Say what you mean.... Mean what you say... Pretty simple.

Two rules and truth be told - they are pretty simple rules to live by. First rule, say what you mean. If you love somebody, tell them. If you don't love someone - walk away from them. Don't make their lives miserable until they walk away from you. Be the bad guy. Own it. Don't push and push and push and push someone to the brink - be responsible - do the deed. Be yourself.

Second rule, mean what you say. If you say it – mean it. If you tell somebody you love them - mean it. If you don't mean it - don't say it. Again, Pretty simple stuff if you ask me.

It's true. We all say things in the heat of anger that maybe we shouldn't have said. One failed marriage was enough for me. Don't get me wrong. I get angry. I think a lot of things - most of those thoughts that I have in anger - never make it beyond that - just a thought. Because here is the secret that nobody really says - once you put something out there - once you go ahead and say it - one of two things happen... 1) the person you said it to - hears it - and never forgets it... or 2) it's out there and now it's festering - it's only a matter of time before it comes to fruition.

Think before you speak. It's a relatively simple thing that my mother tried to beat into my head as a youth (I did finally learn). Now, even when the mean angry things come into my head - I usually just leave them there - knowing that if/when they leak out - there's no taking them back. Most people would probably be amazed at what I keep to myself (yes, Mother - I know you would), so I would like to take this moment to let you know... that if I took the time to think it through and then I actually did say it out loud. I meant it. Good, bad or ugly. I meant what I said, and I said what I meant.

Now, I might have said it wrong and have to re-phrase it - but if it crept out of my mouth - I promise you - I meant it. If I said, "I love you" - I mean it. If I said, "I think you are the greatest ___________" then I really think you are amazing. If I told you, "I don't like you. I don't like the way you __________" then you better believe that I had the courage to come on out with it - and let me tell you - I meant it. I will not take it back. We can hash through it - work through it - skip over it if you like but - I said it out loud for you to hear and well, sister, brother, friend, relative, co-worker, fellow student, child or husband, bad driver or person on the street screaming at your kid, neighbor, or whomever... I meant what I said.

I figure if you say what you mean and you mean what you say, then people know who you are, they take you at your word and most of the time you will find out that they respect you for not being a fake, back-stabbing, hypocrite, shallow shell of a person. When they need an honest opinion - they will call on you. When they want to hear the truth, they'll ask you what you think. People may not always like what you have to say, but they will always know that at least you stand by it.

Two rules to live by.