Adulting 101 – General Ideas

• Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions.  Watch your actions, they become habits.  Watch your habits, they become your character.  Your character becomes your destiny.
• Always be true to yourself and don’t hide who you really are.
• Be authentic.
• Go easy on yourself. You are your own worst critic.
• When you most want to run from silence and stillness … this is when you most need to sit there.
• Every day is a learning experience.
• Sleep on it. There’s a good chance it will be resolved in the morning.  If not, you will most definitely have a clearer perspective.
• Sometimes, we make mistakes. Learn from them and move on.
• Live your life to the best of your abilities.
• Be aware of your emotions. Understand them and take control of them.
• Live your life so that when you are 30 … or 40 … or 50 … you can look back and be proud.
• Do as much as you can on your own – pay bills, make decisions, buy groceries, etc.
• Try and understand how others feel and why.
• Work on your emotional health as much as your physical health.
• Remain curious.
• If you want to move forward, stop looking back.
• Practice gratitude.
• Don’t be afraid to put yourself first.
• Follow your heart … while using your head, and trusting your gut.
• Don’t let the opinion of others affect your decisions.
• Be proud of who you are.
• Don’t let anyone make you feel like you are anything less than amazing.
• Contrary to what you may think, at 18 (or any age for that matter), you don’t know everything.
• No one controls your dreams but you. Follow them.
• Learn to love yourself.
• Never be afraid to ask for help or advice.
• Get a second opinion whenever possible: whether it be with the doctor, before getting a car repair done, before wearing the bright orange and bright red together, and any time you are spending a lot of money.
• Don’t be afraid to say no.
• Never argue in public.
• Stick up for the underdog.
• Do what makes you happy.
• You don’t have to have everything in life planned out. It’s okay to just sit back and enjoy where life takes you.
• Find your own meaning and control your own journey.
• Don’t make decisions now that will impact your entire life. This is the time to discover who you are and what you want to pursue.  Don’t commit to one path that you cannot ever change.  Huge, life-changing decisions should be postponed until you are older and have a better understanding of the person you will become, your passions, and your interests.
• Take time to have fun. As Ferris Bueller said, “Life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
• Never compare yourself to others. You are on your own path.
• If you have harsh words to say to someone, do this in private when no one else is around.
• Be independent.
• Follow that voice in your head that tells you to take the road less travelled.
• Make mistakes. Learn from them.
• Take the time to find yourself and your personal happiness.
• Never settle.
• Have fun and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
• Don’t let the bullies of the world knock you down.
• Value what older people have to say. They have a lifetime of experience that you can learn from, at no cost to you.
• Don’t be afraid to take a chance.
• Always be the best version of yourself.
• You don’t have to prove anything to anyone.
• Instead of reacting to bad situations, reflect on why they happened so that you can prevent them from happening again.
• Take that leap of faith. Life is about exploring and taking chances.  You never know what might happen if you don’t take that leap.
• Don’t be afraid to put yourself first.
• Learn to adapt and embrace change.
• Your plans and life path may change and feel completely out of your control: not at all what you had planned.  But, everything happens for a reason.  Embrace this uncertainty and you’ll find that you are exactly where you’re supposed to be.
• Don’t try to accomplish your life goals too quickly. Things take time.  Putting time constraints on your expectations adds stress to your life.  The best things take time.
• Follow your heart and stay true to what you believe.
• Be spontaneous.
• The opinion of others is just that – an opinion.
• Not every loss or set back is a bad thing. These are learning curves.  Grow and rise up even stronger.
• Admit when you’re wrong.   Right away.
• Lift others up.
• When one door closes, another door opens. It’s always your choice as to which door you walk through.
• Smile at strangers. Smile at everyone.
• Don’t be afraid to fail as failure usually leads to the greatest learning experience.
• Grab every opportunity you can and let life take you wherever it goes.
• Stop and enjoy life.
• Be open to new pathways, people, and opportunities.
• Don’t believe everything you think.
• Compliment others … all of the time.
• Lean more on your backbone and less on your wishbone.
• Practice random acts of kindness every single day.
• Don’t ever hurt yourself for fear of hurting someone else’s feelings.
• Be true to yourself.
• Learn to accept constructive criticism.
• Don’t lie. Even those little white ones have a way of catching up with you.
• Maturity means understanding how your present decisions may impact your future. Act on that knowledge in a responsible way.
• You only get one roll of the dice in the game of life. Make it a good one and enjoy!
• The most valuable things that you’ll have at the end of your life will be your memories. Make some good ones!
• Some days will be harder than others. Know this.  Accept this.  Deal with this.
• Never underestimate the power of speaking kindly to others.
• Think before you speak. Words can hurt and can’t be taken back.
• Trust your instincts.
• Have courage and be kind.
• Find a hobby that you’re passionate about.
• Always tell your friends and family where you are in case something happens.
• You don’t have to win to win.
• Don’t be afraid to speak your mind.
• Advocate for yourself and what you want.
• Don’t be afraid to ruffle feathers.
• Find an author that you love.
• Your tribe will accept you, unconditionally.
• Start writing memoirs now for the future.
• Life is too short to wait for somebody to do something someday. That someday is now.  That somebody is you. 
• Stick to your moral compass.
• Don’t gossip.
• If you lose a friend, don’t lose yourself.
• Mental health is real. When you’re struggling, ask for help.  This is a sign of strength, not weakness.
• Take care of yourself first and then spread the kindness.
• Never allow your emotions to overtake reason.
• Do not let your emotions rule your life. Rule over them instead.
• You got this!!!