Where’s the Instruction Manual?

UPDATED 03/03/2025

Some days, I emphatically wish there was an instruction manual for life. Especially on days that are just plain hard and you need some guidance. Well, you’re in luck because there is one. The Complete Life’s Little Instruction Book was written in 1990 and everything in it stands true today. The book is simple and one written by a father to his son. At the start of his son’s freshman year of college, the father wanted to give his son a set of rules to follow to help him life is his best life. This book is the collection of those rules. Each rule is something the father learned by living and is basically something that positively impacted him. If you haven’t read this book, I highly encourage it.

Within the pages of my copy, you’ll subsequently find a lot of ear marked pages and highlights. Each one representing a rule I did not want to forget. Out of the 1,560 rules the author captured, so many have had an impact on my life. And I’m sharing a few with you today. While you may not agree with some, each rule can teach you something. The biggest lesson for me is that there is joy in all facets of life. Here is a handful of my favorite rules:

• Have a firm handshake.
• Learn to make great chili.
• Be forgiving of yourself and others.
• Be a student in some kind of class.
• Take lots of snapshots.
• Put the cap back on the toothpaste.
• Let people pull in front of you when you’re stopped in traffic.
• Don’t mess with drugs, and don’t associate with those who do.
• Smile a lot.  It costs nothing and is beyond price.
• Give yourself a year and read the Bible cover to cover.
• Respect your children’s privacy.  Knock before entering their room.
• Wear audacious underwear under the most solemn business attire.
• Keep your desk and work area neat.
• Never give up on what you really want to do.  The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts.

From this list, are there any that make you smile? I surely hope so. As I’ve continued to read this book, an idea came to me. Why not write my own instruction manual? Life is not to be lived perfectly, but it should be LIVED! Live your life to the fullest without harming yourself or anyone else an then you will have a wonderful life.

What would be the first rule on your list? Mine? Be kind to yourself and those around you.

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Jenn Mullen holds degrees in Psychology and Business Management, as well as a certification in healthy and wellness coaching. She combines over a decade of corporate experience with more than five years of small business expertise, bringing a unique blend of skills and insight to her work. Beyond her expertise, she’s a high-energy, passionate individual with ADHD who thrives on staying organized, bringing laughter to every project, and finding joy in the work she loves.