The complete list of all life-guiding messages for young people – click the titles for further information
When we’re older, we aren’t going to remember what was on our social media, or how impressed others were when we talked about all of the exotic places we’ve visited. We are going to remember what we’ve learned from others and the meaningful connections we’ve made with real people.
You have stories, but you are not your stories. You have labels, but you are not your labels. Make a list of everything you are, maybe 200 things. Return to your list regularly: keep adding to it or cross a few things out, which are no longer true for you.
Your stories, memories, and experiences have shaped your personality but they are still only stories. They may have been real once, but are definitely not real now. They exist only inside your head, as fleeting thoughts, beliefs, pictures, and ideas of “self”.
It is okay to cut toxic people out of your life. You don’t need their negativity, and you’re much better off without them. You are not required to argue that your existence is worthwhile, and it’s okay to decide not to waste your time and energy on them.
Treat people kindly, for your own sake as well as theirs. In the end, you will be the one who suffers, as you will have to live with yourself knowing what you’ve done. Respond with compassion and help others to do the same.
Although we all have differences, ultimately we are all the same, and we all feel lost at times. We all have the same feelings, and we all need to give love and to be loved.
Learning to appreciate the little gestures someone does for you will help you see the true beauty of your relationship and help you appreciate having them in your life.
There are many gestures besides roses and candlelight dinners that can be far more meaningful, such as when your partner washes the dishes, cooks you a meal, or washes your car – when they do something thoughtful for you.
What are the stories you tell yourself about your life? About your happiness, what you can allow yourself, the kind of work you can do, how much money you can make, the opportunities available to you?
The stories of a person, a family, a culture, a country – they hold us, bind us in ways which are potentially fruitful or harmful, and can give us an identity. They can influence and also undermine us.