Turning 45 tomorrow… Here are the Life Principles that have kept me on track (mostly)!

1. Mirror Principle:

Before judging others, I first look at myself.

2. Pain Principle:

The one who hurts me is the one who is suffering himself.

3. Higher Road Principle:

I treat others better than they treat me. This elevates me to a much higher level.

4. Benefit of Kindness Principle:

When I help others, I am ultimately helping myself.

5. Sleeping Hammer Principle:

I measure my tools in arguments. I don’t use a hammer to kill a mosquito on the forehead of my conversation partner.

6. Meta-Position Principle:

I don’t put others in their place; I put myself in their place.

7. Student Principle:

Every person I meet has the potential to teach me something.

8. Genuine Interest Principle:

I am interesting to people because they are interesting to me.

9. Highest Esteem Principle:

I believe in the best qualities of people, and therefore, they show their best qualities around me.

10. Confrontation Principle:

I show care first, and only then do I confront.

11. Unshakable Trust Principle:

To protect myself from fraud, I trust people unshakably.

12. Elevator Principle:

In relationships, I have a choice: I can lift someone up or bring myself down.

13. Situation Principle:

I refuse to let a situation matter more to me than the person involved.

14. Bob Principle:

When Bob has problems with everyone, Bob himself is the main problem.

15. Ease Principle:

Ease in relationships, plans, solving problems, and everything makes my life easy, pleasant, interesting, and enjoyable.

16. Farming Principle:

I understand that all relationships, like tender plants, must be cultivated gently. Carefully and patiently.

17. Patience Principle:

Walking with others is always slower than walking alone. I remember this when I am in a group.

18. Absolute Empathy Principle:

I help my friends when they fail and genuinely rejoice when they succeed.

19. Observer Principle:

No matter what happens to me or others, I always remember to observe everything from the outside. It is in this position that my wisdom speaks to me.

Looking forward to your greetings tomorrow,

Me from Stuttgart, patiently pretending to care about the pre-game show until the real action Italy-Albania begins!

(Office42; Image — me+Emma)