25 Rules for Life, in no particular order.

Happy Tuesday Friend,

This weekend I’ll be celebrating my 46th birthday, which I guess also means that this weekend I’ll officially be celebrating 25 years of adulting. 

(Yes I know technically we’re considered adults at 18, but I say that if you can’t drink yet it doesn’t really count.)

Honestly, it feels a little crazy because in some ways I feel like I’m just getting started! Do you feel that way too?

But in the interest of doing something a little fun that I’ve never done before, I thought today I’d share my top 25 Rules for Life.

Some are from my books. Some are things I say to my friends and family all the time. Some are the things I tell my kids. Some are things other people have shared with me over the years.

But in no particular order, here they are:

1. Don’t let your pain of regret be bigger than your pain of failure. Because there are no mistakes—only lessons.

2. The real test of your character is in how you treat someone who has nothing to offer you, not how you treat someone from who you have something to gain.

3. Be strong enough to stand up for yourself, but humble enough to say you’re sorry when you’re wrong.

4. There's never a bad time for champagne. Whether it's 5am or 5pm, it always works and it's always enjoyable.

5. Always root for the underdog.

6. Don’t take yourself too seriously. The ability to laugh at yourself is one of the greatest strengths you’ll ever develop.

7. Never be the first one to let go of a hug.

8. No matter where you go or what you’re doing, always stop for homemade pie.

9. Do it scared. Remember that action is the antidote to fear.

10. Big goals never happen all at once. They are only the result of small steps taken consistently over time.

11. Rules are for suckers. Don’t be afraid to think for yourself.

12. The only thing you can control is you. You can’t control how other people treat you or what they do, but you can control how you respond.

13. Focus on your output, not your outcome. The results will take care of themselves.

14. Bloom where you are. It’s your job to make the best of whatever circumstance you’re in.

15. Always remember—the mom sets the tone.

16. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, the best thing you can do is stop spinning and do a brain dump. Get those tornadoes out of your head and onto a piece of paper where you can make sense of them.

17. Think big. If your goals don’t scare you a little bit, they might not be big enough.

18. You have two ears and one mouth. Use them accordingly.

19. There’s no crying in business (or baseball). Sometimes you just gotta suck it up, buttercup.

20. There are 3 things you should never, ever run out of….butter, cheese, and wine. But especially butter.

21. It’s okay if you can’t dance. No one actually cares anyway.

22. Value progress over perfection. Don’t let your need to get it “just right,” prevent you from getting to “good enough.”

23. There is always something worth fighting for. Just because you can’t see the light right now, doesn’t mean it’s not there. So keep going.

24. The truest friends are the ones where it doesn’t matter if it’s been 5 minutes or 5 months, you can always pick up right where you left off.

25. ALWAYS celebrate your birthday!

Got any additional rules for life to add to this list? I’d love to hear them! Just hit reply to this email and let me know.

And I guess that’s all for this week—Happy Easter!

xoxo, Ruth

This week’s podcast episode…

What’s cooking in my kitchen…

Here are the recipes I shared this past week:

The latest from my Instagram…

One of my goals this year is to be more consistent on social media, so I’ve committed to sharing at least one post a day on Instagram. If you’re there, I’d love to connect with you—find me at @RuthSoukup

What’s Happening Around RSO…