1. Create your path.  Be who you are and don’t let another create your path for you.  One of your greatest joys is the journey of finding yourself in life.  Don’t be afraid of judgement from others, and don’t fear your heart and opening it to others.  Walk your own path and know it is ok if people disagree with you.

2. Be giving.  Live your life by doing good for others.  Set selfishness aside and toss your ego in the trash.  Think about times when people made you smile, gave to you for no reason and pass a little of that along every day.  It is freeing, motivating and it makes your heart happy in the process.  Giving gives back 10 fold and feeds your sole.

3. Manage don’t micromanage.  Take a deep breath and let things go.  Make a conscious decision at some point in managing a project to let things play out.  Let go of your anxiety – walk away – and know that you don’t need to have control and know about every single detail.  You can always re-evaluate small flaws in your plan and make it better next time – and surround yourself with people who allow you to let go more easily.

4. Own yourself.  Flaws are in your mind – they are a product of your own creation – they are not real.  You’re skin, your weight, your shape, your scars, your tragedies, the way you think are all a part of you.  Just because you have been brainwashed that there is such a thing as beautiful or ugly doesn’t make it true.  Nobody is perfect and time spent thinking you are somehow less than perfect is wasting precious time that you could be using to enjoy yourself and all the people and things that you love.

5. Dreams are real.  You owe it to yourself to dream and dream often… dream every day, dream as BIG as you can and go with it.  Don’t ever feel that dreams and daydreams are a waste of time… UNLESS you never act towards them.  That’s right… they are only a waste of time if you don’t get up and DO something about them.  Pick one of your dreams and put your energy towards it today… put it in motion!  Every amazing idea, every amazing happening started with a dream… and happened because someone got up and decided that they would TRY to make it possible.

So get up today.  Be proud of who you are – and own all of your imaginary flaws that make you a beautiful and perfect individual.  Give someone a smile, a helpful hand, a meaningful compliment or an unexpected gift.  Start living one of your dreams.  And… let go of a handful of the “little” things that you are holding onto way to tight.  Avoid regrets and live your life in motion.

Photograper: Jeanine Thurston