Ready for a Do-Over? What are Your Top Ten TENets of Life?

I had a free day today and did what called me. I got outside. Walked. Reflected. Wrote.

I looked up and around and gloried in the day. And this is what poured out.

There is no mystery to a life well lead. 

We have the answers to the test.

If we look back, we know what makes us like ourselves and our life – and what doesn’t.

There are things that feel right and things that don’t.

When we do the things that feel right – even when we didn’t initially feel like doing them – something inside us says, “Yes, this is how I’m supposed to feel.”

When we do things that feel wrong, they may feel good in the moment - but in our heart, in our bones - we know we compromised ourselves and betrayed what we know to be true.

The good news is, we get do-overs.

One of the miracles of being a human being is we can have a fresh start anytime we please.

Why not make today a do-over?

How can we do that?

Well, on my walk this morning, I was moved to write out my top ten tenets. 

What’s a “tenet?” Well, it’s officially defined as “belief, principle.”

To me, a tenet means “a life lesson learned over time.” A “TENet” is what it takes to lead a life we’re proud of, to look back at any given day and think, “That was a good day.”

We may not have been able to control what happened to or around us, but we controlled how we showed up and chose to be the quality of person we want to be.

In the end, it’s all we can do.

We’re nearing the end of this year. 

The good news is, there’s still time for a do-over. 

Still time to reflect on your life and identify your top ten TENets.

Still time to write them down. Post them where you can see them. Review them in the morning. Resolve to do them that day.

Still time to look back over the list before you go to bed and ask yourself, “How many of these did I do? Did I miss any?” Still time to fit in one or two before you go to sleep.

You’ll be glad you did.

Annie Dillard said, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”

Here’s to leading a life that feels right. Here’s to being a person we can be proud of.

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P.S. In case you’re interested, here are a few of my top ten TENets.

As you can imagine, TENets are deeply personal and different for everyone.

However, you're welcone to riff off these to create yours. 

I, Sam Horn, choose to do the following every day because I know it’s the most direct way to be a person I am proud of and lead a life I am happy with. I will:

1.      Walk appreciatively for forty minutes.

2.      Journal my thankfuls, reflections and intentions.

3.      Reach out to and connect with someone I love.

4.      Get outside, look up, and breathe in.

5.      Eat and drink lean, green and protein.

6.      Post or produce something that adds value.

7.      See, learn, experience something new.

8.      Do my “Receive, receive, receive. Revel, revel, revel” meditation.

9. If I get frustrated, put things in perspective by saying, "Long days. Short years."

10. Private (smile).

For more ways to make the most of your time now ... not someday ... check this out.

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Sam Horn, CEO of the Intrigue Agency and TEDx speaker - is on a mission to help people create compelling communications. Her books - Tongue Fu!, POP! and Washington Post bestseller Got Your Attention? - have been featured in NY Times and taught to NASA, Intel, Nationwide, Cisco, Boeing, YPO. Like this post? Visit www.SerenDestiny.comwhere Sam shares insights on how to lead a quality life ... now, not someday.