1. Many friends come and go over the course of your
life, but the handful of friends that you can confide in, trust, who would do
anything for you, and that stand by your side in good times and bad, are the
best friends you can ask for. Hang on tight to these special people. I am so thankful for my friends.
2. Forgive and forget, you will never regret.
3. Find a mentor...someone in REAL LIFE that you aspire to be like...and BE a mentor.
4. When you open your eyes, heart, and mind to the
world outside of your comfort zone (your familiar settings, daily routine, job,
people you interact with on a daily basis, beliefs) - you will really learn to
know yourself, become less uncomfortable with the unknown, and most
importantly, you will grow.
5. Don't worry about pleasing anybody but yourself.
We can't please everyone even if we tried.
6. I can
recall some of my most meaningful, thought provoking conversations and experiences I've had were with people who are in far worse life situations than I am in and the conversations happened in the most most random places. Take time to get to know people who aren't "like" you; in church, at the soup kitchen, on a park bench, on the subway, wherever.
7.
It's great to plan for the future, but be sure to live in the moment. Time goes by way too quickly and life can change in an instant.
8. I used to take my health for granted. Being sick for 5 months straight, practically
living in solitude, paying expensive medical bills, and not being able to work
taught me that without good health, I have nothing in life. Health comes first.
9. Never underestimate the importance of
taking care of yourself (your skin, your body, your mind). Wear sunscreen, get
enough sleep, eat right, work out.
10. Vacations, new cars and clothes, fancy
dinners. The “big” things are nice. But
some things truly fill my heart with joy and mean more to me: laughter, good conversation, spending time
with my friends and family, free time, birthday celebrations at home with family, a walk
on the beach, a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream, hugs, naps…little things trump big things.
11.
Compete with yourself, not other people. God gave each of us certain talents and
ability levels. I keep my own abilities in check and assess my success based on how far I have come from where I've started, based on my own abilities. That being said though, I find great value in surrounding myself with people who are much smarter than me!
12. There is
not a right or wrong path to take in life. And many times, I have found myself
on a path that I felt nobody else was on.
Each moment and each experience, though at the time they didn't make sense, some were risky, some made m uncomfortable; ultimately taught me lessons or led me to another moment or experience in life. When I look back on my 32 years, all those
moments and experiencesmake sense. This is my path and my journey.
13.
Do what you want to do so as not to wake up one morning and
say “I wish I had done that”. Just do it.
14. Success is perspectival, it is different for everyone.
15.
Debt is dreadful. It has caused me worry and
anxiety. Try not to get into it, but if you
have it, get the heck out of it asap.
16.
MISTAKES ARE GOOD. How else would we learn? Is anybody really perfect anyway? So what if
I fell off my bike a few times, guessed the wrong answers and failed a few
tests, said the wrong things at the wrong time, walked down the aisle before I
was supposed to at my sister’s wedding, accidentally overslept for a case
competition at ND and showed up in my pajamas shirt under my suit, said “yes”
to the ring and didn’t get married… the list goes on! It’s ok to screw up. Do not be afraid of
making mistakes, for there is no other way of learning how to live!
17.
Dr. Seuss said it best “Be who you are and say
what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t
mind”. Speak your mind and be an individual.
18. Stop and smell the roses. Take time away from the daily busyness and routine and take notice of people, nature, etc. There's something to be said for stepping out of the every day routine and paying attention to the small things that you would normally neglect - laying with your toes in the sand, listening to the waves on a beach, hiking in the woods, staring at the clouds.
19. "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." Winston Churchill
20. Never let anyone or anything deny you your dreams. "You got a dream. You gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want something, go get it. Period."Chris Gardner, The Pursuit of Happyness
21.
Be passionate about something. Anything.
22. Do something for other people, regardless of the sacrifice and without an ounce of recognition. Don’t ignore those that cry for your attention and your help - those that are neglected by society and
ignored because they are a nuisance, they are poor, they are uneducated,
etc. Share your love, time, and money
with those that have nothing. The benefits will far outweigh the time or money that you give.
23. Life throws curveballs. Everybody experiences them. Take a deep breath and realize that whatever it is that you are facing,
you can face and you can conquer. Trust in your friends, family, and God to
help you and know that there is something to learn from the experience and it’s
all part of your life journey.
Curveballs make you a stronger and wiser person.
24. We can ALWAYS make self improvements. Challenge yourself to be a better person every day of your
life. It is never too late.
25. I have spent too much time being worried and scared. Things are generally out of my control and I can't affect the outcome, therefore there's really no reason for us to be afraid.
26. Desire for perfection is a flaw in itself. We are all perfectly imperfect. Embrace who you are.
27. Optimism is powerful.
28. Don't rush. Seriously, what's the hurry?
29. Judging yourself gets you nowhere. The same goes for judging others.
30. Contrary to my own belief, I'm learning that "30s" isn't old.
31. Have fun. Life gets busy and we need to make sure to have some fun along the way.
32. I still have A LOT to learn. Vulnerability makes us human.
32. I still have A LOT to learn. Vulnerability makes us human.
