1. Love yourself. Almost no one is satisfied with the way he or she looks. Most of us are not like the models we see on TV or in magazines. Remember that you are unique.
2. Be yourself. You cannot be cool all the time. Don’t sacrifice yourself to be with someone who doesn’t respect you, or care about you (you don’t deserve it!)
3. Believe in yourself — if you don’t, how can you expect others to?
4. Always set goals that you can reach. If you have done enough, then award yourself for it. Smile and say: “I did great today”. Say it three times and mean it.
5. Learn the power of colour. Blue is calming, red gives you energy, orange makes you more optimistic, turquoise makes you less shy and more confident in yourself.
6. Believe dreams can come true; it’s the first step on the road to making them happen.
7. Learn to say «No». If you really don’t want to do something, say so.
8. Eat breakfast. People who make time for it are slimmer and healthier.
9. Exercise! It’s really worth the time and effort it takes! Exercise is fun. It strengthens your muscles. It is a good way of meeting people and making friends. It helps to get rid of pent-up emotions and anger and it can lift your mood.
10. If you are not used to exercise, here are some tips for you:
— When you have to walk somewhere, walk faster.
— Walk up stairs instead of taking a lift.
— Walk short distances rather than catching the bus or train.
11. Beware of watching too much television, be active!
12. Get eight hours sleep a night — you’ll feel and look better for it.
13. Feeling low? Try talking to someone you trust and respect — perhaps a friend or a parent. Play happy music or read a poem out loud. Try doing a crossword. Or simply take a nap. Just 10 minutes of sleep can improve your mood.
14. Write down five things you really enjoy doing. When did you last do them? Make plans to do them soon.
15. Expect to fail, sometimes. It happens to everyone, no matter how successful. The important thing is to learn some useful lesson from your disappointments.
16. Learn the power of positive speaking — sounding optimistic makes you feel that way.
17. Worried about something? What advice would you give your very best friend? Take that advice yourself.
18. Don’t buy anything new that doesn’t look better than your favourite thing in your wardrobe.
19. Be social. People with friends live longer than loners.
20. Join something — a sports club or a drama society. People who feel involved are more optimistic and more successful.
21. Our furry friends make us much happier. They love us and accept us for what we are.
22. Crying is an important way of getting rid of stress-generated chemicals that would otherwise build up in your body.
23. Remember some words of wisdom:
— Life is what you make of it.
— If you want to be happy for life, love what you do.
— There is no time like the present.
— The shortest distance between two people is a warm smile and a good laugh.
— Humour adds years to your life and life to your years.