To my future child,
Over the years I have collected a lot of advices and kept the ones that are quite useful. Here are some simple rules so you can navigate the boring stuff of life and enjoy the less boring parts of it.
I hope that they will help you and that you may add some more to them, pass them along so people you care about will enjoy life with you, because a life in solitary and with no one to share what you know with, is a life not well lived.
There are two kinds of jobs. The ones that are affected by gravity and the ones that are not. For instance a doctor will only heal so many patients he/she has time for. A baker will create one bread for each customer. On the other hand a writer will create once the book and it will be read by thousands. The difference is the scalability of each job. You have to know in what profession you are so you can plan accordingly.
Do not wander around asking what the meaning of life is, great philosophers have yet to answer that question. Turn that question around and go ahead and live your life by giving meaning to it.
Get at least 7 hours of sleep. What is considered normal ,for human beings, is from 7-9 hours of sleep. You need that much sleep in order your body and brain to be able to work at their best.
If you look for the best way to quickly escape reality, read a book. It engages most of your senses quickly. When you read a book you fantasize about it, your eyes and hands are occupied with it.
Start running or biking or swimming or any other form of exercise where your heart rate is in the aerobic zone. Consider investing time into the Maffetone Method .
Everything we accomplish has a price attached to it. If you are famous you will pay rumors and gossip tax. If you have more than you need or things that others desire, theft is one possible tax you may have to pay. In light of success you pay taxes in stress and problems.
There is the mandatory insurance which you need for your car. There is no way around it. There is also insurances which you should buy for catastrophic events. Events that may happen and you will not be able to recover. Get insurance for those types of events.
Here are some examples of manifestation of negative emotions: Frustration - when approaching a goal and you are blocked. Disappointment - when pursuing a goal and it doesn't work. Grief - when loosing something. Pain - marker for damage. Anxiety - marker for the possibility of damage.
When you have less, you are more antifragile to life. You have less to lose, less of a status quo to lose, less financial burdens, less psychological problems.
Try to have an option around your choices. Don't be forced into using a particular one. On the other hand, if there is no viable alternative, don't sweat it.