowhere in life. I have learned this first hand... a lackluster effort will create a bad end result every time. Don't ever think that you're being cheated by some omniscient outside force; that the world is out to screw you over. That isn't the case- don't use it as an excuse to illicit bad behavior. Man up to your mistakes, do your best to correct them, and move on. The journey of life is long and rocky, and it is paved for no one. Avoid jealousy and mind your own business and you will be just fine.

Love and you shall be loved... what else could a man ask for?