I credit my mentors for their support and encouragement through the dark storms and good times in my life thus far. I, too, have served in multiple capacities as a mentor. Over time, I have always saved the best advice and words of wisdom from my mentors in my mind and heart. It would be selfish of me to keep them to myself, so here are my favorite words of wisdom from my mentors.
1. "Do your best and let go of the rest."
All you can do is do the best that you possibly can. There is no need to strive for perfection. Realistically, perfection isn't attainable. Too many times, we overwork ourselves while on a mission to reach the highest level of perfection -- or close to it. What's the point? Why stress? Give it your all and learn how to be OK with your efforts and let go of the rest. In the end, you are only competing with ourselves.
2. "Don't wait for someone else to pat you on the back, do it yourself!"
Stop looking for others to give you compliments or commend you on your achievements. The best compliment comes from you. Learning how to be proud of yourself can be one of the best feelings. You owe it to yourself to congratulate yourself.
3. "Stay humble."
While patting yourself on the back and enjoying the bliss of self-appreciation, don't forget to stay humble. Joel Osteen said it best: "It's flattering to people who stop you and say that you've helped them and all. But, again, you know, you've got to stay humble because as quick as you came up, you can come down."
4. "Crying isn't a sign of weakness."
I've never been one to cry in public, especially in hard times, but over time, I've learned crying is liberating. Being vulnerable can be uncomfortable, but allowing yourself to experience it is a sign of growth and maturity. We all hurt at times and there is no point in hiding it and keeping it in, it only makes the issue deeper. (This doesn't mean you need to burst into tears in the middle of the mall because Forever 21 doesn't carry your size in the new dress you were hoping to purchase -- let's not remind everyone of your past terrible two's. )
5. "Ask for help when needed."
While saying you are superwoman/superman sounds cool, trying to juggle too many things at once will only lead to burnout. Don't be stubborn, ask for assistance when needed. Remember, Batman needed Robin. Asking for help isn't always as bad as it may seem.
6. "Don't be afraid of failure."
Failure can sometimes lead to some of the biggest blessings that can be bestowed upon us. It's OK to accept the fact that you failed, but take the lessons learned and utilize them as tools in your journey towards success.
7. "You don't have to like everyone and everyone isn't going to like you."
Forcing yourself to like everyone and forcing someone to like you is so inauthentic. It's simple, move on and press forward. It's life, this may and will happen!
8. "Sometimes you have to look in the mirror and tell yourself I can do this."
Encouraging yourself can prove to be one of the greatest strengths that a person has within. Try it!
9. "Laugh a lot."
Laugh during the good times. Laugh during the bad times, it's hard but it can help. Laugh when you make a silly mistake. Laugh when you have a "blonde moment." Laughter is imperative to enjoying every second of life. But don't take this too seriously. Disclaimer: Laughing at others during embarrassing moments is not necessarily the point... laugh at your own discretion.
10. "Love yourself, all of you."
Love who you are. Love the person that you have become. Love the flaws. At the end of the day, if no one loves you, love yourself. Everyone deserves to be loved and feel loved, right?
Hopefully these words of wisdom serve as inspiration and encouragement in your life. If I can't give anything, I share with you the best advice my mentors have passed on to me. What a great gift, right?