I know that Peyton Sawyer wasn't well liked. Some say she's "too whiney, too brooding, too depressing" But P. Sawyer was just what I needed.

I didn't get into the hype of the masterpiece that was One Tree Hill until my freshman year of college(2011).. the year before it was going off air. I know, I know, a little late to the game.

Anyhow

Peyton's character in the first seasons could be classified as the above, but if you looked deeper than the surface; you saw a young girl who was terrified, lonely, and beyond emotional. She held everything, unaware of how to let things go.

I comprised a short list of the main important rules that Peyton Sawyer taught me.

Rule Number One:

Peyton Sawyer taught the very important rule of realizing that you never need anyone. Usually you put too much trust in someone and they end up just letting you down. learn to trust yourself, love yourself and know your strengths and weaknesses. Know who you are because at the end of the night, it's just you. She knew that "People always leave" so she decided to never become reliant on those who would leave.

Rule Number Two:

Understand other's feelings. You know better than anyone what it's like to let people in, and trust, and then the swift kick in the chest you feel when you could be let down. Even if you don't know what that person feels like; listen. Let them have a safe haven. Let them have what you want from others.

Rule Number Three:

Sometimes your inner-voice isn't nice; I know that this one is a stretch, but c'mon Dark Angel Peyton was a serious bitch. And that made me think of all the times that I wasn't nice to myself. How many times have we told ourselves that we're fat, too skinny, too loud, too ugly, too awkward. The list could go on forever. Peyton taught us that sometimes you shouldn't listen to that inner voice and to be a little sassy when responding back to it.

Rule Number Four:

It's not you. We often question ourselves. I know that I have asked myself this exact question. I try to be a good friend, be a good listener, be a good person, but I oftentimes come up short and lose people I thought were friends. I'm then left crying in the bathroom with a glass of wine wondering what I've done wrong. Going over and over things I probably did wrong, or things I should have done differently, but Peyton taught me that People always leave. Sometimes without a reason or answer.

Rule Number Five:

Make a Difference. Whatever your passion is; go after it. Do what makes you happy. Volunteer, Write, Sing, Dance. Whatever you want to do to feel like you served your purpose. If you could change just one person's life, you made a difference. But don't spend all of your life thinking that you won't serve a purpose because you will.

All. Lives. Matter.

Rule Number Six:

Music does change the world. Go on Spotify, ask a friend, Youtube. All of these things will help you find a song to fit your situation. Music makes everything better. Always. Music is a part of everything you do, so listen to it; because it is all around you.

Rule Number Seven:

You will always be too much of something. People are going to like you and hate you all at the same time. For some reason, this is life. But don't ever diminish who you are for others. Don't ever stop being you, you cannot change how people will treat you or if they will leave. All you can do is be the you you were born to be, and make your life. People come and go, but you will always have yourself.

Rule Number Eight:

Don't let anyone control your emotions. Once you realize that it wasn't your fault, and you let go of the issue, move on. Don't let yourself continuously go back to that dark place that holds all of the memories from the past. They weren't meant to be in your life. You were meant for greatness and they just brought you down. Don't let them continuously clip your wings.

Rule Number Nine:

Be you. It's as simple as that. Don't let the haters hold you back. Find a support group, and thrive. You were born this way so be it. Whoever that may be. Like I said before, it's always going to be someone who doesn't like you, but don't ever let that hold you back.

Bonus Rule:

Long drives with great music always fixes everything.