Do you remember the first time you got grounded, and what it was for? The first time you had your heart broken? Or possibly the first time you got a speeding ticket? Those problems seemed like the end of your teenage life, but here you are standing with those "life-ending" events known as nothing more than a blip on the radar of your past. As a twenty-something problems are a bit bigger, a bit more life impacting, but nonetheless they are just single issues that don't amount to much in the course of a life time. In the noisy confusion of life, it seems all too easy to get caught up in the little stressors of every day. That paper won't write itself and the printer is broken and no one seems to remember to take out the trash until it's overflowing. If you feel like you're in over your head with tiny problems that have ballooned into something bigger, take a deep breath. We all need a few reminders sometimes.
1. Your GPA does not define you.
2. It's okay to miss people who no longer exist.
3. Not everyone suffers in the same way. That does not mean their sadness is worth any less than yours.
4. Happiness is yours to have if you want it.
5. If you believe in something, believe in it wholeheartedly.
6. Rainy days don't have to be bad days.
7. There are few things a hot shower can't fix.
8. Pay close attention to life. Be present in every situation.
9. Thank your friends for being friends. Not everyone has a group of people willing to walk them home at 2 am or force-feed them mozzarella sticks before they fall asleep.
10. If you're feeling down, Google pictures of golden retrievers. Seriously.
11. In a few years you will not remember what you got on that test you've been stressed about for a week and a half. Do your best and be done with it.
12. Document your life. There is magic in the everyday.
13. There are few instances in life where a "Friends" reference cannot help the situation.
14. If you don't feel like getting out of bed, get out of it anyway. And make it, too. Don't get back under the covers until you've done something that makes your heart happy.
15. A clean room can do wonders for a cluttered mind.
16. Send the text if you want to.
17. Sometimes it's hard to see just how many people you affect. That doesn't mean there aren't people that care deeply about you.
18. Nothing is worth sacrificing your health—mental or physical.
19. Stay inspired as much as humanly possible.
20. At any moment you can choose to be different.
