a few lessons i've learned:

learn to play an instrument. start right now, it's never too late, and better opportunities
will arise as a result {for example}.  

immerse yourself in a totally different culture not even remotely similar to your own {i think we'd have fewer miscommunications and a whole lot more peace if we stepped into the shoes of
another world view from time to time}.

even if you are like me and don't ever want kids, try working with them at some point.
grown-ups have so much to learn from the kiddies.

contrary to popular belief, eating a piece of fruit does not balance out a meal of ice cream,
potato chips, and french fries.

being happy really is the best way to look beautiful.
so take time to fill your well and love the people around you. you'll be happier and look gorgeous!

exercise is the best form of stress relief... okay, smashing a car with a baseball bat is the best form of stress relief, but since those opportunities are so rare, make sure you exercise daily.  jumping jacks, yoga, a long walk around the neighborhood, or dancing your heart out in the living room - these things help release the stress chemicals that build up through the day.  if you don't release those chemicals on your own, your body will do it for you in the form a cold or flu {which is even more stressful}.

toilet paper doesn't work. stop being so cheap and buy real coffee filters.

there's no substitution for hand-written letters, both in giving and receiving.
you know how excited you get when you receive a letter from a real person in your mailbox?
you can provide that for someone else with one little stamp.

you really don't need all that stuff.  trust me.

setting your boundaries is not selfish, it's healthy.  your loved ones need you to say no, they need you to take time for relaxation and rejuvenation, they need you to be happy.

you are ridiculously awesome, and so am i.  we all are.
whether or not we fully believe it about ourselves, it is absolutely true.

{photo}

what have you learned?