Feisty ladies! I am a BIG NCIS fan. I have posted Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ 70 rules on my Twitter feed and will now add the NCIS: LA life lessons to this blog. Both sets of rules are great guidelines for living your life. The following NCIS: LA rules are in no specific order and some are more applicable to my life than others.
- There is no problem in the world that a great dessert cannot fix. All feisty women that I know agree with this one. Chocolate desserts are the standard for most of us. Just think how wonderful a dessert or even sharing a dessert can be. It can precipitate a great “brain storming” session or the small talk that leads to the “big” solution of a problem. We have solved many of the world’s problems as we devoured or shared our desserts. You can, too. Imagine how better the world would be if people worked on their problems while eating a dessert.
- It is important to stay up to date with social media trends. I am slowly learning about social media and its intricate rules and customs. No “selfies” for me or any pictures at all unless I am okay with it. I refuse to let the world see me at my worst or just being plain old stupid. You can learn a lot about a person by what they are posting, good and bad alike. Be careful what you say on social media. Always read and re-read before you post. Spell check can be a real pain.
- Always appreciate what you have and try not to compare your possessions with the possessions of others. Every day thank God for what you have. If you have too much stuff, as most of us do, make a Goodwill store run and get a tax receipt for your donations. If you do not wear it, get rid of it. We all value our possessions. We all have enough so there is no need so do not even look at what someone else has. Chances are that you have no room for anything more in your house anyway, even if it is the more recent, trendy, techie gadget.
- Never ever insult people holding large weapons. This rule is way out of the realm of my life experiences but it must be crucial for an NCIS agent. Always be kind and courteous but savvy with anyone holding or carrying a gun. Avoid all situations that can get you into trouble with any gun owner. Scary stuff.
- Always have a back-up plan. I call it my plan “B”; sometimes I even have a plans “C” and “D”. Life is always full of twists and turns so all feisty ladies I know have alternate plans for almost everything. I have seven outfits planned for each five day work week. I always know at least two different routes to work. I always have lunch choices, prepared on Sunday night of course. You get the picture. I am always prepared (should have been a Boy Scout, I guess).
- Never eat food given to you by a stranger. Why would you ever, ever do this? Yuck. That message was drilled into my head with a slight variation: “never accept any candy from a stranger”. But if you want to be kind to someone offering you food, accept the food, and then toss it later when they are not around. That idea will keep both parties happy and healthy.
- No matter what you do, give it your all. All feisty ladies I know do this everyday in everyway at work and at play. My job gets 110% of my attention when I am working. Why do anything or any job if you don’t give it your all? In other areas of my life, like playing sports, I am a big klutz and as I explore new, non-life threatening sports, I still try my best. I rarely succeed at any new athletic endeavors but I never give up trying. One day I will find the painless sport for me. (Any suggestions?) Never ever say… “wish I woulda, coulda, shoulda” about anything in your life. Take that chance and you might really learn something about yourself.
- Pay attention to your co-workers interests. It could really pay off one day. You never know when you might need someone’s help; their unusual talent might be just what you need. I have a friends who can use a chain saw, work on any kind of car and get it to run, cook food from any country that I name, sew anything and make it look great, create spectacular gardens, run marathons, build anything from scratch, paint gorgeous pictures, etc. You get the “picture”. You never know when you might need these women and men to assist you in your life journey so keep them close to you.
- Never ever question a woman’s eating habits. Great words to remember, I think. No matter what any person is eating, no matter how greasy, raw, stinky, or gross looking, never question it. It is their choice and their stomach and their health. Most feisty women that I know eat with style, character and grace. They are all neat and tidy to a fault, so this rule never applies to me unless I am in mixed company; then all bets are off (sorry guys…). I have never ever met a feisty lady who has bad eating habits. Never.
- Always get your beauty sleep. We are all really cranky if we do not get enough sleep. I need 7-8 hours a night to function at 100%; most people need much less. I feel better after a goodnight’s rest especially when I can get my mind to “calm down and relax” as I fall asleep. The daily grind sometimes interferes with my sleep and that of most of my feisty friends. Wine before bed only makes me feel even more “wired” so forget that sleep aid. Allergy medication and melatonin usually knock me out. Consult your health professional for choices for you because everyone is different, thank goodness.
- Be willing to make sacrifices and take risks to achieve an important goal.I am embarking on a writing career after nearly 40 years at a different yet somewhat skill related job. (Every job has some writing, now doesn’t it?) It feels risky, challenging, rewarding, and yet sometimes very frustrating. I am learning a lot on my journey and spending a fair share of money, too. I have a quirky sense of humor that makes the writing enjoyable. Who knew that my feisty sense of humor could launch me into a new career?
- Remember to have fun. Whatever you do needs to be fun, or it just isn’t worth doing it at all. Can you imagine going to a job that you hate everyday? I cannot. If you have little nieces and nephews, you will always have fun with them and their antics. Each and every day should have many, many moments of fun. Watch funny movies. Laugh at really stupid online jokes. Read the comics in the newspaper (I read them first every morning to offset the mostly bad news featured in most newspapers). And most of all…laugh at yourself when you do something truly goofy. Laugh and enjoy yourself every day.
- Don’t challenge your partner to a wrestling match unless you want to be taken down. This must be part of the NCIS training because I truly do not want to wrestle anyone that I work with. No way. (The last time that I wrestled anyone……… I broke a finger).
- Be confident and embrace your strengths. We are all good at many things so celebrate what you are good at doing every day. Walk straight and tall (sounds like my Mother). Smile a lot and use confident body language (uncross those arms). Share you strengths in a positive way with others and never belittle or berate anyone who is doing their absolute best. Learn new things to improve your strengths because you can always improve and grow, too.
- Never forget to show your loved ones how much you care. Always tell them that you love them. Embrace them. Hug them. Treat them with respect. Forgive them. Keep the peace within your family. Help them build a memorial garden. Be patient with them. Listen to them. Be thankful that they are your family.
Feisty women! I will be closely watching NCIS: LA to see how Hetty and her team follow these rules. If they work for this sometimes, wise cracking, rule breaking team, they just might work for you, except for numbers 4 and 12, of course. If you need more rules, Leroy Jethro Gibbs has 70 more rules for you to follow (except for number 2). Choose your own set of rules that work for you and your life will be one well lived on your terms, following your own set of rules.