My Manifesto

My Manifesto

By Madison Nef

A manifesto is essentially a list of rules that each person follows in their own life… whether you are conscious of yours or not, everyone has one. Here is mine.

Maddie’s Manifesto

1). Laugh and laugh often. I think that laughing is an important part of life. As children, we laugh about 1000 times a day on average… and as we get older, our “laugh count” decreases. I love to laugh and to make others laugh and hope to never lose this aspect of myself.

2). Treat others as equals until they give you a reason to treat them as anything more or anything less. Everyone should be treated with the same amount of kindness and respect unless they do something to you that proves they shouldn’t be given the average amount.

3). Enjoy the little things. Little joys in life are too often taken for granted. Small things, like taking time to notice nature or enjoying a walk on your own can make a big difference if you’re having a bad day- always take time to smell the roses.

4). Smile. Simple as it is- smile! It releases dopamine into the brain every time you smile, triggering your mind to think and be happier.

5). Be yourself. Always be who YOU are, not what someone wants you to be. Don’t fake it for anyone- if someone can’t take you as you are, they aren’t a good friend or companion to keep around.

6). Don’t change for anyone. This ties into my 5^th rule- if someone wants you to change for them, that isn’t good. Unless this change can and will benefit you mentally or physically, or if you’re just being a real moron… okay, correction. IF someone tries to force you to be more like them… don’t trust them and don’t change who you really are for anyone.

7). Peace over power. Never initiate fights, both verbal and physical. Keep at peace with someone. However, if someone attacks you in either way… rip them to shreds. You shouldn’t take that bull from anyone.

8). Let your feelings be known. If you love someone, let them know. Never mask your true feelings from anyone… never be fake. If you don’t like someone, don’t associate with them. It’s as simple as that. If you love someone, tell them. You never know what day will be your last… or someone else’s for that matter.

9). Take time for yourself. Give yourself at least 30 minutes of down-time each day. This means no communication with ANYONE- just drop off the face of the earth for a bit. Turn of any and all electronics and go do something- hike, sleep, read that book, or maybe even cook and clean. Do something that YOU find relaxing.

10). Love yourself. This is my last rule of life and to me, it is the most important one. Before you expect others to love you, you must first learn to love yourself. Accept yourself for who you are- flaws and imperfections included. NOBODY is perfect, and everyone is going through life in the same confused way as the rest of us. Love your body and mind and don’t let ANYONE’S negativity delude you. YOU ARE AWESOME!

Well… those are my rules for life. Hopefully, you can take them and apply them to your own life! Leave me YOUR manifesto in the comments below, or email me a reply.

Maddie