1. STOP CARING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK OF YOU
I'm not saying be an asshole and expect people to love you. I'm saying to be yourself without having to explain, or make excuses for your passions, interests, and dreams. If you're respectful, and polite to someone, and they just don't care for you, who the fuck cares? If they're judgmental of the life choices you've made for yourself, who the fuck cares? They are 1 person out of 7 billion on this planet. There are 6,999,999,999 more people that you can make a real connection with. Stay true to yourself, and don't compromise what you stand for.
2. UNDERSTAND THAT THE WAY PEOPLE TREAT YOU OR REACT TO YOU HAS MORE TO DO WITH WHAT'S INSIDE OF THEM THAN IT DOES WHAT'S INSIDE OF YOU
Let go of feeling the need to win people over. I feel like this happens a lot in our teens, and 20's. Wanting people to like us, accept us, and understand us. Truth is, that's not going to happen with everyone you meet, and that's ok! One of the most beautiful things in life is the connection we make with other human beings. The interests that we share, the different opinions that we are exposed to that make us think, and the happiness we get from making deeper connections with people. If that happened with everyone we came into contact with, we would never get anything done, and the world would start getting pretty boring. Most of the times, if someone is treating you with disrespect, rudeness, or any other form of negativity, it's because of whatever traumas they're dealing with in their minds. Our experiences shape who we are, and how we react to those around us. Some people don't know how to express anger, sadness, frustration, etc., so their negativity can come out by being an asshole to you. Don't let other people's traumas seep into your psyche, and negatively impact your behaviors. Smile and walk away.
3. MAINTAIN YOUR CONNECTIONS WITH FRIENDS
Regardless of what your Facebook friend count shows, you're not meant to have 3927 friends. Those aren't your friends. Those are your "friends." Happiness in life comes from connecting with others, creating memories, laughing, sharing thoughts, drying tears, traveling, celebrating, and everything in between. How many people can you call at 3am to come pick you up because you're drunk, or ask to talk you through a panic attack, or just listen to you cry and rant about something that hurt you, knowing you won't get judged for any of it? Those are the people you should make sure you're keeping in touch with, spending time with, and giving your maximum efforts to. I'm not saying don't be social with new friends. I'm just saying, remember the ones who truly love you, and make sure you maintain those friendships throughout life as best as you can.
4. STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS
We are all on different paths. We all want different things. What's at the top of your list may not be at the top of mine, and we shouldn't be judging one another for it. Stop trying to make everyone think like you. Respect and appreciate your differences. Celebrate other people's accomplishments. Be encouraging. Be supportive. It's ok if that person got that promotion, or that part, your turn will come. What good will it do to your soul, and your well being, to hate on other people? Other than creating negativity in your body, nothing. You'll continue down your path of success when you focus on what you're doing, rather than on what everyone else is doing.
5. AGE MEANS NOTHING
Unless you're waiting to drive, enlist in the military, or drink alcohol, age really is just a number. Society will dictate to you what it means to be 25, 30, 35, 40, and on and on. Only you have the power to tune that shit out and do what you believe in. Chase the things you believe in. Put time and effort into the things you believe in. Don't let someone tell you that you can't do something because of your age. The majority of the time, people try and discourage you from something because of their own fears. Don't let that get into your head.
