Q

#10 – Be happy for others.

Everything aside, I’m internally quite prideful. Or at least assured of my own abilities.

Many of us are.

But sometimes life is just this way – things that happen to others may not be given to you, no matter how much you deserve it.

Have you ever heard others talk endlessly about their opportunities and their successes, and the only thing you could think is – I can do it so much better.

The only thing that is preventing you from happiness at this point is yourself. Do not think of it as you being deprived, think of it as someone being given this beautiful chance.

Is it, in any way, not something to be happy about? Especially if said receiver is a loved one?

JOY comes in this order – Jesus, Others, Yourself. I’m sorry if I sound preachy, and if you’re highly non-religious, choose to ignore the Jesus part.

But really, others. Life is not just about you. So rid of the jealousy, rid of the pride, and just let yourself be happy for others. In the long run, you’re the one who benefits.

What is love but the ability to share your friend’s accomplishments. If you aren’t capable of even this simple act of selflessness, you are without love.

Then yes, you are are deprived. But not of all the opportunities, successes or other stuff your friend has but you don’t, but of the simplicity of joy and the knowledge of love.

#11 – Occasionally allow yourself to mock others.

Alright this is quite contradictory to all I have espoused upon so far, and somewhere in there I know it’s morally incorrect, but I think it’s healthy to just let go of yourself sometimes.

Frankly, we do this quite often. There are countless breaks we spend giggling over the less fortunately endowed (and there are so many of them in Hwachong), or the characteristically strange (and trust me when I say STRANGE).

WHY is it alright? Well as long as it isn’t fully confrontational. And by that I mean snapping rubber bands at little men who happen to not take baths, during Econs lecture (this phase is very much passed so don’t judge kthnx). What’s the harm?

The only two reasons I can think of NOT to is

a) would you like it if a bunch of people laughed at your quirks?

b) it shows a certain amount of inner self-consciousness to want to transfer judgement on the less fortunate.

BUT the pros far outweigh these, as long as you keep it in check within the group and do it for purely entertainment reasons without much malicious purpose.

a) GROUP BONDING.

b) Laughter is very, very healthy.

c) I MEAN C’MON SOME OF THEM DESERVE IT SO MUCH.

d) It makes life so much more interesting.

e) It makes you feel better about yourself during your self-deprecating moments.

That said, DO NOT GO HOME AND TELL YOUR MOM I TAUGHT YOU TO MAKE FUN OF PEOPLE ALRIGHT.

What I mean is, everything in moderation. Just give yourself a chance to unleash that rearing bitch-head at least ten minutes a week, and maybe for the other seventeen hundred minutes you’ll be a much nicer person to everyone else. (-: