1. Be up front about what you want. This is true of job interviews, dating situations, and most importantly your own internal decisions. The more you suppress what you want, the less likely you will find yourself in situations that move you towards goals and situations that will be ideal. You might be shocked at how people will respond to you when you are forthcoming.
2. Invest in yourself, even when you’re not sure if the investment will pay off down the road.
3. Happiness starts with the understanding that you can take care of yourself. Humans are all about safety nets, and the best safety net you can have is an intimate knowledge of your wants, needs, and limits. Then you can do anything.
4. Always have a project or two on your metaphorical burner, even if it’s as simple as getting through that book you’ve been meaning to read. When you’re down on yourself, engage in a project. When you’re bored and restless, engage in a project. When you’re feeling on top of the world, engage in a project.
5. If you’re not sure what to do next, unwind.
6. Keep a few friends close, the ones who are joyful for your joy and comforting in your sadness. The rest may come and go.
7. Thank someone every day. You never know when a few simple words will stick in a person’s mind and come back in a big way down the road.
8. Practice humility (“the quality of being modest and respectful”). This does not mean you downplay yourself or never voice your strengths, but rather that you do so judiciously when the time is right. Humility will make you into someone others want around.
9. Don’t overload yourself with goals and skills you want to learn. Choose a few for a year and focus on them. Even 15 minutes a day will noticeably improve you over the course of twelve months (that’s 90+ hours).
10. Never apologize for the things you love or believe. On the other side of that coin: never force others to love or believe what you love and believe.