It was Christmas of 2008 when he came into my life. He was tiny, fuzzy and blonde. He was a teddy bear hamster and my heart could not have been filled with more joy when my parents told me he was all mine. I named him Napoleon (don't ask me why) and we spent the next four years of life together. My heart broke into a million pieces when he passed away, but he lived a good life and left quite an impact on mine. These are a few of the lessons that he taught me that I thought I would pass on to you.

1. When in doubt, nap it out.

Sometimes life gets hard. Really hard. The best solution that Napoleon utilized was napping. You can never ever go wrong with a nap. Whether it is in the morning, afternoon or night, a nap will almost always cure a crappy, long day.

2. Keep food with you at all times.

As humans, we require a certain amount of food to live. That is just a fact of life. Most of us, however, fall victim to midday hunger. This can be easily solved by storing food absolutely everywhere. Cars, purses, backpacks, pockets and desk drawers tend to be the easiest and most useful storage areas. Thank you Napoleon for this wonderful lesson.

3. Personal space is important.

If you are an introvert, like myself, personal space can be a big issue. People just don’t seem to understand that you can still hear them from more than a foot away. Napoleon had a wonderful trick for keeping people away while still being able to function. His lovely plastic ball provided the perfect gap between him and everything else. He could go everywhere he wanted inside his safe, little ball.

Unfortunately, that isn’t a thing for people…or is it?

4. Never underestimate your abilities.

Throughout life, people will tell you that you can’t do things. They will tell you that you are too little or too weak or don’t have enough experience. I say, be like Napoleon! If someone tells you that you can’t fit that entire baby corn in your mouth, then you put that entire baby corn in your mouth and then stare at them as they sit in confused wonderment at your abilities.

5. It’s not about the destination, it's all about the journey.

Life is wonderful. It is full of ups and downs. The reality of life is that everyone is running towards the same ending that no one can avoid but that isn’t what life is about. Life is about the journey, not the destination. Napoleon understood this idea and exemplified it by running on his tiny wheel. He did it not because he was trying to get anywhere but because he enjoyed running.