Jessica Cooperstock

THET 362

Leslie Felbain

12/15/14

Trail Map

1. Start out strong. Eat a healthy breakfast and exercise daily—you still want to be around when you’re in your nineties. Get at least seven hours a night when you can. Sleep debt builds up fast, and being low on sleep impairs your judgment just as much as alcohol does. Take care of yourself.

2. Prepare for anything and everything, but be open to change. Life will alter all of your plans anyway.

3. Accept criticism with poise. Critiques are good for the soul. If you think the critique doesn’t apply to you, think about it and come back later. You may be surprised. If it still doesn’t apply, let it go.

4. Accept compliments with grace. They’re usually well meant, and if they aren’t, accept them at face value anyway. Life’s too short to waste on too much self-deprecation.

5. Never stop learning. Ever. Learn something new every day, whether that thing be big or small. Learn a second or third or fourth language, if you can. Travel the world and immerse yourself in other cultures, if you can. Educate yourself through eyes other than your own.

6. Don’t blind yourself to the world around you. Go into new beginnings with eyes wide open and a heart willing to accept whatever’s to come.

7. Don’t close yourself off from possibilities just because they hold the potential to fail. Nothing ventured is nothing gained. It’s better to try and fail and learn something than to stay stuck in your box.

8. Read. Nourish your soul with words. Keep up to date with the current news. Don’t stop listening to what’s going on around the world just because it “depresses you.” Willful ignorance is almost as bad as malicious intent.

9. Be willing to be the change in the world. Change doesn’t happen on its’ own. And no, reblogging that #hashtag but taking no other action does not make you an activist.

10. Don’t follow any cause blindly. Take the time to learn what you’re talking about before you endorse it.

11. Work with your hands. Build shelters, cook meals, write life-altering things. Nothing earth-shattering ever came about while sitting on the couch watching reruns of the Simpsons.

12. Make time for family, whether related by blood or not. Any relationship can dissolve under a lack of care. Take the time to be present with those who matter to you.

13. Learn to be comfortable alone. If you can’t live with yourself, you can’t live with anyone else.