Over the past few weeks, a number of my friends have had a multitude of crises with each ending in either pages upon pages of text messages or a facetime call in the middle of the night. The thing is, I live for this: I love helping and consoling people and giving advice where I can. The therapist in me is growing and thriving at the poor misfortunes and dramas of my friends and for that I am sorry; however, I feel as if with each person telling me their problems, I have a list of things I wish I could tell them, and also myself before I figured these things out.

Your weaknesses (mental or physical illness, certain aspects of your personality such as arrogance or sensitivity or shyness or anything that you do not like about your personality) can very easily be turned into strengths. Do not feel like you have to be less sensitive or arrogant or anything just because that is where you are weak because that is a part of you. Take the aspects you have about yourself and manipulate them to be strengths. People say you are too sensitive? No. You're compassionate and empathetic, and words affect you in a way that gives you insight to human emotion and life. Do not be ashamed of where you lack because it is here where you actually can thrive the most.

Happiness is disgusting so do not search for it. The couples that act overly romantic or the girl at school who smiles all the time, yeah that makes me want to barf. There is nothing wrong with being in a good mood, but there is a sense of falsity underneath that smile and between the couple kissing that makes that “happiness” that everyone craves unbearable. Search for something stronger, more substantial, and more permanent than happiness.

Happiness is not real. Firstly because of word inflation but mainly because most people see the emotion as a destination. “Oh, I will be happy once I get this… or that… or finish that” the list is neverending and it is the human flaw that we are never satisfied. Fact is, happiness is an emotion and not a destination. It is no different than being angry or sad or frustrated. It comes and it goes so incredibly quickly.

When you start going through really terrible times, doing terrible things, and not being yourself, take note of what’s happening to you but also who’s around you. This is the moment when true friends arise. The ones that stick by you are the good ones so don’t take them for granted.

Do not look for friends in all places. You won’t find them. Not everyone has the capacity to understand you. That’s okay.

The most important one: so much can change in such a short period of time. In one year's time, your life could be potentially incredibly different than it is today in so many aspects. Take note of where you've been and how much you've grown. Do not apologize for changing because you are a product of the situation you were placed in and don’t make apologies for how you chose to deal with life’s circumstances.

A few of these are laced with cliches, but if you have experienced anything similar you know them to be true.