Keith Maginn, author

Even “grown ups” don’t have things all figured out. Great things that you can’t even imagine are going to happen to you, like falling in love. Terrible things are going to happen, too, like getting your heart broken. Love with all of your heart anyway, it is worth it. Life can seem very unfair at times, but try not to get bitter. Life is too short to be angry. Tell people that you care about that you care about them. Take advantage of sunny days. Try to forgive others. For the most part, people are doing their best. Surround yourself with good people. Don’t become a slave to material possessions, as it is a disease that is not easy to overcome. Be grateful for what you have and count your blessings every day. Happiness comes from helping others and being around people that you care about. Try to be optimistic: life often has a way of working itself out (and worry doesn’t help). Don’t concern yourself with what others think about you; they have their own issues to worry about. Just be yourself. Follow your heart and do what makes you happy. Laughter is medicine. Spend some time every day in silence. Be kind and compassionate to others: you never really know what others are going through. We all want to be happy and avoid suffering. We need one another to get by and there is nothing wrong with asking for help. Don’t bottle up your emotions and keep them hidden inside. It is human to cry. Confront your fears as soon as possible, as they aren’t going to go away on their own. Make a list of things that you want to do in life and do them. Read a lot of books and never stop learning. Practice random acts of kindness. Learn to laugh at yourself. You don’t have to be perfect, just do your best. Be willing to fail. You will make mistakes, but learn from them. Everything happens for a reason. Always keep in mind that you are important and special: love yourself.