Rachel’s Reviews > Be a Work in Progress: And Other Things I'd Like to Tell My Younger Self > Status Update

A slow start is better than no start

If you wait to act until everything is "perfect," you will be a lifelong spectator

The day is not lost if it doesn't go according to plan. The day is lost if you give up on the day.

Oftentimes when good things happen, we speculate about when the other shoe will drop. Being prepared is more than okay, but it's also okay to allow joy without condition into your life.

Be less set in your ways. Routine allows for many comforts and conveniences, but it can prevent you from learning valuable things about yourself.

Searching for and having friends who blindly agree with your opinions no matter what won't help you grow. Surround yourself with honest people who challenge your choices, and who can openly speak about their values and beliefs There is little to learn in always being right

If you give your absolute all to something, no matter the result, you should be at peace knowing you couldn't have worked any harder.

Pain of any kind- physical, emotional, or mental- is your body sending a message. If you ignore the message, you may expect the same or worse in the future. Recognize it, get to the "why" of the message, ask for help, and come up with an approach to move forward as best you can.

If we feel physically unhealthy, what are we told to do? Change habits, get help, and put effort into recovering. Try to do the same mentally and spiritually. If you feel unhealthy, change your landscape or your connections, ask for help, and put effort into the decision to change.

If you're going to gamble, bet on yourself. Brave chances backed up by constant effort can lead to amazing things.

Know the difference between those who care about you and those who care about what you can do for them.

We all have our own set of life's "rules." Constantly revisit yours, and know it's okay if they change. As we change, so should our values. Just don't let a new you get stuck following old rules.

Your happiness does not require the consent of others.

Life is not perfect, even though many people share a filtered life free of sadness, hardship, anger, shame, and other uncomfortable moments and emotions. Take this for what it is, which is what they are allowing you to see.

Talk with someone, not about someone.

If you find yourself continually disappointed in the behavior of those close to you, it may be time to stand in a place where they can't get close.

We evolve every day. Continue to be curious about who you are becoming. Keep the same curiosity for those relationships you hold dear. If you think you fully know someone, you might not be trying hard enough.

Always be a work in progress.

When given opportunity without direction, take initiative. Be bold. Win or lose, do all you can with the opportunity.

We tend to measure success in things, "grind," or status, among other ideas. Measure success in joy instead; it's a much better gauge.

We are so quick to find flaws with those who try. Succeed or fail, those who try will be far wiser, braver, stronger, and more ready to try again than passive skeptics.

Let them see you sweat, hurt, fall, fail, cry, bleed, crack, falter, suffer, struggle, persist, rise, fight, grow, improve, gain, and triumph, an above all, let them see your joy. But never let them see you give up.

Run with people faster than you.

When was the last time you had a real conversation with someone who held an opposing view? Blocking, interrupting, banning, not listening to anyone who may oppose your viewpoint doesn't "win" a discussion; it prevents one.

How we view ourselves if often not how we are perceived by others. Surround yourself with those who give honest-even uncomfortable- opinions about who you are to them.