Jessica Cooperstock

THET 362
Leslie Felbain
12/15/14
Trail Map
1. Start out strong. Eat a healthy breakfast and exercise dailyyou still want to be around
when youre in your nineties. Get at least seven hours a night when you can. Sleep debt
builds up fast, and being low on sleep impairs your judgment just as much as alcohol
does. Take care of yourself.
2. Prepare for anything and everything, but be open to change. Life will alter all of your
plans anyway.
3. Accept criticism with poise. Critiques are good for the soul. If you think the critique
doesnt apply to you, think about it and come back later. You may be surprised. If it still
doesnt apply, let it go.
4. Accept compliments with grace. Theyre usually well meant, and if they arent, accept
them at face value anyway. Lifes too short to waste on too much self-deprecation.
5. Never stop learning. Ever. Learn something new every day, whether that thing be big or
small. Learn a second or third or fourth language, if you can. Travel the world and
immerse yourself in other cultures, if you can. Educate yourself through eyes other than
your own.
6. Dont blind yourself to the world around you. Go into new beginnings with eyes wide
open and a heart willing to accept whatevers to come.
7. Dont close yourself off from possibilities just because they hold the potential to fail.
Nothing ventured is nothing gained. Its better to try and fail and learn something than to
stay stuck in your box.
8. Read. Nourish your soul with words. Keep up to date with the current news. Dont stop
listening to whats going on around the world just because it depresses you. Willful
ignorance is almost as bad as malicious intent.
9. Be willing to be the change in the world. Change doesnt happen on its own. And no,
reblogging that #hashtag but taking no other action does not make you an activist.
10. Dont follow any cause blindly. Take the time to learn what youre talking about before
you endorse it.
11. Work with your hands. Build shelters, cook meals, write life-altering things. Nothing
earth-shattering ever came about while sitting on the couch watching reruns of the
Simpsons.
12. Make time for family, whether related by blood or not. Any relationship can dissolve
under a lack of care. Take the time to be present with those who matter to you.
13. Learn to be comfortable alone. If you cant live with yourself, you cant live with anyone
else.