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I found my journal from 2006 under my bed today. Inside I discovered the following entry; (I'll edit some words as my language left much to be desired at the time..)

September 1, 2006

The following are things I wish I had been taught as a young girl I thoroughly plan on imparting this painfully learned wisdom on my future daughter, niece or whatever:
- under NO circumstances should one EVER compromise who they are. Not for a boy, not for friendship. Never. (I really should have listened to myself back then!)
- eat healthy foods because your body will feel better
- exercise on a regular basis to maintain strength
- put lotion on after you get out of the shower
- clean and moisturize your face before going to bed
- don't sleep with your hair tied up; you'll damage it
- when you think something is funny, laugh
- ask questions when you don't understand something
- smile at strangers
- tell creepy men to leave you the beep alone. Don't be nice about it.
- state your opinions
- you can't change the way you look so enhance it
- if you have curly hair, do not straighten it...often
- short hair on females usually doesn't look good, but most of us have to find that out by ourselves.
- chunky highlights = very bad idea
- skinny men = worse idea
- if a man does not call when he says he will, move on. He knows how to use a phone. If he wanted to call you he would.
- what goes around comes around
- new shoes make most situations better
- never make anyone a priority when they are not willing to do the same for you.
- you teach others how to treat you, so respect yourself
- tanning too much will give you leathery skin
- most people are just as concerned with what others think as you are
- yelling does not fix the problem
- all things pass
- read; you'll learn something
- expecting perfection only sets you up for disappointment (and yet here I am...still a perfectionist)
- it's okay, you're human
- don't think too hard about any one decision
- men don't get hints
- communication is the key to every sort of relationship
- forgive others, grudges only make you ugly on the inside
- life is not fair
- insurance companies suck
- work also sucks, but everyone has to do it
- believe in whatever feels right to you
- drink lots of water, it has countless health benefits
- this whole portion cannot be written for anyone to see. ever.
- respect the beliefs of others, especially when you think they are dumb
- you are not superwoman
- learn a foreign language
- wear clothes that you feel good in
- don't make life decisions to please anyone else as you are the one that has to live with it
- apologize when you are in the wrong, or when someone else feels that you wronged them
- everybody matters to somebody
- it is okay to cry and it is okay to be angry
- birds are evil.


And this list completes the entry. I'm fairly certain I was in my hippy phase when this was written. Or psuedo-hippy phase. Oh, mercy.