One Amazing Way to Not Write a Numbered List Blog Post

I have been told that if I want to be successful as an advice blogger, that I should make numbered list posts (and also that I should refer to myself as an advice blogger).

This does not come naturally to me. I am terrible at these lists, and I feel like I'll never gain momentum if I keep stressing myself trying to write them.

I will link to a list though, especially when it's as simple, thoughtful, and useful as this one (brought to my attention by the always amazing Atosa).

The author rounds up ten ways that we make life harder than we need to, getting in our own way and wasting our precious energy on what ends up amounting to total BS. And these are very popular modern mistakes—pitfalls that have tripped me up, or gotten in the way of success and happiness for friends, family, and clients. 

I’m a big victim of #7, and I’ve seen #5 so intimately in a friend’s life that I would just about do anything to avoid it (sometimes to my own downfall).

I have no patience for #2 people, and #10 is something that I think should come daily in our morning Google Alert.  

But for Our Modern Times, Number 1 could be the most important thing of all: “Everyone can find a reason to be offended on a steady basis… don’t ascribe intent to the unintentional actions of others.”

Today, especially on the Internet, we come into contact with a lot of people who are Not Like Us, and they may say/do things that we don’t understand the intent behind. Assuming the worst about their intent is bad for them, bad for us, and it does a lot to contribute to the cesspooly feeling of many comment threads. Jay-Z, Taylor Swift, and Florence all have good advice for us in such moments.

It’s important to figure out where we might be wasting our mental energy and see what we can do to wrangle our power back.  

Which of these do you see hindering your life? What do you see holding back the growth in your family, friends, or clients?