1. Believe in love, every kind, big and small, weak and strong.

2. But don’t wait for him. Or any guy. Or anyone at all. They’ll never be able to give you what you really want. They’ll only hold you back, when I know that you can fly so far, as long as you’re doing it for yourself and no one else.

3. Understand that you cannot change people, but perhaps you can help them to grow. But even then, it will not be something that you try to do. It will be something that just happens.

4. You are a mother at heart, you know that, but you don’t have to take care of everyone just yet. Let your friends make their own mistakes. Do what you know is right for yourself and move on. Accept the fact that different people make different choices, and that isn’t your problem.

5. Hating things does not make you cool. It will just make you sad. And being happy does not make you vulnerable. (This is something we are still learning.)

6. Embrace your natural hair. It is annoying, but it is amazing, and most importantly it is yours. It is something that no one can ever take away from you. And no matter how much you may feel like you want to, you know you can’t take it away from yourself either.

7. On that note: Do not waste your energy worrying about things that you cannot change. I know this is so annoying to hear, but things are the way they are, and they will work out one way or another, I promise.

8. You are special. But also, you are normal, in the sense that it’s okay to feel the things you’re feeling. But certainly, you are unique in all the best ways.

9. And you’re not crazy. It’s called a Body Focused Repetitive Behavior. You’re not the only one.

10. Appreciate all the things that you don’t have to worry about yet—finding work, finding a place to live, buying your own food, and so on. I know that being taken care of is annoying, but I’ll tell you, you’ve got it easy right now. In this way, at least. Just let yourself relax a little bit, please. And my God, let yourself eat.

11. Myspace will be dead soon, so you can stop wasting your time on it. (Oh, and Twilight will be dead too).

12. Read this list if you like, but DO NOT LISTEN TO A WORD OF IT. Do what you believe is best, in this moment. We would not be who we are today if it wasn’t for all the things you did when you were fourteen because you didn’t know any better, and I like who we are today. Make your own decisions and make your own mistakes, because that is how you learn. That is how you learn that love is real. That is how you learn to change people, and that is how you learn to not want to.