I do not consider myself a religious person, however I do believe in people being decent to eachother. To help myself adhere to my own standards Ive come up with a few rules I try to follow as best as I can. This is mostly for me, but maybe it can give you some insight into how I try to live.

Here they are, or what of them I can remember (in no particular oder).

1: Alwayes be there for people. Your friends, strangers, whomever. Everyones life is valuable and if they picked you out of anyone for help, who are you to refuse? (unless people start taking advantage of your good nature).

2: Have respect for everyone and everything, unless they have no respect for themselves, but even then...

3: Never give anyone the cold shoulder, no matter how much you like or dislike them.

4: Don't lie to people to get an advantage. Friends for favors, girls for sex.

5: Take responsibility for your mistakes, admit to it when you are wrong, and alwayes have more tollerance than the other person incase of a despute.

6: Don't be selfish, be selfless. Do favors for people, stop fights if you can, and dont worry about getting credit for it.

7: Don't covet other peoples achievements or possesions. We are all diffirent, and as long as youre moving forward...who cares where you are?

8: Don't expect to be able to help everybody, and be everybodys friend. its not possible. People may dislike you for rational as well as irrational reasons. The validation of others is not nessesary to have pride in how you choose to live.

9: Keep giving people second chances, even if they dont deserve it. People change, and grow wiser. Don't expect to be able to change them, dont assume that they need to change.

10: Don't patronize people, people have more choice in how they live than they realize.

11: Don't assume you know everything about someone, even youre best friends. Dont assume you know nothing about a stranger.

12: There are many things more important than sex. There are few things more important than love (if any).

13: Hang on to who you are, and the qualities you like in yourself regardless of how popular they may be. If you become someone else, you may never see yourself again.

14: Don't give up on love, but also don't assume you've found it, and dont be a slut.

15: Don't expect people to return favors, or be there for you, or to be decent to eachother, or to act rationaly. But dont be surprised if they occasionaly do.

16: Don't be petty, just be decent. Don't worry about other peoples standards and ethics, just make sure you are honest to your own.

and lastly, don't you dare ever give up on yourself. Even if you are old and at your deathbed and the only person that knows that you've made a positive impact on the world and the people in it is you...let that be enough.