Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

A friend emailed me this; I felt compelled to post it up... Just something that we all wanted to do, but never had the encouragement...

I have always been a worrier. Someone who is very afraid of consequences from my decisions. I want to break free from that, and be confident in what I feel is right. Life is a learning process, and I am learning at a very fast pace in the past six months compared to what I'm used to. Still building my confident about life (after being smashed around for years), and to do so, I'm building knowledge of everything around me, emotionally, spiritually, physically and life as a whole.

I hope this inspires you too...

The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren

Don't date because you are desperate
Don't marry because you are miserable
Don't have kids because you think your genes are superior
Don't philander because you think you are irresistable

Don't associate with people you can't trust
Don't cheat. Don't lie. Don't pretend
Don't dictate because you are smarter
Don't demand because you are stronger

Don't sleep around because you think you are old enough and know better
Don't hurt your kids because loving them is harder
Don't sell yourself, your family, or your ideals
Don't stagnate

Don't regress
Don't live in the past. Time can't bring anything or anyone back
Don't put your life on hold for possibly Mr. Right
Don't throw your life away on absolutely Mr. Wrong because your biological clock is ticking

Learn a new skill
Find a new friend
Start a new career
Sometimes, there is no race to be won, only a price to be paid for some of life's more hasty decisions

To terminate your loneliness, reach out to the homeless
To feed your nurturing instincts, care for the needy
To fulfil your parenting fantasies, get a puppy
Don't bring another life into this world for all the wrong reasons

To make yourself happy, pursue your passions and be the best of what you can be
Simplify your life. Take away the clutter
Get rid of destructive elements: abusive friends, nasty habits, and dangerous liaisons
Don't abandon your responsibilities but don't overdose on duty

Don't live life recklessly without thought and feeling for your family
Be true to yourself
Don't commit when you are not ready
Don't keep others waiting needlessly

Go on that trip. Don't postpone it
Say those words. Don't let the moment pass
Do what you have to, even at society's scorn

Write poetry
Love deeply
Walk barefoot
Dance with wild abandon
Cry at the movies

Take care of yourself. Don't wait for someone to take care of you
You light up your life
You drive yourself to your destination
No one completes you - except YOU

It isn't true that life does not get easier with age
It only gets more challenging
Don't be afraid. Don't lose your capacity to love
Pursue your passions

Live your dreams
Don't lose faith in God
Don't grow old. Just grow YOU

When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back
Your time is your life. That is why the greatest girt you can give to someone is your time
Relationships take time and effort, and the best way to spell love is T-I-M-E because the essence of love is not what we think or do or provide for others, but how much we give of ourselves