1. Let go of the past.

This is the first and most important step for growth. The longer you stay stuck in the past, the more depressed you will become. The past is gone and you can’t change it. Learn from the past and it will set you free. Every experience is important and makes you into the person you are today. Everyone you meet is your teacher, good or bad. We all like to reminisce, but we can’t obsess over memories. MOVE ON: YOU ARE NOT YOUR PAST.

2. Forgive yourself.

You are human and you are going to make mistakes. Learn to forgive yourself for your past mistakes. Forgive others too and don’t hold grudges. Everything happens for a reason; some people are only in our lives for a season, but there is always a reason. Don’t beat yourself up and say if I just wouldn’t have made that one decision. Everything happened for a reason and God has a plan for you. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32). I have just started to read the bible and it is a great piece of work to read. It gives me a sense of gratitude and love that I’ve never felt before.

3. Be consistent.

When you say you are going to do something, do it. Always give 100 percent or more in anything you do in life. I have a tendency to start something well and then fall off the wagon. It is difficult to stay committed to one thing, but ultimately it is worth it. Right now, school is my main focus and I am not waiving on that. Sometimes we are our biggest enemies. Self-sabotage: when we self-inflict pain onto ourselves and it interrupts our long-term goals. Have laser focus and keep your eyes on the prize. We all have different goals and dreams.

4. Be honest.

Always tell the truth, it is the best policy. “Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.” There should be no secrets in any type of relationship. Communicate how you feel and talk out the issues immediately. The longer you suppress your emotions, the worst. Be honest with yourself. I would rather hurt someone with the truth, than kill them with a lie. People will appreciate your honesty.

5. Get educated.

Have a beautiful mind and be curious about everything. Travel the world and talk to people that are different from you. Learn a new language and practice it daily. I love when I am working with a child: and they ask, why? Be an active learner, listener and ask the teacher about the topic you are being taught. Be curious, question everything. I want to share my knowledge with others and learn from them as well. College is enriching my knowledge and provides me with a greater understanding of the world that encompasses me.

6. Love yourself.

This is one of the hardest things to do. Focus on yourself. Create the best version of yourself possible. We all want to attract the perfect careers, friends, opportunities, partners and people into our lives. People may call you egotistical or vain and won’t understand. Just remember, it is your journey, not theirs. You can’t attract a ten, if you’re only a four or five. I want to be superb on every level--emotionally, intellectually, empathetically and a beautiful person.

7. Have a sense of humor.

In this life you have to be able to laugh at yourself. Don’t take yourself or anyone else around you too seriously. Happy people live longer and attract great opportunities into their lives. Tell funny jokes and make people laugh a lot. Why does a golfer wear two pair of pants when he goes golfing? This is in case he gets a hole in one. Hopefully some of you got that joke and it made you LOL. None of us are experts on this life and we all are figuring it out.

8. The butterfly.

One day, we all blossom into this beautiful butterfly. This is where we are at our peak and able to tackle an obstacle that comes our way. I want to exude the type of confidence that is not cocky, but is necessary for life. You have to have your wits about you, yet full of empathy and compassion for others. I want to be so full of love, that my heart could burst. The ultimate goal is to be the kind of person you would want to meet. "When she transformed into a butterfly, the caterpillars spoke not of her beauty, but of her weirdness. They wanted her to change back into what she always had been. But she had wings." - Dean Jackson