Be the girl who can beautifully remold hate into a soft smile and can gracefully handle criticism without retaliation.

jonathanpham:

The greatest investment is not in money, in attention, or in clothes.

It’s in people.

To be so strong that nothing
can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel
that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.

To think only the best, to work only for the best,
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past
and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
so long as you are true to the best that is in you.

-Christian D. Larson

He asked if I was sure as he held my bundle of hair in his left hand and reached for the scissors with the other. A million excuses on why I should hold off ran through my head as my mouth uttered the word

“Yes, I’m ready.”

As I held my breath, my eyes veered to the left where he was sitting, in search of reassurance. Reassurance that I knew what I was doing and that this wouldn’t be another mistake. As I caught his eyes and his comforting smile, I let out a sigh and it was done.

I did it. I’ve chopped off eleven inches of my hair. Eleven inches of my past, both good and bad, eleven inches of mistakes and regrets, eleven inches of my college years. The hair that I grew so tediously for over five years and always longing for it to be long and luscious is now sitting in a bag waiting to get shipped out and I can’t be more happy. I am anticipating that these next eleven inches will have good things in store for me. I will embrace the change.

And Mom is going to freak.