Life—should it have rules?
Personally, I wasn’t sure. But a friend of mine crafted his several years ago, and it stuck with me. Why don’t I have any rules for life?
Upon reflection, I realized that they’re not about rigid dos and don’ts. They’re about finding your way through the chaos with a healthy dose of laughter, a sprinkle of empathy, and just the right amount of “I’ve got no clue what I’m doing, but I’ll figure it out.”
Instead of viewing the rules (yours or mine) as strict guidelines, consider them gentle reminders—a kind of friendly tap on the shoulder when you’re about to take yourself too seriously or need to cut some slack. They’re the wisdom that sneaks up on you after a few missteps, offering you a way to navigate the unpredictability of life without losing your balance or your sense of humour.
In reality, rules for life are less about following a strict set of instructions and more about developing a mindset that helps you roll with the punches. They remind you that it’s okay to mess up, laugh at your mistakes, and get back up with a fraction of more wisdom each time.
The idea isn’t to avoid life’s challenges—because, oh Lord, are there ever some doozy ones in life—but to embrace them with a knowing grin, some gin, and the understanding that perfection is overrated. Life is messy, unpredictable, and often confusing—but that’s precisely where the beauty lies.
Reflecting on my rules, I realize they’re less about prescribing a way to live and more about encouraging a way to think.
They push me to be introspective, to question my intentions, and to approach life with both caution and curiosity. They remind me that while the world can be harsh, our approach—how we choose to engage with it—truly shapes our experience.
In the quiet moments, when I’m alone with my thoughts, these rules are less about what I need to do and more about who I want to be.
They serve as a contemplative compass, not just for navigating the world but for navigating myself, continually guiding me back to how I want to conduct my work and life.
After all, as I have said in this space and other spaces before, “We’re not here to see through each other; we’re here to see each other through.”
While you are here, take a look at Dan's latest award-winning book, Work-Life Bloom.
