2. “I will appreciate others for who they are.” – Sometimes the way you think about a person isn’t the way they are. On the outside, maybe they laugh, and maybe they cry; but you would be surprised at everything they keep deep inside. So pay close attention, and love the people you care about for who they are, and not for who you want them to be. In the long run, this is how you will get the best of them.

3. “I will speak kindly and consciously to others.” – Open your mind before you open your mouth. Don’t mix bad words with a bad mood. Just be calm and deal with your emotions. You’ll have many opportunities to change your mood, but you’ll have an extremely tough time recovering the words you have spoken.

4. “I will speak kindly and consciously to myself.” – Wait, what did you just say to yourself? Were they the inspiring, comforting words you would speak to a friend? Or were they the belittling remarks you might shout to an enemy if you had no heart. Or the negative assessments about life you would utter if you had no faith? All day long we speak silently to ourselves, and a part of us believes every word. So stay mindful, and ask yourself, “If I had a friend who always spoke to me in the same way that I am speaking to myself right now, how long would I allow that person to be my friend?”

5. “I will stop trying to control everything.” – I hate to break it to you, but you can’t control everything in your life no matter how many safeguards you put into place. But thankfully, you don’t have to control everything to find peace and happiness. It lives with you always, deep within. More than getting into the nuances of control itself, you should be more interested in encouraging yourself to commit to giving it up, on purpose. See what happens when you loosen your grip, throw your hands into the air, and allow life to just happen and flow as it does, without constant micromanagement. Read The Power of Now.

6. “I will appreciate the beauty of small moments.” – Positive minds live positive lives. There is always, always something to be thankful for and something to smile about. The happiest people are not those who get everything they want; they are those who, while in pursuit of worthy goals, notice and appreciate the beauty and sweetness of everyday moments.

7. “I will do what I think is right.” – What comes easy won’t always last, and what will last won’t always come easy. So do the right things, not the easy things. Whatever comes your way, whatever battle is raging inside you, you always have a choice. In the end, it’s the choices you make that make you who you are. And no matter what, you can always choose to do the right thing.

8. “I will grow from my challenges.” – You can be stunned, awakened, and changed by what happens to you, but choose to grow from it, and refuse to be reduced by it. Repeat after me: “I am determined to live a happy life no matter my challenges. I will turn all my tales of fury into tales of glory. I will turn all of my tales of woe into tales of WOW!”

9. “I will realize and use my power.” – The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. In a world filled with doubt, you must dare to dream. In a world filled with anger, you must dare to forgive. In a world filled with hate, you must dare to love. In a world filled with distrust, you must dare to believe. And once you do, you will find that power you once thought you lacked.

10. “I will follow the path my heart longs to take.” – Life is too short to live with regrets. So love the things that make you smile, let go of the things that make you cry, and believe that everything happens for a reason. Follow the path that your heart longs to take; it’s your time to shine. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. You are far from what you once were, but not yet who you are going to be. Read The Last Lecture.

11. “I will have some fun while I’m doing it all.” – Some people frantically seek a predetermined definition of success as though their entire self-worth depends on whether or not they make it to the top. Their goals and routines are wound tight around stringent routines that they repeat every single day without stopping to breathe. And while discipline is important, think about how much better off they’d be if they unwound their vision just a little – like kite string – and ran with it like an optimistic youth, breathing and working, just for the joy of seeing if they can make it touch the clouds.