Words of advice to my children

Heads up - I'm writing this in kind of an intense mind frame.  I've lived now 34 years.  Seen a lot, traveled a lot, met a lot of people etc.  Here are some things I've learned and some advice my kids maybe could use. Well, maybe or maybe they'll have to learn via experience as I've had to for a lot of it.  Some of it seems so simple, so obvious but it's taken me forever to learn.  Here we go:

• When someone asks you to do something or asks you for something you ABSOLUTELY DO NOT HAVE TO SAY YES.  You also don't have to be rude about it and say no right away.  You can say a polite "Let me think about it."  Simple as that!  Seems like I've spend half of my life saying a knee jerk yes or a jerkier no when an "I'll have to think about it" would have sufficed.  I will teach this to my kids early.
• Believe in humanity.  There are so many good people out there and never, ever lose your faith in humanity.  This is crucial.
• Another option to when someone asks something of you.  Pause, think about it, listen, and reflect right there.  My old boss Mark did that to perfection.  He left you wondering sometimes for minutes what he was reflecting on but you could tell when he finally formed his answer, it was wise, oh so wise.  
• Don't believe everything everyone tells you.  Yeah, I'm pretty gullible but unless it is the prophet or apostles or a leader in the Church, take it with a grain of salt.  I'm not saying people are always lying to you but exaggerating, maybe?  A strong maybe.  Another thing I've come to learn is that they are saying things from their point of view.
• See the light of Christ in everyone you meet.  Treat them like their best selves and they will LOVE you for it.  Yeah, still working on that.
• You are an ever-evolving person.  Don't pigeonhole yourself.  If you think you are bad at sports in high school don't think you are always going to be bad at sports.  You change, you grow, and the best part, you excitedly discover new things about yourself.  So cool!
• Don't gossip.  Even if it's true.  Just don't.  
• When you mentally get after yourself, follow it up by a mental pat on the back.  You are a good, loving person.  You are a child of God and God doesn't make junk.
• Don't compare yourself to others.  Just don't.  It was never about you and "them."  It's always about you and Heavenly Father.  The judgement day will not be comparing apples to oranges.  
• Eternal perspective guys.  Pretty simple yet so awesomely hard or epic-ly.  I guess "epic" is the new "awesome."
• Testify of Christ and his unconditional love to everyone as much as possible and most especially to yourself.
• Remember that your Savior is personally there for you.  Hard to wrap your head around isn't it?  But it's so true.
• Whenever people are nitpicking others, don't join in.  Say something positive about that person instead.  
• If you are nervous performing in front of a crowd, send them all the love you have to give via your performance.  You will be so focused on sending love that you will forget you are nervous.  It works. I promise.
• Don't judge others and NEVER think you can play the all-mighty.  That is not up to you.  Love the sinner, not the sin.
• Put as much gratitude in your prayers as possible.  Gratitude builds on gratitude.
• Life is okay (or maybe even just mediocre) in high school but that's just the beginning.  It gets sooo much better the more you are out of it.  Adults are awesome.  They don't judge near as much as in high school and if you do meet an adult judge-r you are not stuck with them.  You have your pick of millions of adults to hang out with.  It's great and you will meet some wonderful people.  What I'm saying is don't get stuck in the doldrums of your youth.  Just know that things keep getting better.
• Make your husband feel like he is worth a million bucks.  
• For goodness sake remember that sense of humor you have??? Well, use it!  Stop being such a sad sack and use it as much as you possibly can.  It will get you out of anything, if not physically at least mentally.  Don't take things too seriously.  There is much humor in even the worst situations.
• About being a sad sack.  Nothing is less attractive then being a sad sack so don't do it.  Be happy. Be of good cheer!
• Reach out to the loner.  You can see them everywhere.  They need you and you need them.  Don't ever be clicque-ish.  Help the underdog.  This is BIG for me.  Please for goodness sake reach out to the meek and lonely.  Sometimes, I think I have purposely undermined myself from being in the in-crowd because there was some part of me, deep inside that just couldn't conform.  A part that knew they would have to be there for the loner forever.  
• When people are being derogatory about others, call them on it.  Don't call them on it in a rude way, please.  In a joking way say something like "hey I'm calling you on that. Chill out man."  

Now friends, I am still learning and I have a lot to learn.  Like what do you do when someone asks you a question that is none of their darn business?  I've been known to say "that's none of your business" or maybe "beeswax" if I remember to be cute about it but I don't know if that's the best approach.  Still figuring it out...

As you can see, I'm intense tonight but I need to put this on paper while it's still fresh.  Maybe I'll add to it every year?  And who knows how much I'll share with my kids?  I hate getting advice.  Who likes that?  Hahaha. See ya.