You will meet a lot of people over the course of your life. These people will be of all socio-economic, geographic and racial backgrounds. The one thread that runs through every human being is this - the yearning for and the ability to love. Never under-estimate a person's capacity for love. Especially your own.
Do not pass up an opportunity to get to know someone. You never know who you might meet along the way.
You'll make new friends who will instantly become huge parts of your life. You'll also lose friends that you thought would always be there. Cherish the people who bring good to your life and show them you care. Don't waste time on someone who wouldn't waste time on you. (The same goes for relationships, but trust me, I realize this is much easier said than done, and much clearer in hindsight). If you can even imagine your life might be better without someone in it, it probably will be.
You will look back on some of your past outfits, things you said and did, and ex-lovers and say to yourself "WHAT was I THINKING?!
Learn to laugh at yourself. Laughing is good for you. Allow yourself to let go and search for the good in every situation. And if that fails, don't worry. It will come.
You will know when you've met your match. Maybe not right away, but as soon as that bond and connection is established, you'll just know. And all of the heartbreak and tears from the past will finally feel worth it. You will not have to question how that person feels about you, you won't have to "wait three days to call" after getting their number, you will just know.
That said, there are as many perfect relationships as perfect people. Just because you've found your match doesn't mean he/she is perfect, and it doesn't make you suddenly perfect. You will have issues. You will fight. You will doubt. These are normal human interactions. The one thing that should always bring you back is how much you love each other. That love will always, always, always outweigh any insecurity or selfish notion.
Take good care of your body and your skin while you are young. By the time you care, the damage is done. That said, age. Don't worry about aging, which inevitably causes more aging. Guess what? Crow's feet mean you smiled, ALOT.
You may not know what you want to do with your life. Ever. You may wake up one day and have an "a ha" moment...you might never come to that realization. They say that life is what happens while you are busy making other plans. Live your life.
Never turn down an opportunity to travel, especially if you are young. Don't let money be the excuse why you don't do it. By the time you have the money, you'll be too busy with your job or raising a family. Set off and go - you will not regret the things you see and the people you meet along the way. You will always regret not doing it.
Don't let the assholes get you down. They are an inevitable part of life. They will be your coworkers or bosses, they will be on the other end of the phone working in customer service, and they will sit next to you on an airplane. Learn how to tolerate them because they will always be there, waiting to cut the line in front of you at Starbucks. Kill 'em with kindness. It surprises people, especially if you live on the East Coast.
Spend as much time with kids and dogs as possible. Their natural curiosity for everything will rub off on you. Never stop learning.
If you are ever questioning doing something because it is a risk, DO IT. Just like traveling, you will only regret it if you don't know the outcome because you didn't try in the first place.
Speaking of "try", know that when someone says "I'll try" they are already setting themselves up to fail. Wipe this word out of your vocabulary. DO.
Always strive to help others. No matter where you are in life, chances are there is someone less fortunate than you. Give what you can. Hell, give more than you can. You'll surprise yourself with what you're capable of.
Open yourself to the fact that every person has their own unique way of viewing the world. People have their own opinions and ways of living. It does not make your way wrong, but it doesn't always make their way right. Trust your instincts and never compromise your beliefs.
Speaking of instincts, your first gut reaction is almost always the right one.
Be careful with passing and creating first impressions. People are not always what they seem, and sometimes they are exactly what they seem. Peel back the layers and see what you find.
Work hard, and play harder. Reward yourself. As Marilyn Monroe once said, a career is great but it won't keep you warm at night. Don't let the living part of life pass you by.
Accept the fact that you too will turn into that adult who tells stories to the younger generation about "walking 3 miles uphill both ways in a blizzard to get to school every day". Kids these days really DO have it easier than you did.
Make a conscious effort every day not to take for granted your family. This can include your biological family or the family that you've created for yourself in your friendships and support systems. Life is short and time flies when you're having fun. And then all of the sudden you are blindsided by loss. There is no rewind button in life. Make memories, hold those memories close, and share them with others.
There is a lesson to be learned through every struggle. Find it and your hard times will become blessings.
And, my personal favorite mantra (as my "Spring Break 2010" tattoo can attest) - "Love the life you live. Live the life you love."
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