Rule 128. Stress is what you make of it.

Everyone has stress in this world and your stress is no more important than anyone else. How you handle your stress is your choice. If you choose to let it ruin your whole day and get you down, that’s your choice. So keep your heads up kids and don’t let life get you down, it’s not so bad.

Rule 127. Show up for funerals.

The friends and family you love and remember the most in your life are the ones that show up for things. Funerals being an important one. People who show up for the tough times are ones you should count on, anybody can be there for you during the easy times kids.

Rule 125: Embrace what makes you different.

Kids being different is okay. In fact it’s better than okay, it’s great. Growing up different made me who I am and I’m better for it. Being the same is boring. Embrace all the fun things that make you different and never let someone make you feel bad for not being the same as them. Especially when most of them are just boring milk toast who are too afraid to branch out of whatever bubble they’ve created for themselves. Let your freak flag fly kids.

Rule 124. Disobey Fear

Fear protects you, but fear also holds you back kids. Don’t be afraid to try new things because you might fail. The beauty in failure is that once you fail, you’re not afraid anymore about failing. So don’t be afraid to try that new sport, to take on that new class, or to talk to that person. The worst thing that can happen to you is that you fail, and that’s okay.

Rule 123. Engage with your kids.

You get what you put in with kids. This stretches beyond adolescents/childhood. Kids always look to their parents for guidance/advice/empathy. Being a parent doesn’t stop when your kids turn 18, embrace the challenge and make your kids feel wanted even when you’re old and gray and we’re dead and gone.

Rule 121. Don’t be a bean counter.

What’s a bean counter? Basically it’s an accountant. It’s a fine profession. I’m using as a pejorative here really to describe a personality trait as opposed to a profession. Don’t keep score in all of your personal relationships, it just makes people resent you and makes them think everything is a transaction with you.