Some of the very best self help advice can’t be found in the latest articles of Psychology Today or WebMD, but rather in the simple terms and expressions from the by-gone times of Mark Twain.

Sometimes you have to slow down in order to speed up. We spend our time looking for the next best thing to come along with regard to self improvement, when all along, some of the best advice is sitting here, hidden in plain site, right in front of us.

Mark Twain was a writer, humorist, satirist, and lecturer.
Listed below, are a few pieces of timeless advice from Mark Twain that might help one to live a better life.

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Be Yourself

” A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.” – Mark Twain

Don’t spend time seeking other people’s approval. You will never make everyone happy. You need to make yourself happy. Learn this lesson quick to enjoy and achieve more in life. If you feel you are good enough for yourself, you will be good enough for the world.

Don’t Limit Yourself

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” – Mark Twain

The thing is, if you tell yourself you can do it, you will probably do it. Most people find it easier to believe that they can’t do something than to believe that they can. Imagine the possibilities you can create for yourself if you start believing you can do the impossible (short of stapling Jello to a tree). You already have everything you need to get there.

Laughter Makes Things Easier

“Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing.” – Mark Twain

All over the world, people know that laughter is the best medicine. When we learn to laugh more, and also laugh at ourselves, we can let things go easier and live a more relaxed life.

Let It Go

“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which its poured.” – Mark Twain

Being angry at things and people will hurt you more than it will hurt them. And it won’t make the situation go away. When you embrace this lesson, you will see life differently. You will become lighter. You will see that there is no point to spend your precious time on earth mad at anything.

You Aren’t Entitled To Anything

“Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.” – Mark Twain

Humans struggle with the sense of entitlement. But the more you recognize that you have to work and go after what you want the happier you will be in life.

People Don’t Like Change

“A person with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds.” – Mark Twain

People usually don’t like when other people change. If you’re working on being a better person, be prepared to have people doubting you and speaking out about you. However, when you succeed in your new venture, the same people that were reacting badly to your change will come to you and ask how did you do it.

Keep Your Eye On The Prize

“Drag your thoughts away from your troubles … by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it.” – Mark Twain

Every time you want to change something in your life so you can have a different outcome, you’ll encounter resistance from processes, people, and also your own brain. Don’t distract yourself with things that get in your way. Focus on where you want to go.

Focus On Others To Make Yourself Feel Good

“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.” – Mark Twain

If something isn’t going your way and you are feeling down, turn the attention to somebody else instead. When you make others feel good, automatically you make yourself feel good too.

Do What You Want To Do

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

Focus on accomplishing things you want to do. For example, if you aspire to travel the world, find a way to do it. Don’t just live. Be alive.

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