While there aren’t moments I completely regret in life, there are things I wish that I had done differently.

I understand that all the decisions I made in the past made me the person I am today. I would like to share this knowledge with the other amazing people in the NC community. 

1. ‘Imperfections’ make you stand out

In the past, having plump lips was not considered beautiful. I used to get bullied by others over the size of my lips. Those same people would also make fun of my tiny behind and my length–I was always the tallest girl in the classroom. This caused me to become extremely insecure and hate my personal appearance for a long time. I avoided wearing lip gloss because I felt it was unflattering. I didn’t want to stand out; it was too painful.

Today, many of my unwanted features and body parts are now seen as “sexy.” Beauty ideals change all the time: in the past, being thin was in but nowadays, everyone wants to be curvy. What will always be a unique and attractive feature of a human being is self-confidence. So bullies, move over and make yourself useful to society by spreading positivity! In the meantime, I will rock my brightest MAC lipstick and wear high-waist jeans just so my legs appear even longer. I am perfect just the way I am.

2. Boys are not worth the headache

During my youth, I used to be too worried about meaningless flings. How they responded to my messages, when they did not respond to my messages and so on. Now, I realize that I could’ve invested my time in people who were worth my time: my family and friends and everyone who took the effort to get to know me.

On the other hand, I learned that people in your life will at some point act in a way that may cause pain and hurt. However, it’s still important to grant everyone an equal opportunity to develop themselves. During personal development, people simply make mistakes. With an understanding of this, I am now happy to be part of someone’s learning curve.

3. Smiling never hurt anyone

During my teenage years, I cried quite a bit (considering my battle against chronic anxiety”>. However, one of the best medicines against negative emotions is smiling. We receive countless blessings every day–even more than we are aware of.

You should smile because you have the honor to share your life with your family, friends, coworkers and classmates. The hurdles you encounter throughout life will only will make you a stronger person. Life only gets better with smiles and laughter.

4. I should have been more positive

I admit that I had a very bad attitude towards others in the past. I believe that I really screwed up my years at college and did not consider my time in California as a blessing. I allowed outside negativity to influence my outlook on life and as a consequence, I ruined some valuable friendships. A positive attitude would’ve lessened my stress, allowed me to be grateful, and given me the chance to encounter even more amazing people.

Unfortunate experiences happen for a reason. My youth taught me this. Each experience also made me stronger.

Want more?

Have you read my instructions on taking a great selfie? (Hint: it has nothing to do with equipment”>.

For more selfie inspiration, follow us on Instagram, @NaturallyCurly

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