Go deep. Listen. Forgive. Be humble. Give credit where credit is due. Seek peace. Seek truth. Seek balance. Unplug. Spend time with the elderly. Trust, but verify. Be careful who you share your dreams and secrets with. Decentralize your life. Read books. Always have a Plan B. Have zero expectations of others. Cultivate happiness. Be kind always, especially to yourself. Get out of your own way. Meditate. Accept sincere compliments. Hug hard. Admit mistakes. Be here. Get to know yourself. Talk to animals. Reconnect with joy. Open your mind. Face your fears regularly. Under promise, over deliver. Don’t compare yourself with others. Stop being so damned serious. Open your heart. Agree to disagree. Care. Have a drink in an unfamiliar bar in the middle of the afternoon. Take calculated risks. Sleep well. Buy Bitcoin. Don’t keep your Bitcoin on an exchange. Live simply. People and experience over things always. Stay curious. Breathe deeply. Give sincere compliments. Be comfortable spending time alone. Prepare for your future early. Be frugal. Travel. Pay attention. Celebrate victories (no matter how small.) Have hope. Learn a few jokes. Say I love you. Sing karaoke. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, learn from them. Ask for help when you need it. Remember, small minds gossip. Walk in the woods. Trust your instincts. Call an old friend. Listen to podcasts and audiobooks when exercising.
Learn another language. Buy the best quality you can afford, it’s always less expensive in the end. Watch comedies. Keep in mind everyone is struggling. Resist the poison of pessimism. Skip the news. Think critically. Don’t procrastinate. Learn to see both sides. Take care of your stuff. Keep your inner circle small. Invest in yourself. Keep a journal or write a blog, regularly. Buy an ultrasonic toothbrush. Take care of the planet. Remember bad choices have grave consequences but good choices pay dividends. Reward yourself. Police your thoughts, they become your reality. Try new things. Never grow up. You are capable of much more than than you realize. When you feel sad or stuck, don't get discouraged just remember something has to change. Don’t be hypocritical. Remember, life is short. Call others out on their bad behavior. Stand up for the weak. Expect others’ full attention. Learn to code.
Determine when it’s best to move on. Take a deep breath. Believe in karma. Move your body. Try qigong. Have a hobby. Get comfortable speaking in front of others. Put down your damn phone. Be here now. Be generous. Pay attention to children, they’re often wiser than you think. Focus on gratitude. Be engaged in government. Cook for yourself. Grow a garden. Look at the stars. Vote and know the candidates’ platforms. Have at least one true friend. Know your worth. Spend time with people who see the world a different way. Don’t blindly follow. Try THC at least once. Be skeptical of politicians’ promises. Carry a small Swiss Army knife. Learn how to defend yourself. Know how to change a flat tire. Look people in the eye. Perfect a firm handshake. Realize no one sees the world the exact same way as you. Say hello to strangers. Master small talk. Do push-ups every day. Own at least one nice suit. Pay attention to your posture. Think outside of the box. Expect abundance. Work smart.
Cherish life. Don’t give a fook what other people think of you. Be better every day. Don’t bullshit yourself. Get good haircuts. Take care of your health as if your life depended on it. Don’t fall for fad diets. Cultivate good habits. Relax. You are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with, be choosy. Drink green tea. Learn how to play chess. We all come with an expiration date, don’t waste your time worrying. Stay calm during times of adversity. Believe in good luck. Admit you don’t know it all. Smile. Know the difference between wants and needs. Defer gratification but not joy. Avoid as much debt as you can. Never allow someone to mistreat you twice. Learn the meanings of the words narcissist, psychopath, and sociopath, commit those definitions to memory, and know how to spot their traits. Practice moderation.
Don’t rely on others for your joy. Limit processed sugar intake. Set goals and have a plan. Don't be afraid to start again from scratch. Don’t overthink. Have multiple income streams. Follow your dreams. Make time for yourself. Tread lightly, love deeply. Remember the truth is often found between the two extremes. We all have seeds of good and bad in us, it’s up to us which ones we water. Be a good neighbor. You can’t change people, they have to change themselves. There are no coincidences. Set boundaries and priorities. Focus. Not everyone is your friend, few wish you harm, many are just indifferent.
Pull your own weight. Keep promises. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Pay attention to your dreams. Take nothing for granted. Make time for those you love, you never know when they’ll be snatched away. Show up a little early. Don’t be a slave to your brain chemicals. Give second chances but not thirds. Broken people will try to break you. Life will rise or fall based on your expectations. Know that no one has it all figured out. Learn what brings you lasting happiness. Study the cycles of the past so you can predict the future. Stand for something. Create awesome memories, they will be all you have some day. Take good care of each other because we’re all in this together.
All for now.
With Gratitude,
Eric Vance Walton
Poetry should move us, it should change us, it should glitch our brains, shift our moods to another frequency. Poetry should evoke feelings of melancholy, whimsy, it should remind us what it feels like to be in love, or cause us to think about something in a completely different way. I view poetry, and all art really, as a temporary and fragile bridge between our world and a more pure and refined one. This is a world we could bring into creation if enough of us believed in it. This book is ephemera, destined to end up forgotten, lingering on some dusty shelf or tucked away in a dark attic. Yet the words, they will live on in memory. I hope these words become a part of you, bubble up into your memory when you least expect them to and make you feel a little more alive.
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