1. LOVE YOURSELF AND THE LIFE YOU LIVE.
If you don't, find a way to change it and make there be no other option. People tend to forget to live for themselves, and continue to go through the motions of life without remembering what makes them feel most alive. You were only given this one, beautiful life...don't miss out on that opportunity to embrace and enjoy it!
2. YOU ARE, AND WILL ALWAYS BE, YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND.
Hopefully you are fortunate enough to have people in your life who are always there for you, but at the end of the day you are the only one who is with yourself 24/7. Be the type of person you would want in your life / would want to be friends with, because ultimately loving yourself is the most important quality to have.
3. LIVE YOUR LIFE IN THE PRESENT MOMENT.
Ever since I was a little kid I can remember living every day thinking about anything but the present moment. My anxiety about how I handled things in the past, or what my future would look like, was something that would constantly eat at me on a daily basis. I was so consumed by my overwhelming thoughts regarding my future, and the unknown, that I would just sit there for hours doing nothing but think or go to sleep in order to stop my racing thoughts. It's only through time and experience that I have learned that you MUST live in the present moment.
Ever since I've fully comprehended this I've learned that if you ever feel yourself drifting away in your thoughts, nip it in the butt and bring yourself back down to what's right in front of you. In the end, you are the only person who controls how you feel, what your thoughts consist of, and how you react to them all...if you want to be genuinely happy with yourself and who you are, this will help; it has helped me immensely.
4. RESPECT, LOVE AND CHERISH THE RELATIONSHIPS IN YOUR LIFE.
If you are lucky enough to have amazing, supportive people in your life who show you the mutual respect, and make you love the way you feel while around them, then embrace it to its fullest. These special people in our lives are there because that is what life's all about; family, friends, and / or your significant other...love makes us all feel this indescribable, world shaking feeling in which there's no other like it. Love triggers the overwhelming sensation of happiness, inspiration, and euphoria in every person that experiences it, so cherish that while you can. Every moment matters.
5. TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED.
At the end of the day, you don't always know what others are going through. No matter what you're feeling it's never fair to take it out on the people around you; learn to respect the people that are around you.
6. LEARN FROM EVERYTHING YOU GO THROUGH.
Life is one big lesson; the people we meet, the things we experience, and the way we handle all of that is what makes us who we are as individuals. Learning from all of that will only benefit you as time goes on; don't ignore it.
7. DON'T LIVE YOUR LIFE BITTER; FORGIVE THOSE WHO'VE HURT YOU (WHEN YOU'RE READY).
Some may look at forgiveness as a sign of weakness, but to me it's a sign of maturity and strength. Ultimately it is a part of the healing process; you have to forgive in order for yourself to grow as an individual.
8. TRAVEL, TRAVEL, TRAVEL...WHILE YOU STILL CAN.
People may put off traveling / going to the place of their dreams for various reasons, and many of those reasons could be logical (money, work, or commitments you can't get out of), but in the end don't wait until it's too late. Everyone says that they have time to travel, but it's a situation like the one my grandmother just experienced that makes me think twice about that notion. I recently went to Poland for a family wedding and my grandmother (who hasn't seen her 3 sisters in 18 years) finally agreed to make the trip overseas. That was all suddenly put to an end once she went to the doctors and they told her she couldn't travel because of her heart. All the years she waited to go, and now couldn't because of her health. Moral of the story is: If you have the opportunity to travel, especially if it's one that'll make you unbelievably happy, do it before it's too late. Please!
9. THE ENERGY YOU PUT OUT INTO THE WORLD IS THE ENERGY THAT COMES BACK TO YOU.
I believe in this so much because there have definitely been days where I woke up tired, or in a bad mood, and if I didn't decide to change how that day would end up, it would've stayed bad because it's all about your perception. Even the simple things like smiling when you walk into a room, greeting people, and / or holding the door for those who are walking behind you...these things matter, especially in the world we live in today. Be the positive energy you want to attract.
10. ACCEPT WHAT YOU CAN'T CHANGE; LIFE WILL KEEP GOING ON (WITH OR WITHOUT YOU).
Yes, there are so many things you can change in your life, but there are also things you can't change. When it comes to moments like those, you must learn to accept it, or else you will be living with a huge weight on your chest with no other option but to feel that pain / frustration every waking moment. Let that go, and keep moving; in the end you will feel so much better because you are so strong!