1) Family comes First
There was a reason Mom and Dad were so hard on you in high school, said no to things you wanted, and enforced rules you always disagreed on. I learned I was being prepared for the life I am currently in. My parents taught my younger siblings and I that things aren’t going to be handed to us on a silver tray. If you really want something, you have to get up, go out and work things out for yourself. My parents raised us all to be strong, confident and responsible individuals. The older you get, you realize how much of an impact your family has made on you over the years.
2) Don’t Let a Boy Use You as “His Next Best Thing”
No one deserves to be someone’s second choice. If a guy just got out of a relationship and comes crawling to you, stay away. He may make you feel like you’re the only girl he’s ever wanted to be with. He’ll lie through his teeth, sweet-talk you and lead you to believe he’s a decent guy. News flash: He’s not. He’s only manipulating you and it’s better to back away sooner rather than later. Show self-respect for yourself. There’s a difference between a guy who genuinely compliments you and a guy who is just looking for a good time.
3) Listen to Your Friends Advice
You may disagree on things, start arguments and want to ignore everything they tell you, but they’re telling you this because they truly care about you. They know you deserve better. Boys will come and go but friends last forever. You’ll know that when you’re in the middle of a heartbreak. Your friends won’t say “I told you so” or “told you he was a bad idea”, they will remain quiet, hold you while you cry and then if you’re lucky, they might even take you out for ice cream afterwards.
4) The Importance of Self-Respect
You come first. Self-respect comes first. I cannot emphasize how important this is in a young woman’s life. Pride and confidence can be one of the most attractive things about yourself and should be valued more. I’ve learned that just because one thing may sound like a good idea, doesn’t mean it’ll make yourself feel better in the end. Self-respect is about action. You might find yourself making a choice because of peer pressure, to impress a boy or prove something to yourself. Ask yourself, what would “future me” say about this situation? Would they think it’s a good idea? Probably not. You know what you deserve and you know what is important to you. Love yourself before anything else.
5) Everything Happens For a Reason
This past summer, I found myself not wanting to look ahead but just stay in the moment. I met a guy I really liked and was the happiest I had been in months. When my summer came to an end, I had to say goodbye to the few short months I had built with him and it hurt. It was hard to realize our lives were polar opposites and it could never go any further. It ended for a reason and that reason is still yet to come.You must live in the moment and just keep doing what you’re doing because everything happens for a reason. That reason may sound like the worse thing at the time, but who knows, you may surprise yourself one day when something or someone comes into your life unexpectedly. Don’t forget to thank yourself later.