For the past year, I have been going to therapy. It's not a fix-all for your problems but it definitely taught me A LOT about myself.

1. Accept your flaws as a part of who you are.

This one was a tough one for me. I found through therapy that I have a tendency to be a bit of a perfectionist. What writer isn't, right? I've learned that life isn't perfect so everything I do doesn't have to be either.

2. Making a mistake isn't the end of the world.

Life happens. It's not going to be an easy ride. Say that you do mess up a relationship or slide back into old habits, don't beat yourself up. It will only make you feel even worse than you did about making the mistake in the first place.

3. No one is perfect.

I've always put so much pressure on myself to accomplish a task with an outstanding result. For example, when I started at Southern New Hampshire University I had a hard time submitting any of my writings because I thought that they weren't good enough. My therapist helped me understand the difference between giving it your all and obsessing over something until it drives you mad.

4. Silence the inner editor.

I still have problems with this from time to time but I have improved greatly over the last year. I would always have that running inner monologue processing everything that I did and what I could have done differently or better. I'm sure that some of you have had that too. When it starts to happen now, I calmly take a deep breath and focus on one thought at a time instead of having 20 different ideas all going at once. Does anyone else have that happen?

5. Self-care really is worth your well being.

I wear a lot of hats, so to speak. Student, Mom, Girlfriend, Daughter. Sometimes it just gets so overwhelming that I think I'm going to crack right open. Taking time for me gives all the other stuff a break and I go for walk or break out the iPod and take a bubble bath. Just for 30 minutes, I am alone with myself. After that, I pick the day up where I left off.

6. Process your emotions.

When I first started therapy I couldn't get through a session without crying my eyes out because I was so overwhelmed. I took my therapist's advice and started to open up to the people closest to me. I finally let them know how I felt.

7. You are enough.

That means you, yep. I learned that no matter what happens in life I am the person I am. If people can't accept that then why should I change to make them happy? Focus on yourself, not everyone else.