I still remember the first time I ever saw the ocean. I stood there in awe while the sun set over a body of water that seemed as if it went on forever. The calm waves came up and kissed the white sand of the beach I stood on, and I fell in love. I fell in love with the calm. I fell in love with the beauty. I fell in love with the strength. Individuals talk about life changing moments, and I believe we do have moments that literally change our lives forever. Most of the time, we have no control over what happens in our lives, but we do have control over some things. We have the ability to get out of life whatever we put into it. Be good for the sake of good. Radiate love for the sake of love. Be better for the sake of our world. This world we call our home can be a scary place. But it is the little things that make the difference between being fearful and being confident and being sure. The future is a scary thought, but I am a dreamer. I am a dreamer with some confessions to make.
1. Let your smile reach your eyes.
I believe in smiling. A smile is good for the soul, sometimes contagious, and always welcome. I am not talking about the smile that is tiny and almost timid. I am talking about the smile that stretches your cheeks, shows your teeth, dimples, wrinkles, and makes your eyes sparkle as if they are full of laughter. We need more of those in this life. I have learned a smile goes a long way. Sometimes, smiling is all you can do because there is nothing to say. Some say a picture says a thousand words, and I think a smile can too. We smile at other people, we smile when we laugh, sometimes, we smile when we cry, and we smile when we are happy. Our smile says a lot about us. Make it a good one.
2. Wear what makes you feel comfortable.
Your favorite, worn so often they are the comfiest pair of pants you own, leggings. Yeah, wear them. Those jeans that make your butt look good and don’t cut you in half when you sit down. Yeah, wear them. That t-shirt dress that makes you realize t-shirt dresses were the best thing to ever be invented. Yeah, wear it. Wear that crop top with the high waisted shorts and your high tops. Wear that oversized t-shirt with your shorts and chacos. Wear that sweatshirt that is literally falling apart because you wear it so often. Wear what you want to wear. Wear what makes you comfortable in your own skin so that other people can see the true beauty that is you.
3. Love this world with all you have.
We only have one Earth. Love it. Take care of it. We have to take a stance and make the change. I don’t want my children growing up in a world without polar bears, elephants, rhinos, or any other animal that we have almost pushed to extinction. I want clean air, healthy oceans, and forests full of trees. I want the hum of life to be happening all around me.
4. Seek out beauty in all things.
We are surrounded by beauty. Look out your window. There is beauty in the trees, in the sky, in the sun, and in the people. Sometimes, it is hard to see the beauty all around us, especially when our eyes are clouded by struggles, insecurities, and doubts. But in my life, that’s where I have found the beauty. Simply take a step back and focus on what truly matters.
5. Be independent.
Do your own thing. Make your appointments, make plans, and make your own money. Hold yourself accountable. Love yourself, and don’t depend on others to do it for you.
6. Find people who challenge you.
Surround yourself with individuals who raise your standards. Surround yourself with individuals who help you become the best version of yourself. We don’t become great on our own. Find people who raise your standards, remind you of your purpose, and challenge you to become the best version of yourself.
7. Stand up for yourself. Stand up for what’s important to you.
People are going to amaze you, and people are going to disappoint you. If you can’t stand up for yourself, no one will. Sometimes, you are all you have.
8. Treat others how you want to be treated.
The golden rule we all learned in elementary school.
9. Be an ally, not an advocate.
An advocate is someone who publicly supports a cause while an ally is someone who unites with another individual to fight for that cause. Which would you rather be?
10. Make a bad decision. Or maybe two.
Yes. My name is Hannah Pray, and over the past two years, I have made a few bad decisions. I have paid for those bad decisions. Now, I laugh about them, and my friends and I have fun stories to tell. How do you ever get old and wise if you’re never young and crazy? We learn from our mistakes, and those bad decisions make us into the individuals we are.
11. Cruise around town with your windows down and listen to your favorite song.
Sometimes, we need a break from reality. My favorite thing to do is get in a car with my best friends, roll the windows down, open up the sunroof, and sing at the top of my lungs as the wind whips my hair around my face. Try it. It is absolutely therapeutic.
12. Read a book, literally any book besides a textbook, as often as you can.
I love to read. Being an avid reader has shaped me into the woman I am today. A book allows you to get lost in a different time and a different place. Books are gateways to other worlds, other stratospheres. Sit down and open a book. Feel the pages. Smell that scent that only books have; You won’t regret it. I have lost more sleep over books than I ever have over a boy, and I wish more women could say the same. Don’t ever judge a book by its cover; let it speak to you before you decide you know the whole story.
13. Find your people.
Aka your homies, your right hands, your go-to’s, your BFFs, your buddies, your girlfriends, your squad, your fam, your sisters before misters, your boyz. Go to breakfast together, preferably in a large sweatshirt, no bra, leggings, hair in a messy bun, still wearing last night's makeup. Eat chips and salsa together. Go on dates. Eat ice cream out of the tub with four spoons, one for each of you. Tell them that you love them.
14. Go out.
Let loose. Don’t be so uptight all the time. Have a little fun. Do some crazy things (always keeping safety in mind). Dance your a** off. Play pong (ping pong of course) and don’t let your mom win.
15. Live with your best friends.
Living in the same house as my best friends has been the best experience of my life. I know they’re real because they have seen me at my best and they have seen me at my worst. We have laughed together and we have cried together. We have discussed really important things, and we have discussed really stupid things. Through all of that, I have never gotten tired of them, and I thank God they have never gotten tired of me. That is how I know I have found my best friends. They make me want to be better. They support me. They love me, and I love them.
16. Learn how to box.
I really want to learn how to box, so you should learn too. #BEASTMODE
17. Be strong, like the ocean.
I love the ocean. I have an immense amount of respect for it. It is beautiful. It is calm. It is enraged. It is strong. The ocean has such a profound role in our lives, and for that, I admire it. “Mightier than the waves of the sea is His love for you.” Psalms 93:4
18. Your happiness is yours and yours only.
Choose happiness. Choose it for yourself. Not for anyone else. You are what matters. Don’t let people begrudge you your happiness.
19. Think before you speak.
Words hurt. A lot of the time, we have the greatest of intentions with what we say. Our words leave big impacts. Impacts we can’t necessarily see. Take a second to think about how you want to impact someone before you say what you intended to.
20. Be patient.
Patience is a virtue. The greatest things happen to those who wait.
21. Be honest.
Don’t cheat yourself. Be honest with yourself, and be honest with others.
22. Be faithful.
“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Revelations 2:10
23. Be kind.
Someone once told me, beauty is kindness. This world needs more kindness.
24. Thank your parents.
Parents sacrifice so much for their children, and they do it selflessly. We never know how long we will have our parents in our lives. Say thank you and tell them you love them. All they ever wanted was the best for you.
25. Find what inspires you and never let it go.
Find your niche, your passion, that fire that burns bright inside of you. Passion is what inspires us to do the unimaginable. Go the extra mile for whatever it is that makes you who you are. Be contagious. Be exuberant. Be the light. Don’t let others put your fire out. Stand up for yourself, be strong, and surround yourself with people who support you. Don’t sell yourself short. You deserve the best. Make yourself a priority. Make what matters to you a priority. Get inspired, and don’t ever stop.
