A college roommate of mine just sent this to me and I had to post. So whether you hate your job but can’t leave, hate your boyfriend but don’t want to leave, or just life in general, enjoy.

From Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Eat, Pray, Love”:

“There is so much about my fate that I cannot control, but other things do fall under the jurisdiction. I can decide how I spend my time, whom I interact with, whom I share my body and life and money and energy with. I can select what I can read and eat and study. I can choose how I’m going to regard unfortunate circumstances in my life-whether I will see them as curses or opportunities. I can choose my words and the tone of voice in which I speak to others. And most of all, I can choose my thoughts.”

I had a birthday recently, and at the ripe old age of 28, I have discovered some pearls of wisdom that I would either like to tell my grandchildren (not likely) or my former self (more likely)…so here are my top 10.

1. You will meet people in this life that will piss you off to no end, no matter how you try to conform them or yourself to them. These people are idiots and not worth it. The only thing you can do is conform your attitude. So the next time you see these people, smile and nod while simultaneously muttering (to yourself…in your head) all the reasons you are better than this person and how much you will not remember their name when you leave.

2. People come into your life when you need them, and leave just the same. Take comfort in that fact, fight for what friendships you think deserve fighting for, and forget the rest. It will all work itself out in the end.

3. You may make a zillion friends in your lifetime, but your family, no matter how dysfunctional or how many times you would like to disown them, is yours and yours alone, no questions asked. If you are lucky enough to be near them, have talked to them or have them for that matter, be grateful.

4. Some people suck. Deal with it. Find a way to get rid of the negative, because you only have one life. Beware of negativity and the suction that goes with it. If you find yourself being sucked in by the negativity monsters, take a walk outside, pet a dog or go to www.cuteoverload.com…you try being in a negative mood on that website.

5. All you need is love. And that doesn’t mean you need a significant other. It means that you need something to love, someone to love you, and someone you can rely on. If you have figured out that that person is you, congratulations. You have figured out the meaning of life.

6. Never underestimate the power of music, whether you play it or listen, nothing can transport you faster than listening to your favorite song.

7. “Men are like toasters…women, more like accordions” Don’t write people off because they are (or seem) complicated. The more complicated the person, the more interesting they are. (learned today, courtesy of The Mentalist episode “Crimson Casanova”)

8. Take a deep breath. Now be grateful you can still breathe.

9. Wear clean underwear and throw out the ratty ones, even if you justify their existence by calling them “laundry day undies”. You never know when someone will see them.

10. Lasciato vada. (look it up, it’s Italian…although since I have looked it up, I don’t know if it means, “Let go” (which is what I want it to mean) or “Go to the left”…good thing I didn’t get that tatoo…)  Either way, two words have never meant so much in certain situations.

I am sure I’ll have more to add to this list…and I realize all this is easier said than done (well, #9 is pretty easy…but I still haven’t done it!). But I figure since I’ve “learned” all these things in my 28 years, I am sure there is a boatload more I have to learn. So feel free to dish it out….