When people walk into your life, it's one of the best things that could happen. I love meeting new people and making friends. People can be so awesome sometimes and you honestly never know what could come of it. Never judge someone before getting to know them. You don't know their story or most of what has happened to them. Sometimes, just learning someone's story can show you how much you are alike or how much you can relate to each other.
Listening to someone else's story is such an incredible experience. There's no better way to grow and create a bond with a person. Learning to listen, LISTEN not hear, is such a key aspect in any type of relationship. Listening can be just as important as talking and giving advice. I know people like to talk but we all need to learn to listen too. Sometimes listening is exactly what the doctor has ordered. Learn to listen or work on it if you know you struggle, it is super important.
Along with that, be open. Open minded, open hearted, and just plain open. Don't ever hide how you are feeling with someone who cares about you. Don't lie to them and tell them you are okay if you aren't. We are human, we are NOT mind readers, don't assume that someone knows how you feel if you have yet to say out loud how you do feel. Emotions can be conveyed so many different ways and everyone interprets them differently. Just because someone is smiling on the outside doesn't mean that they are truly happy. Never be rude to someone for no reason and never expect anything in return from anyone for whom you do a good deed.
Don't ever go around bragging. Live life for yourself. Do not base your life on someone else's. Don't make decisions based on what someone else is doing in their life. You live your life for you or you aren't truly living life. Living life has so many different meanings to the phrase. Don't let anyone tell you that in order to "live life to the fullest" you have to party, get drunk, have sex, do drugs, or anything you don't want to do. Living life is doing what you want, enjoying life, loving people who love you back, and being able to accept and love yourself for you.
Do good deeds. Don't do it because you want people to like you. Don't do it because you feel like you have to. Don't do it for "bragging" rights. Do it because you are a good person. Smile at someone who seems not happy, say hello..for once, put your phone in your pocket while you are walking in public and pay attention. You will notice so many things that you never knew where there, even if you walk the same road or side walk every day twice a day. You never know how much a smile can mean to someone. Pay for someone's lunch or Starbucks. Leave someone a little note, send a random text letting them know that you are thinking about them.
Don't ever let go or forget. There will be those people who are in your life and everyone comes in or goes out for a reason. They may be there for a season or just one simple reason, but don't forget. Whether they were a good or bad impact, you learn a little something from everyone who comes into your life. Never regret anything, and by that I literally mean anything. Life is too short to live it full of regrets. Cliche I know, but it's the honest truth. You did what you did at that point in time because it was what made you happy. Yes, it might have just been temporary happiness, you might not want to make that mistake again, but it's happened. Done and over with. There is no such thing as a time machine and you cannot go back and change the past. Accept it. Love life and move on.
There is no time to spend your entire life fighting. Don't waste your time on someone who sucks all the happiness out of you. Pray. Don't give up. Always perservere and move on with life. You are stuck in this life until God decides it is time for you to come home. Don't push away someone you care for because you are afraid to get hurt. We are human, everyone makes mistakes and everyone gets hurt. That's why you keep the people who love and care about you so close. You can always fix a fight, but you can't always get someone back after they are already gone.
Best friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, brothers, sisters, moms, dads, cousins, and any other person that might be important in your life, TELL THEM. Don't just assume someone you love knows that you care or love them. Reassure them. Always check in, make sure that they are doing well. Ask what you can do to help. Tell someone you are going to pray for them and actually do it. Don't mess up relationships by letting life get in the middle. Sometimes things happen and people grow apart, that's the way life works. If you care for someone, don't let them slip through the cracks. Keep those you love near and dear to you. Don't let your grip slip from them. Keep your head up and your shoulders strong, so you can always be ready for someone who needs you.
Don't expect anything from anyone. Always do what you believe is right and don't change how you feel because someone told you it's wrong. Keep your faith strong. Cry if you need to, it's not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of pain leaving the body. Scream, yell, punch things. Don't hold it in and let it bottle up.
I could go on and on about this. I'm sure there will be more to say one day. Until then...
xoxox
