My Simple Rules

I’m getting a lot of emails at the moment from people asking about how I started out, what I had to do, deal with, ignore and act upon.

I don’t have the answers for everyone, we all need different things, but if you’re wondering how to get a new life started by yourself just trust your gut, act just as much as you talk. Do do do.

Take advice with a pinch of salt, most people offer what they’d hope to hear for themselves (and that’s not always the right thing for YOU).

Live simply, don’t buy anything that you don’t absolutely need. Spend less and you have to earn less, which means more time dedicated to finding your path. Do what you love enough and the money will come: trust and stay true to this.

If you’re really floundering, remove the safety net, then you HAVE to fly. And you can fly, you really can.

Don’t take yourself too seriously. Live with a sense of humour, curiosity, joy and wonder. In other words, don’t grow up (in the conventional sense). Even 60 year-olds don’t have a clue what they’re doing, so don’t feel under any pressure to compete, real maturity comes naturally and if that means losing a sense of humour — I don’t want it!

Do something new every single day. Spend a night in a hammock. Look up instead of at your feet. Say hi to a stranger. Even better, pay them a compliment. Sow some happiness around, leave a golden trail.

You can never please everyone, and measuring yourself against others will always end badly. Success is happily waking up every morning ready to pursue whatever is about to happen — even if you don’t know what it is yet.

Don’t travel just because you can buy a bag and an air ticket. Give yourself a reason to move, to talk to people, to learn, to BE.

Don’t let haters hurt you. If they had their own life sorted they wouldn’t have time to try and shoot you down. Be nice to them, they just need a good hug.

Be the positive voice for those around you. If you hate and grumble and doubt you will cast a cloud. It just takes a second to upset someone so use that second wisely. In a world where doubt and fear and 'ok, but…' are revered, encouragement is endlessly powerful. Be the person who says 'Yes, I've got your back.' Help others fly.

Try not to say the word 'like' three times in a sentence.

Be patient. Nothing worthwhile happens overnight. It took me years to work out that all I ever really needed to do was stop doing things I hated just because I was getting paid for it. Sure, that meant less money. But I felt better about myself and I had more time to dedicate to the things that I did want to do. Eventually, the time I spent on them meant I got paid more.

If you don’t like your job, work out how you can like it more. Try and make a difference to the world around you. Then, if that’s not working, quit. Life’s too short to be doing something that takes away your soul. And if you’re still in doubt, work out how many hours you (are at) work each week, and then be honest: if you had every one of those hours to spend on stuff you loved, are you telling me you couldn't make an income out of it?

You can.

As much as positive role models can inspire us, you ultimately need to be inspiring to yourself. You can start to do this just through little choices, small forks in the road. Make changes. Be courageous. Support your friends. Don’t put up with people when they make you unhappy, you’re worth more than that.

And finally, if you need cheering up, go to a totally epic place then take a few small bananas and pretend that they're your fingers. Life is gorgeously brilliant, enjoy it with a smile.

As much as possible I live by these rules. If you want to see where it got me and where the road leads next (I'd tell you but I don't have a clue!) say hi on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, visit my website for an archive of adventures and projects, and sign up to my monthly newsletter.

Make life memorable. Say yes more.