Commandment #1: DON'T FIGHT IT.

This is the first commandment and thus the most important aspect of getting nice in life. Don't Fight It is a loaded statement but comes down to a very simple concept. People who fight the opposite inertia in this world get absolutely carved apart. There's a reason why expert lifeguards say the worst thing you can do when caught in an ocean rip current in is to fight it (swim against) in an attempt to pull your way back to shore. That leads to exhaustion and the current eventually pulls you so far out that drowning occurs. I'll give you another example: How about that overly pushy retail store salesperson who forces a product down your throat the second you step foot in the store? We've all encountered someone who tried to fight it and force themselves or a product onto you. I can guarantee at least one of three things happened, and in some cases all three. 1. You didn't buy the product. 2. You got so offended that you left the store without even purchasing the product you intended to buy. 3. You became so irate that you went home and filed a complaint to the store manager and vowed to never patronize that business again.

Allow me to explain the magnitude of not following this commandment. The salesperson inflicted "wounds" on both parties: himself and the customer. He or she did not get the commission money for the sale, they also irritated a loyal customer that is now extremely hesitant to ever go back to the store, and that person may have been fired by his boss upon hearing the complaint. Had this salesperson calmly offered their assistance and made some recommendations on some brand new products in an orderly manner, chances are the outcome would not have gone poorly and the store employee might have been pleasantly surprised on how much he sold. I personally have very little sales experience, but I don't need to be a top salesman at a fortune 500 company to understand this concept.

The cardinal sin of Getting Nice is fighting or forcing it. Now you see the damage that is possible from the scenarios above if one disobeys this ever so important commandment. In no way am I trying to convey the 'don't fight it" concept as a freebee to just sit around, be lazy, live your life half-assed, not strive to improve daily and be the best person you can be. I will cover this topic in later memoirs. However, the famous saying "you can't force a square peg into a round hole" exists for a damn good reason.