Submitted by Kylie Philips

kylie philips works in an office but loves the outdoors. she lives with her husband and three cats, and her hobbies include writing (visit her blog here), photography, cycling, and drawing.

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

1.) Laugh daily.
I spent many years living in a loveless and laughless home. One thing I have learned is that no matter what life throws at you, being able to laugh is one of the keys to happiness and a sense of overall wellness. Learning to laugh at the little things has been key to being able to move forward in my life.

2.) Love openly and honestly.
Such a hard one to learn. If you don’t love with honesty you are living a half life. Tell those you care about how you feel. Love with your whole heart. Don’t hold back. And in return you will allow that same love to be reciprocated.

3.) Respect.
Treat others with the same respect that you would like to be treated with. From your "nearest and dearest" to the check-out chick at the store. Everyone is a human with feelings and deserves respect. I have found that if you give respect, you will get respect.

4.) Own your actions.
This is about accepting responsibility for your actions, whether they are actions you are proud of or actions you are ashamed of. I spent many years blaming other people for all the problems and dramas in my life, but when I started to take some responsibility for my actions, my life became less drama-filled. From the smallest action of the day (what time you get out of bed, what you put into your mouth) to what you say, to the biggest of decisions – own your actions. If you are ashamed of them, learn and don’t repeat them – but still own it.

5.) Believe in Karma.
I believe that what you put out to the universe is what you will get back from it. Therefore it is important to live your life in a way that honors this. If you don’t want an action or attitude directed at you, don’t direct it at others.

Kylie currently resides in Adelaide, Australia.

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