XXV

I am turning twenty five in three days (eep) and in attempting to come to terms with that I have devised a list of the twenty five things I have learned in my twenty five years on this planet. Enjoy.

1. Time is a valuable asset. And it is so easily wasted.

2. There is no such thing as “normal”. No “normal” way to live, to love, to learn. There are no “normal” people, so just be yourself.

3. Most of the time you get what you give. Be nice to people and they’ll be nice back.

4. Friends are important. They just are.

5. Give people a chance and they will surprise you. In positive and negative ways.

6. Sometimes you just have to let it go and move on.

7. Take care of your body; you’re going to be living there for a long time.

8. Introspection is imperative but can also be destructive.

9. Embrace who you are; that includes the negative stuff too.

10. Just because you find a particular topic fascinating it doesn’t mean others will. Talk about lots of different things with lots of different people.

11. Chances are your childhood/parents fucked you up more than you know or care to admit.

12. It’s better to spend money on having amazing experiences rather than accumulating material things.

13. Sometimes bad things happen to good people.

14. Don’t compare yourself to other people. It never helps.

15. Getting drunk every weekend ain’t all that.

16. Education is important, enriching and empowering.

17. Get to know your personal style, and work it!

18. You can never read (or own) too many books. Remember: Knowledge is power.

19. Do not put off doing things because you are afraid. You’ll regret it.

20. Mental illness is devastating and affects way too many people.

21. Change is good, but it can be scary at first.

22. Sometimes, doing your “best” won’t be good enough and you just have to accept that and keep on going.

23. Be creative. Always. In everything you do.

24. Not everyone is going to like you. Deal with it and don’t let it get you down.

25. Be positive. Positive energy encourages positive experiences and attracts positive people.