Last week my sister gave birth to the most beautiful, precious little girl that I have ever seen in my entire life: my niece, Kinsley May. Even though she has only been in this world a week, I have felt a lifetime of emotions, and it has brought me to reflect upon those in my life that I love dearly, believe in deeply, and would help indefinitely to be everything that they want to be, and I believe that they can be in this life. I hope that when you read this, you find yourself thinking about those you love, and feeling the same inspiration I felt writing this.

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There are things in life that you can not change, things that you will change, and things that will change inevitably without your control. No matter where life takes you, recognize that you have the power to be bigger, better, and stronger than the position that you’re in. Recognize that it doesn’t matter where you come from. You have the ability to go places that are beyond your wildest dreams because you are greater than life’s greatest excuse as to why you won’t make it there.

There are important things that I was told growing up, that I wish I listened to but didn’t. And there are things that I wish someone would have told me. You will find your own way through the world as you navigate through it, but here are some of the things you should know as you begin building the foundation for your future and pathing the path towards your dreams:

Be compassionate, even when the world is cold

Compassion is deeper than having sympathy for others' problems. Having compassion means listening to how others feel, even if you can’t empathize with them, and being able to put yourself in their shoes for a day to understand what they’re dealing with. You are rooted in love in your bones, and the ability to spread that onto others. Never allow the world to turn your warm hands cold, or shut your heart out to the sufferings of others.

Take advantage of your education. Don't take it for granted

Your greatest weapon is the power of your intellect. School work sometimes comes in heavy loads, and leaves dark bags under your eyes. But you can never be educated enough, you can never think too critically, and you can never know too much. When I was in high school, I failed to get involved, and I thought that it was dreadful. Now that I am close to finishing undergrad, I could not be more excited for everything my university has offered me. Don't be afraid to meet new people from different cultures, become part of organizations that you never knew existed, or do things that you typically wouldn't do.

It's OK to feel messy. All beautiful people are

No one has it all together, and no one is expecting you to, either. Sometimes you feel lost, you’re not sure what you want to do with your life, and you’re disappointed because you haven’t accomplished half of the things you thought you would’ve by now. The truth is that you feel a total mess. It’s OK. Life takes time, and as long as you work every day at what you want, everything will fall into place. Even if you don’t know what it is that you want yet, life will work itself out and everything will eventually make sense. Just hang in there.

Your town is not the only place that exists. Go see the world.

When I was 17 years old, I quit my part-time job and bought a concert ticket to see my favorite artist in the middle of New York City. I lost that job but gained one of the greatest experiences, and best nights of my life. I drove to the city by myself and met new people at the concert who eventually became my friends. The moral of that story is not to be reckless, but to seek places and adventures beyond your comfort zone. To do things that probably won’t make your parents too happy, or sane, but will give you a new outlook on the world around you and the many places you can lose, or even find yourself in. Go explore.

Be proud of yourself, even when you feel there's nothing to be proud of

Self-love is the most important thing in the world. You should love yourself more on days when you think of yourself less, and always be proud of yourself, even if you can't think of anything in that moment to be proud of. Sometimes we get so caught up in all that we do that we fail to see everything that we've accomplished. Whenever you're feeling low, take a step back and analyze everything that you've done within the last six months, or year. You'll be surprised at how much you've faced, and how far you've come because of it. Recognize that there is so much for you to be proud of.

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Dedicated to my niece Kinsley, nephew Justin Jr., and little cousins Andre, Anthony, Gianna, and Marky.