Growing up as a girl can be really difficult. If and when I do have a little girl, there are so many things I want to teach her so that her life may be easier and she may be happier. Here are some of the many things I want my future daughter to learn, big and small, so that she may live a full, joyous, wonderful life:
1. Be kind, and if you see someone without a smile, simply give them yours.
2. Don't drink coffee until you're in college — you don't really need it before then.
3. You can come to me with any problem and I swear to always help and never judge.
4. Exercise at least twice a week not to lose weight, but to give yourself some alone time or to work off stress.
5. Learn to cook before you graduate college, because one day you'll live on your own and ramen noodles can only go so far.
6. Read books that make you feel alive, and take you to places within your mind that you never thought imaginable.
7. Never be afraid to ask for what you want.
8. You'll have way more energy if you eat healthily.
9. But you need to treat yourself — get that bagel if you really want it.
10. People can only make you feel small if you let them.
11. Find the music that makes you dance around your room, feeling like you're on top of the world.
12. Read the newspaper — it's good to know what's going on in the world around you.
13. Be honest with everyone in your life- trust is easy to lose and hard to earn.
14. Drink a gallon of water every day.
15. Don't hate me when I make you get a high school job. Even if you're the only one of your friends working, it's so important to develop a work ethic and to learn the value of a dollar.
16. Hug your dad always.
17. Fight for the friendships you want to keep.
18. But also know how to recognize which ones aren't worth fighting for.
19. It's okay to fail as long as you know that you tried your best to succeed.
20. Don't be afraid to open your heart- pain helps you grow, and a life without love is no life worth living.
21. Do some sort of volunteer work, because the feeling of giving to others is truly unmatchable.
22. Surround yourself with people who make you laugh.
23. Work hard in high school from the first day of freshman year until the day you cross the stage at graduation, I promise it will pay off.
24. Let the special people in your life know that they're important to you, sometimes they won't know.
25. Give every college you apply to a fair chance, it is possible you'll fall in love with the most unexpected place.
26. Be kind to everyone that you encounter. You don't know the battles they are fighting, and they don't know yours.
27. It's okay to feel lost sometimes. Getting lost is part of life. It's how you find your path again that counts the most.
28. When you fall in love, don't over think it. Enjoy the feeling of wholeheartedly falling for the first time with no fear at all.
29. Don't change yourself for any relationship. You are special, unique, and beautiful. If the one you love can't see and appreciate that, it's time to let them go.
30. Value yourself and value your body.
31. Making bad decisions is part of growing up. Nothing is a mistake, so long as you learn from it.
32. Only say that you're sorry if you truly mean it.
33. As you grow older and want to spend more time with friends, remember to make time for family. Friends come and go, but family is forever.
34. Learn the art of balance. Whether its between school and fun, sleep and studying, or friends and boyfriends, balance will serve you well.
35. Never go empty-handed to someone's house for dinner. Bring dessert or a bottle of wine (when you're legal, that is).
36. Invest in a pair of good pajama pants. Wear them often.
37. Take vitamins and moisturize every day. Trust me.
38. Follow your passion, be it sports, music, writing, books, or math. Find it, follow it, and don't let it go.
39. Let yourself cry sometimes- it's never good to keep your feelings bottled within yourself.
40. Take pictures of all the the things you find beautiful, for memories will fade.
41. Love who you love, and don't let anyone tell you that it's wrong.
42. Go out and have fun with your friends, but take some nights to yourself to stay in and watch a movie you love.
43. Visit museums, and get lost exploring inside them.
44. If you have the opportunity, travel. While it may empty your wallet, it will fill your heart and mind. And that's what counts.
45. Be proud of yourself and your achievements.
46. Learn to fight for yourself. If you don't, no one else will.
47. Procrastinate as little as possible.
48. Get at least eight hours of sleep every night.
49. Know deep within your heart that I will always love you unconditionally, and that will never change.
