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My Daily Rules to Live By 

By Sol Weingarten, MD

These rules are tools that enable me to control my harmful impulses in order to be the person doing good that I want to become.

1. In order to know which impulses to control, I am listing below my lower‐level thinking and behaviors that have done damage to me and others: ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

2. I will learn to recognize the situations that trigger my damaging lower‐level behaviors.

3. When I experience these lower‐level impulses or feelings, I will say to myself

• Stop! Now! • I am at a lower level. • I must not act upon these impulses.

4. Stopping my damaging lower‐level behaviors frees me to have the time to become my higher‐level self.

5. Whenever I am criticized, disrespected, or treated unfairly, my higher‐level self will remember

• I must control my prideful reactions of anger. • I will let go of hurt feelings so they do no harm to me or to others. • I will respect everyone no matter how badly they treat me. • I respect them because I understand that every one of us can behave badly even though (when we stop to think about it) we all want to be good and do good in life.

Reviewing these rules everyday will cause them to become automatic behaviors and second nature to me.

Higher‐Level State of Being

In this state of mind, my purpose becomes to do good and be good, no matter the circumstances in which I find myself. Higher‐level self gives me the ability to choose my improved behaviors.

At a higher level, my attitude becomes

1. Positive and hopeful 

2. Patient 

3. Thankful 

4. Steady and Balanced 

5. Responsible and Self‐controlled 

6. Courageous and Tough‐minded 

7. Curious to Learn

8. Knowing the Consequences 

9. Sympathetic and Forgiving 

10. Understanding, Compassionate, and Fair‐minded 

11. Respectful of Everyone

Higher‐level enables me to

1. Stop myself from harmful behaviors 

2. Become smarter and more creative 

3. Find my common sense and seek honest advice 

4. Be politely firm but always respectful 

5. Have higher‐level preside over lower‐level 

6. Find joy and contentment no matter what else life brings 

7. Find a powerful sense of peace of mind 

8. Choose what is right