21 Suggestions for Success

This is a repost from last August when I was fixin' to take Scott to college for the first time. (For all y'all non-Southerners, "fixin'" is kinda like "preparing." I don't want y'all getting behind.)

Anyhoo, we've already started saying our goodbyes to Sarah's friends, and I need to confess that it's a whole lot worse than I envisioned. To protect the innocent, I won't name names but there has been an abundance of tears and nasal discharge (something we Southerners refer to as "slingin' snot" in case you ever hear anybody use that phrase... which I wouldn't do on my blog because some of y'all might consider it undignified). So I'll just say that it's just been HARD. And SAD!

Some of these girls have been friends and neighbors for 14 years! They've been a part of our lives for so many milestones.  We've watched them grow from cute preschoolers to darling second graders to geeky sixth graders to self-conscious ninth graders to gorgeous college co-eds. We have shared LIFE with these girls, and now they are going off to explore new worlds and make new friends and begin lives away from their families. And even with the extensive social networking they embrace, things will change. Many of these girls will remain friends and they'll always share a lot of fun memories, but from this day forward things will be different. And they know it.

SO, in honor of my sweet teenage girlfriends who are headed in a dozen directions, here it is again. With one of mine thrown in for good measure ;)

21 Suggestions For Success
By H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

1. Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.
2. Work at something you enjoy and that’s worthy of your time and talent.
3. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
4. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
5. Be forgiving of yourself and others.
6. Be generous.
7. Have a grateful heart.
8. Persistence, persistence, persistence.
9. Discipline yourself to save money on even the most modest salary.
10. Treat everyone you meet the way you want to be treated.
11. Commit yourself to constant improvement.
12. Commit yourself to quality.
13. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.
14. Be loyal.
15. Be honest.
16. Be a self-starter.
17. Be decisive even if it means you’ll sometimes be wrong.
18. Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.
19. Be hold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the ones you did.
20. Take good care of those you love.
21. Don’t do anything that wouldn’t make your Mom proud.

And one more from Suz… remember:

The most dangerous place you’ll ever be is outside the will of God.

Go get 'em, ladies - you're going to be GREAT!!