Silence is Golden

I think most of us have heard of the Golden Rule:

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Religion aside, it is a logical statement. I do my best to live by the Golden Rule in the hopes that if I treat people well, I will be treated well in return. The tricky part is that everyone has a different idea about what it means to be treated well. For me, it means not having to listen to negativity. I don't need a Devil's Advocate in my life. Believe it or not, each of the decisions I make are very well thought out. Just short of sinking to the level of the Debbie (or Dick) Downers of the World, I wanted to share some things I've come to understand in my short 32 years on Earth:

If you want people to respect you and remain in your life:

Don’t try to teach them lessons. Don’t try to burst their bubble. Don’t speak negatively about their life choices. Don’t assume you know better because you’re older or wiser. Wisdom doesn’t come with age, but rather with experience, and that is precisely why people need to live and learn for themselves. Think before you speak... and even more importantly, think before you write. Writers have the invaluable ability to proofread and edit their thoughts before they present them to their audience.

And lastly, if you don't have anything positive to say to someone, it's probably best to say nothing at all.

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