Looking at the blank space on my wall, something felt like it was missing. I did what any college girl looking for dorm decorations would do and took right to amazon. After about 10 minutes of mindless scrolling, I stumbled across a little poster that ended up to be what got me through just about every emotionally draining situation I have encountered at college. This little paper poster made somewhere in China had the 7 lines that I needed in order to be at peace and remain positive during the stressful and emotional college nights.
Here are these 7 Rules of Life explained by yours truly :)
1. It is alright not to know all the answers. They will come to you when you least expect it.
This comes in handy on those nights when you just can’t get out of your own head. Relax, take a breather, and take things one day at a time. Are you worried if you made the right decision? Are you scared of what will happen in the future? If so, that is perfectly normal and okay! Life is crazy where it doesn’t want you to have all of the answers all at once. Half of the fun is uncovering the surprises one day at a time. Let yourself seep into the journey of self discovery and stop worrying about the future all of the time. The future will come to you eventually, so the only thing you can do is enjoy the ride until you get there!
2. Smile. You don’t own all of the problems in the world.
If you find yourself in a rut where you are upset with just about everything, remember that some things are just out of your control. Smiling more is always the way to go. Make someone’s day, do a good deed, or just try and brighten up the world with those pearly whites! It is impossible to fix everything all by yourself and surely not everything is your responsibility to solve. Lend a hand and be willing to make the world a better place, but when life is preventing you all you can do it just sit back and SMILE!
3. Make peace with your past so it does not affect the present.
Why dwell on something that you can’t change? Whether you are getting over a tough breakup or a death in the family, it is crucial to accept what had happened in order for you to continue to grow and become the person you truly want to be. Don’t let your struggles hold you back from your goals and passions. Your past has shaped you into the person you are today, so be grateful for the scars that were given to you.
If you dwell on the hurt from your past relationship, you will never be able to give all the love in your heart to someone new! Not making eventual peace with the loss of a loved one may affect the way that you live your life and treat others around you. Be the best version of yourself in the present. Do not use what happened in your past as an excuse for failure or special treatment. Embrace your past, embrace your struggles, and embrace what makes you stronger each and every day in order to let yourself receive the amount of happiness that you deserve. Remember, it’s all on you, so get it done!
4. Time heals almost everything, give it time.
Obviously time is the most universal healer in the world. Allow yourself a safe amount of time to digest emotions, recover from heartbreak, or forgive others around you. Thinking about getting back together with an ex? Give it time and provide yourself with the necessary space for healing and self reflection. Rushing in life is never the answer. Decisions that are made on pure emotions are always the most detrimental. Along with allowing yourself personal time to reflect, try and create a personal space in your home or a secret spot on your campus to sit and dream up what will make you happier in the days to come.
5. Don’t compare your life to others and don’t judge them. You have no idea what they are going through.
Your life is owned by you and no one else. Maybe you decide that college is not for you. Maybe you don’t want to follow the same path as the majority. It is hard to not compare your life to others, but everyone is different and what works for some might not work for you. Whether you apply to only one college or apply to 22 colleges, it is the decision that you made based on what you believe is best for your own life.
Always listen to the advice of others, but remember that it is not always correct. If college is not right for you, don’t go. If you are working instead of interning this summer, so what? Your life is your life and no one really knows what everyone else is going through. If you don’t know all of the details you can’t make an educated opinion on how someone should or should not live. If all of the energy spent comparing yourself to others is channeled into your own productivity, you will be a much calmer and happier soul.
6. What others think of you is none of your business.
This rule is one of my favorites because it allowed me to view the opinions of others from a different perspective. Knowing what others think of you has no real benefit, so why listen to the gossip? Generally speaking, everyone has insecurities and strives to feel accepted, loved, and enjoyed by the public. If it does not directly affect your life in any way, quite frankly it doesn’t matter. That statement obviously does not coincide with everything in life, but when it comes to self esteem, it is important to remember that you just can’t be everyone's cup of tea! If everyone likes every little thing about you, most likely you are not being yourself. Don’t pretend to get along with everyone because it is just too much effort to pull off.
Thoughts are personal and private. Scoping out what is in someone else’s head is none of your business. I know that it’s hard and it always hurts finding out what people think of you, but just know that not listening and not responding is the best route to take when dealing with a conflict of this nature. You cannot control when your name leaves someone else’s mouth, so there is no point in trying to stop it. The more that you fight back, all the more insecure you will look and become. Just be yourself and remove the people in your life that force you to do otherwise. If you are unhappy with yourself, fix it but never change for someone’s short term happiness that you do not even value.
7. You are in charge of your own happiness!
In the grand scheme of things, you control your life and the way you feel about it. You can’t avoid the challenges that come your way, but you can control your outlook on them. If you are sad and life is getting you down, actively try and be productive in your quest to be happy. Get your mind off of your circumstance by hanging with friends, or picking up an old hobby. Write a song, listen to your favorite music, or go to the gym! No one can tell you how to feel except yourself, so be strong, get up on your feet, and create some happiness for yourself when life isn’t handing it your way.
With Miles of Love,
April Ann :)
Get your own poster here!
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=7+rules+of+life+motivational+poster&crid=GV2XBMJ91NQZ&sprefix=7+rules%2Caps%2C130&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_7
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