I substitute taught in a fourth grade class at a private Catholic school in Tulsa, Oklahoma today. When I sub I always study and learn from the details of the room. I try to gather details of what the teacher is like.

Here are a few things I discovered. This teacher seems to like for her students to be independent. She’s proud of her husband and two children. She enjoys friendship. And she likes chocolate. There were also several positive attitude posters all around the room.
I liked one poster so much I decided to write it down. It must have come from a book by a man named H. Jackson Brown. It’s a list entitled 21 Suggestions For Success. This would be some great advice to give a graduate.
1. Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.
2. Work at something you enjoy and that’s worthy of your time and talent
3. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
4. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
5. Be forgiving of yourself and others.
6. Be generous.
7. Have a grateful heart.
8. Persistence, persistence, persistence.
9. Discipline yourself to save money on even the most modest salary.
10. Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
11. Commit yourself to constant improvement.
12. Commit yourself to quality.
13. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or presitge, but on relationships with people you love and respect.
14. Be loyal.
15. Be honest.
16. Be a self-starter.
17. Be decisive even if it means you’ll sometimes be wrong.
18. Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.
19. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the ones you did.
20. Take good care of those you love.
21. Don’t do anything that wouldn’t make you mom proud.