Something New Everyday

Have you ever heard the phrase "you learn something new everyday?" Well, not only is it true, but you also learn something new from everyone you meet, even the people no longer in your life. I was thinking about an old friend yesterday, well this person and I are no longer friends, but I was reminiscing about all of fun times we used to have and the things I learned from her. I thought about all the other people that are no longer in my life for one reason or another and I have learned so many things from meeting them. As I have gotten older I have learned to let go of any ill feelings or hurt that may have come from relationships & friendships that have ended. I guess this is the forgive & forget part of my life. Many of us hold grudges with people and don't realize that the only person really suffering in the end is us. I have been able to move on from so many bad things in my past and I don't hold anyone responsible for any of the negative that has happened, because the way I look at it, I have learned to be a better me because of all the bad. There comes a time when you have to look within and stop blaming others for your shortcomings. If you are unhappy then find a way to become happy, it should come from you not from anyone else. The same goes for love, if you don't love yourself the way you are, then why should anyone love you on the outside? It's not the guy or girl's fault, it's not your parent's fault, somethings are not meant to happen when you want them to! Stop looking for someone to blame & get the fuck over it! Here's a list of some other important things I have learned...
1. There are people in the world who have it 10 times worse than you do and most of them don't complain about it! The next time you are upset about not getting to go somewhere or about not having a new gadget when "everyone" else does, think about the fact that you have a warm meal every night, because someone in the world doesn't! To those out there who feel like it's the end of the world because you didn't get a fucking car when you turned 16 or because your mom didn't buy you an Iphone 4 or because you couldn't buy a new purse because you paid your rent, GO RUN YOUR HEAD INTO A MOTHER FUCKING WALL!
2. Always dress presentable no matter where you go. First impressions are sometimes the only impression you get to make. If you walk out the house with your hair looking a hot mess and some ratty old T-shirt, stop wondering why you are fucking single or why you didn't get the job you wanted. People are looking at you! Stop saying you don't give a fuck what people think and then turn around and cry when somebody hurts your feelings!
3. There are men out there who know how to treat a woman and women out there who know how to treat a man! If your boyfriend, husband, friend or Ex wasn't / isn't treating you how you want to be treated, don't blame your father/mother or anyone else. Let them go and be glad that they are no longer in your life. All men / women are not like that. Not everyone you meet will be the one for you, if he's not into you he's just not into you, don't be mad, I'm sure there are people who like you that you are not into just the same.
4. Related to No. 3, you cannot change someone into who you want them to be. Everyone has faults because we are not perfect. If that fault is not something you can overlook, again let that person go. Don't fool yourself into thinking they will change. It won't happen & you'll be mad! Try to meet people with similar goals, if he's not motivated to get a good job and improve his life, but you are, then more than likely you are not a match. Stop dating losers, there are other losers out there who are better suited for them!
5. Don't let anyone make you or break you! Be who you are no matter who or what happens. If you find that you are a different person depending on the crowd then you are not being yourself. The background should change, but not you! There are times when you should improve yourself & be a better version of YOU, but it should never be so drastic that you forget where you started.
6. Never lack confidence! You may be the smallest person in the room, but if you are confident you will turn heads, change minds & make great impressions. Don't be afraid to walk into a room or in a crowd by yourself. If you act like you know what you are doing people will believe you, if you act like you don't know, people will believe you!
7. Don't ever feel like you are stuck anywhere! Life is full of constant change until you die! If you hate your job, quit! If you don't like where you live, move! If you don't like where you are in life right now, there is always time for you to change it. Start moving in a new direction, it may mean less friends, more friends, less working or less partying, but it means change!
8. Related to No. 7, know the difference between accepting & adapting. You will not like every single thing about your life, again we are human and imperfect creatures! There are things that we must do in order to survive & or provide for our loved ones. Sometimes you have to stick with something like a sucky job or a sucky house for a little longer than you wish. You make do with what you have & where you are, but you don't make it permanent & you don't get comfortable!
9.  Everyone has a breaking point! Don't take advantage of niceness. Even the nicest person will get tired of the BS sooner or later. Just like you don't burn a bridge that you may have to cross more than once, you don't take advantage of people. Some people will go to the end of the earth to make you happy & you should appreciate that and earn that privilege. Don't take, take, take once in a while you have to give!
10. You should always keep a secret just for you! Everyone has a friend, who has a friend, who has another friend! My point, your secret is now their secret & eventually it will come full circle. Keep that shit to yourself if you don't want it out there. The same goes for putting your business on face book, myspace, twitter, Hi5, Tag & every other damn website there is. If you don't want my opinion, my critique, me checking the shit out of you, or me laughing my ass off at you then don't put it there for me to see it!
*BONUS LESSON*
Take care of you then the rest of the world! If you are not happy, healthy and satisfied with yourself and what you have, there is no way you can help someone else be all of these things. Whether you are a parent, child, sibling, friend or lover. You have to do you first!

-Nana