“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” -Viktor E. Frankl

When a situation gives you a negative emotion, you have a choice of either changing the situation or changing what you think of it. When you cannot change the situation (for example; outside forces), then you must change yourself and your thoughts. We have our own beliefs based on childhood, observing others, etc., But beliefs can change, as can people. If you have reacted negatively to something, then you must begin to dig into yourself and find out exactly why you feel the way you do about it. Those underlying reasons need to be dug up and addressed. If you leave it buried then you will always have that negativity whenever you have to deal with that issue again- and trust me- it’ll always come up as long as the lesson is there. It will come up until you learn what you need to learn. When you have a negative emotion about something, the only thing you need to ask yourself is, ‘why?’ Why am I feeling this way? What about this situation makes me feel this way? How can I change my perspective into a positive one, so I don’t get bothered by this the next time? Asking yourself questions will evoke answers that you can then begin to problem solve.

“In our struggle for freedom, truth is the only weapon we possess.” -Dalai Lama

When you begin to learn about yourself- you begin to learn things that are undeniable. Things that you know are truer than true (thank you, Dr. Seuss). You begin to acknowledge the truth. You can either benefit from it or make yourself miserable. But the truth is the truth. It won’t disappear just because you don’t like it. That’s not how life works. You’ve got to get to the bottom of your feelings and begin working your way through it. You’ve got to problem solve. How can you use your truths to benefit you? What are the positives about them? Find out things about yourself and how to make yourself into a warrior using the traits and aspects of yourself. Don’t let it cripple you. Let it guide you, let it take you on an adventure. Let it change you into a better version of yourself.

“Believe in your dreams. They were given to you for a reason.” -Katrina Mayer

Is it a coincidence? Nah, just an awareness alert trying to signal you. No one out there has the same dreams as you do. Sure they may be similar, but none are too alike. Which means that you were specially chosen for that job. Don’t throw away your dreams. If you’re not sure of your dreams, then that’s where self-awareness can come in. Start to pay attention to the things you love to do; to your passions. Walk in that direction, and it’ll lead you to where you want to be. Just don’t let anything trip you up along the way- at least for not too long. Anything can be solved; everything comes with a lesson.

“As I look back on my life, I realize that every time I thought I was being rejected from something good, I was actually being redirected to something better.” -Steve Maraboli

Sometimes, we are so sure about the direction we are going into. But life has others plans. Don’t go against that, flow with it and see where it takes you. More often than not, life is redirecting you towards something better. Look within yourself and know that you already have everything inside you that you need to succeed. Don’t think about the path you missed because a) it’s in the past, and b) it wasn’t meant to be. Better things are coming; you must trust that.

“The swiftest way to triple your success is to double your investment in personal development.” -Robin Sharma

The best way to succeed starts with you. It starts with your self-awareness and knowledge. You must learn about yourself and the way you operate (and why that is) before you figure anything else out. Imagine yourself preparing for a battle; if you don’t learn about your skills and train constantly, you won’t be ready for battle. You won’t be ready for what’s out there. Will you fail? Only if you give up, otherwise, you’ll just suffer a bit more along the way. Prepare yourself; know thyself.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

You’ve survived everything in the past for a reason. And you’ll survive everything in the future for a reason too. That reason is that you are incredibly mentally strong. You fight and persevere through things whether you think so are not. Constantly and consistently. Continue your best, and you will strive. Go out there, brave soul!

“Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, add what is uniquely your own.” -Bruce Lee

We live in a world where there is too much information. Poor, young minds don’t realize their potential yet; they haven’t understood that not everything you hear should be taken to heart. Young people aren’t ready for media; they need to be taught how to use it. The millennials are just all trying to keep up with it, which isn’t possible. Be resourceful, smart, and creative about what you do with your time on the internet- and don’t forget- to add your own touch to it in some (small or big) way.

“The only journey is the journey within.” -Rainer Maria Rilke

Self-awareness/growth/all that good stuff- it’s not a destination, it’s all a process. It’s all a journey and a beautiful one at that. You don’t ever stop learning about yourself; you just become more aware of yourself and your abilities. You get to learn about the things you like and favor above other stuff and learn to prioritize. You also learn about the things that don’t resonate with you as much as you thought before the discovery. You learn to take yourself out of situations a lot easier than before because you’re more confident about what you want and don’t want. You learn that you are valuable and not to be taken advantage of. You learn your place in the world and just what you can do. You discover so much more about yourself than you could ever imagine- and the best part? Not only is it immensely and naturally enjoyable, but it also never stops (as long as you don’t). It’s a lifelong journey, and there are always things to figure out. Have fun on the ride because eventually, the ending will come, and you’ll have to come to terms with whether you lived a life good enough for you.

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