In my first letter to my younger cousins, I realized I focused on a lot of the “do nots” rather than the “dos.” I decided to write a second letter that is a bit more positive.

Dear younger cousins,

In my last letter to you, I told you a bunch of things that you shouldn’t do, and I focused on a lot of the negative things in life. Here’s another letter, highlighting the good things.

Live your life. Yes, school is important, and good grades will help you get into a good college, but you also need to have fun. Go out with your friends. Do crazy things. Roam the toys section at Walmart at 10pm with your friends (Just not on a school night). Blast the car radio and sing at the top of your lungs. Stay out late.

Face your fears. You have one life, why be afraid of doing something? Ride the rollercoaster. Ask that cute guy out. Apply for that job you don’t think you’d get. What’s the worst that will happen? If you don’t do what you fear, then you might miss out on a great opportunity. Take chances.

Pursue your passion. Major in a subject that you love, and put in the hard work it takes to land your dream job. Again, you might regret it if you don’t. If you’re passionate enough, you can achieve your goals. Don’t give up. Talk to me, and I’ll try to help you as best as I can.

Make mistakes. It’s a part of being human. Don’t shame yourself if you mess up. Everyone does, and we all get past it. Better yet, we learn from it and become stronger. It shapes us into who we are and what we value. Mistakes make for great stories later.

Don’t stress about the small things. Life will throw obstacles in your way, but always know that everything will work its way out in the end. I’ll be here if you need me.

Your cousin,

Michelle