Finding Good Karma

I like this list of 20 Ways to Get Good Karma from the Dalai Lama.

A few of my favorites:

• “Follow the three R’s: –  Respect for self, –  Respect for others ,and –  Responsibility for all your actions.”  I like this one, and it’s pretty much what we strive to teach our own children. Responsibility is really the key here. Even in situations in which we lack control, we can still take responsibility for our reactions and interpretation of circumstances.
• “Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.” I’ve lived through this one and it is SO TRUE. Most of the time you don’t know until later that what you didn’t get was exactly what you needed. When the going gets tough, always remember to pause and think about might happen instead. It’s kind of like those “Choose your Own Adventure” books they had when I was a kid. Life is a “choose your own adventure” game. At the end of each chapter, there is never one option of what is next. There are multiple paths one can take. Some might lead to dead ends, some might lead to something unexpected, some may be well traveled and predictable–you never know. Most importantly, there isn’t just one way.
• “Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.” I need to work on this one. My husband and I can be like oil and water. Sometimes the stupidest thing can result in silly battles, the kind of fights you quickly forget but at the time it was so important to get the last word. In the grand scheme of life, these are the things we have to let go so they don’t “injure” the relationships.
• “When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.” I teach this one to my 4 year old son all the time. We all make mistakes. We try to prevent them, but they happen. We’re human. No need to cry or dwell–just fix it, learn, and move on.
• “Spend some time alone every day.” I love this one, but to be honest, with two little ones it doesn’t always happen. I usually like to have alone time on my birthday–at least a few hours. I try to carve out bits of time each day. I would like to get better about setting bed time hours that are consistent to ensure I get at least an hour to myself in the evening. Having a husband to help out is definitely good for carving out alone time too. I was lucky enough to live on my own and even travel solo during my single years. I experienced it, loved it, and have no regrets.