Submitted by Gina Trapani

gina trapani is a tech writer and web developer; she is the founding editor of lifehacker.com and authored a book based on the website - upgrade your life: the lifehacker guide to working smarter, faster, better. read more from gina on her new blog, smarterware.

Here are Gina's "Five Rules For Life":

1.) "Be the change you want to see in the world."
Mahatma Gandhi's famous edict is especially relevant in the U.S. right now, as President Obama kicks off a new era of change. What change do you want to see? How are you living it every day?

2.) DO something.
Theodore Roosevelt said, "The only people who never make a mistake are the people who never do anything." Get over your fear of failure and try. Failures are necessary stepping stones to success.

3.) "To thine own self be true."
For me, Shakespeare's famous line means that I should be able to look at myself in the mirror each day and feel good about what I see there, as well as anything that bears my name.



4.) Our lives are the stories we tell ourselves.
If you don't like your life, tell yourself a different story. There's a reason the notion of "positive thinking" gets bludgeoned to death in the self-help section at any bookstore - the ability to consciously direct your thoughts to the good side of things is the ultimate mental black belt skill, and it makes a world of difference in your attitude and effect on others.

5.) Don't live by anyone else's rules.
Not even Gandhi's, Shakespeare's, Theodore Roosevelt's, or mine. Go make your own!

Gina currently resides in San Diego, California.

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