Ben Franklin's 13 tips for happiness

Repost from Apartment Therapy:

Benjamin Franklin knew what was what when it came to mindful living. In addition to his more well-known scientific and political works, he wrote about cleanliness, order, finances, and domestic life, and indeed, it was his success in these areas that he considered the root to his happiness. When it comes to mindful living, some things don't change, and the eighteenth century can still give us some words of wisdom. In The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, the 79-year-old reflected on what it was that made him so successful, and one of his main pieces of advice was something that he called his set of moral virtues. These were the principles that he deemed most important to happiness, human relationships, and creativity.
Here they are, in all their glory:

1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. Order: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. Industry: Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly; and if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. Justice: Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. Moderation: Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
11. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates. To read the rest of the post on Apratment therapy, click here