“ Letting go isn’t about winning or losing. It’s not about pride, it’s not about dwelling on the past. It’s not about loss or defeat. It’s learning, experiencing, and growing. Letting go is to be thankful of the moments that made you laugh, made you cry, made you grow. It’s about all that you have and all that you had. It’s the courage to accept change and the strength to keep moving. It’s growing up. ”

“ One morning you’ll wake up and you’ll think, ‘how did I get here?’ you’ll inhale a long drag of smoke through your lungs, and before you can exhale, pictures from your life pop into your head. Behind each picture lies a story. The first picture you see will make you smile. The image will remind you of a time when you were happy. Actually happy. the kind of happy that makes you jumble your words, the kind of happy that makes your insides twist, the kind of happy that makes you use the word ‘forever.’ the next image that pops up shows you your lowest low. the kind of low that told you to slit your wrists, the kind of low that makes you pull your hair and scream, the kind of low that never wants to know how long forever is. Then you’ll look around you and you won’t know whether to laugh or to cry. And you’ll think ‘I’ve loved and I’ve hated.’ and you’ll realize that you wouldn’t have to hate if you never knew love. ”

“ I’m going to cut to the chase. Life is too short to hang around with bitchy, negative people. So don’t. In high school you want to surround yourself with people who “get you.” You know. People who get your sense of humor and think you’re funny. True friends are those who support your dreams and cheer you on. They provide a soft place for you to fall and are there to comfort you (and eat cookies ‘n’ cream ice cream with you when you’re blue.) Real friends don’t slag you off the moment your back is turned or routinely put you down or humiliate you in front of others. Real friends don’t leave you out. Instead, real friends have your back. In other worlds, they’re fiercely loyal and protective. My friend describes finding real friends as finding your “tribe” which I think is the perfect way to describe it. Your tribe is made up of people you click with. People you can trust. People who would see the world the way you see it. People who like the same things as you. So choose your friends at school who are from your tribe and high school will be way more enjoyable. ”

“ I’ve learned that no matter what happen, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life. I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as making a “life.” I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one. I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. ”

"Bottom line is, even if you see them coming, you’re not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. The big moments are gonna come, you can’t help that. It’s what you do afterwards that counts, that’s when you find out who you really are."

“ You know that moment you feel when you wake up and realize you have more time to sleep? Or, when you accidentally overhear someone say something nice about you? Or when you see someone you like and your heart races? Or even when you reach a goal you set for yourself? Now, remember what that feels like - and next time you’re upset, or sad, or crying - think about that feeling. ”

“ I don’t know what I want to do with my life, I just know I want to do it. I want to see my world. I want to meet every single person breathing on this earth. I want to give everyone a hug or a handshake and I want to make someone’s life a little easier. I want to be different than the people I know because that’s what makes us beautiful. ”

“ Girls are taught a lot of stuff growing up. If a guy punches you he likes you. Never try to trim your own bangs and someday you will meet a wonderful guy and get your very own happy ending. Every movie we see, Every story we’re told implores us to wait for it, the third act twist, the unexpected declaration of love, the exception to the rule. But sometimes we’re so focused on finding our happy ending we don’t learn how to read the signs. How to tell from the ones who want us and the ones who don’t, the ones who will stay and the ones who will leave. And maybe a happy ending doesn’t include a guy, maybe… it’s you, on your own, picking up the pieces and starting over, freeing yourself up for something better in the future. Maybe the happy ending is… just… moving on. Or maybe the happy ending is this, knowing after all the unreturned phone calls, broken-hearts, through the blunders and misread signals, through all the pain and embarrassment you never gave up hope. ”

--Listening to : Hello Hollywood by Olvia Mitchell