1. "You, and only you, are ultimately responsible for who you become and how happy you are." 

*Cough cough* No man, no friend, or family member is going to be able to accomplish your dreams for you. That is entirely up to you, and so is your happiness. The moment you let your job, your money, or your relationship control your emotions, you are no longer in the driver's seat. You are merely the passenger.

2. "Friends, it's not about the goal or the dream you have. It's about who you become on your way to that goal."

It simply is about the journey. Even with that small chance that you don't accomplish your goal exactly, you still changed for the better. You learned what hard work, dedication, and passion really meant to you.

3. "Your dream is worth fighting for, and while you're not in control of what life throws at you, you are in control of the fight."

This has to be my all-time favorite quote from the book. On a personal note, if you know me, you know how much of a fight I've put up this last year. From finding out the news of the severity of my injury, having to sit out of the marathon of my dreams, and re-learning how to run again, I came out stronger. Not just physically, but mentally.

I chose not to give up. The doctors told me I'd never be able to run another marathon again. Here I am, a year later, getting a second shot at the Boston Marathon. Because I chose to not give up. I chose to fight.

4. "God has perfect timing, and it's highly possible that by not being where you thought you should be, you will end up exactly where you're meant to go."

God never keeps anything from you; He gives it to you in His time. His timing is perfect. So, when your plan doesn't happen by your "end date", know that God's timing is the right time.

5. "I cannot continue to live as half of myself simply because it's hard for others to handle all of me."

I think this is something everyone can relate to at least once in their lives. We live our entire lives in fear of not being good enough, smart enough, pretty enough; that we hold back the best parts of ourselves. Growing up in this generation is so incredibly difficult.

I'm guilty of trying to hide my stubbornness and how passionate I am because I'm scared it will be too much for people. But the truth is, the ones who love you, love you for all of your quirks. There's nothing wrong with being yellow, in a world of black and white.

6. "Maturity isn't something you wrap around you like a coat. Maturity is like the T-shirt you get for walking in a 5K; you can only put it on if you go through the experience first."

I am a firm believer that trauma, hardships, and experiences all shape you into the person you are meant to be. You can fake your maturity all you want. You can try to act five years older, but the only person you are fooling is yourself. True maturity always shows by the way you face your problems, and how you handle situations that shake you.

7. "Failing is much easier to go through if no one is there to see it."

Just like how winning only counts as winning if someone is there to witness it. It's time to stop caring who is there to watch us fall, and start looking around at who is there to help us back up.

8. "You should spend more time doing things that feed your spirit: more long walks with your dog, less volunteering for that thing you feel obligated to do but actually hate. You are in charge of your own life, sister, and there's not one thing in it that you're not allowing to be there. Think about it."

Amen, sister.

9. "'No' doesn't mean that you stop; it simply means that you change course in order to make it to your destination."

It's called adapting, re-grouping, and making a new plan. Roadblocks are good; they assure you that you actually do want to accomplish something big. "No" is never acceptable when your dreams are on the line.

10. "I am still here because I didn't allow the hard time to make me weak; I willed it to make me strong."

In the words of another one of my favorite boss women, Des Linden, "Keep showing up". That's all you can do everything single day. Waking up and choosing not to give up or give in to defeat, is life-changing. You take all the times that tried to break you, and turn them into the times that made you.

You eventually get sick of being sad and feeling defeated. Then one day, you wake up and realize that because of all of it, you are resilient.

11. "Sadness and pain are things you have to sit with and get to know or you'll never be able to move on."

How many times have you gotten mad at yourself for crying over spilled milk (or realistically, spilled coffee all over your new blouse)? When frustration builds up from constantly trying to suppress our feelings, we cry over silly things. But the truth is, these things aren't silly at all.

What is actually silly is not honoring your feelings. You are allowed to cry when you didn't get the grade you feel like you deserved or the promotion that you worked your butt off for. Your emotions will always be valid.

12. "Our bodies are incredible. They can do unbelievable things. They will also tell you exactly what they need if you're willing to listen. And if you're not, if you try to do too many things without rest, they will absolutely shut down to get what they need."

Yeah, I am extremely guilty of this. I know that most women are. We try to do so much and feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders. Eventually, it gets to the point when there's nothing left you can do except crumble.

13. "Sometimes choosing to walk away, even if it means breaking your own heart, can be the greatest act of self-love you have access to."

Rachel spitting out the best relationship advice of the 21st century. No further commentary needed.

14. "Some days I feel as if I'm getting closer to the best version of me. Other days I eat cream cheese for dinner. But the gift of life is that we get another chance tomorrow."

Some days feel like you're on top of the world, and others feel like you've hit rock bottom. But knowing that tomorrow is a new day, a fresh start is so hopeful. You DON'T have to wait for Monday to have a clean slate. Remember that, people.

15. "And on the days that seem the hardest, you'll remember that—by an inch or a mile—forward momentum is the only requirement."

The moment you decide that you won't allow yourself to go any lower, or take any more steps backward, is when you remind yourself that you cannot live in the past and in defeat forever. Forward is where you are going. Even when it feels like your crawling or physically picking up your legs one step at a time, you are making progress.

That is all you can do; keep pushing towards success.