My Words

Lil' dude-
I've had this nagging feeling I was forgetting something. Something I meant to write, meant to share, or meant to preserve.
Then I remembered.
I forgot to share my words with you.

When I was 17, I began journaling/scrapping/keeping/writing. My bound books were called "Souls" and I have four of them. When I was in college, I spent an afternoon going through my Souls, collecting the words I loved most and clustering them together for something- I wasn't sure what. But I wanted all my words together, and they filled a page.

That page of words has decorated my life since that afternoon all those years ago. I stare at it everyday. I framed it and shared it with your aunties for birthdays one year. And now I'm sharing my words with you.

Mama loves.

...

Be the person everyone wants to sit next to.

Encourage a friend.

Ask yourself this question: "If I die tomorrow, what will I be remembered for?"

Remember that in the final moments what's important is whose holding your hand and whose hands you've held.

Do the right thing. Life is too short to do the wrong thing and then have to fix it.

Face the truth regardless of the consequences.

Never lose a friend.

When you're in a fight and you know you're right, don't hold back. Give it all you've got.

Set goals worthy of your talent.

Be sweeter to those you love.

Take chances, but not foolish ones.

Labels are for jars, not people.

Don't let good friends drift out of your life.

Become an exceptional source of encouragement.

When dissatisfied with what you're getting out of life, take an inventory of what you're putting in.

Live brave. Love big. Be true.

Put your foot down. Don't allow people to pull you in a million directions.

Measure people by what they are, not what they have.

Create a workspace that reflects your unique approach to your job and your life.

$3 mascara works just as well as $11 mascara.

Fix what is broken.

Be some one's hero.

Be like your mom.

Don't try to direct the wind, adjust your sails.

Let scabs heal. Remember your scars.

Smile and wink for your mugshot.

Hold on, not grudges.

Even sunshine burns if you get too much.

Cut the bullshit.

Don't put deodorant on if you need to take a shower.

Don't play hard to get. Play hard to keep.

Love like there's no tomorrow.

Be the fallen angel who actually gets up.

Follow your spirit.

Real life requires you to jump. Wear comfortable shoes.

And you really do have worth.

Don't be afraid to shock.

You don't have to be anti-dragon to be pro-princess.

Smell good.

Get a black eye fighting for what you believe in.

Never lick a steak knife.

Friends never go out of style.

The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.

Your friends love you anyway.

You should never confuse your career with your life.

There is a very fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'.

Here's to good beer, cheap tequila, and the total pursuit of happiness.