Be still and close your eyes.

1. Your body is a temple. Embrace it.

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

We have heard this mantra for as long as we can remember. It’s ironic though how often we struggle with learning to embrace and love ourselves. If you haven’t already, learn to adore every curve, every scar, every dimple, every freckle, every gray hair, every little imperfection, because each of these things makes you perfectly you.

2. Stop and smell the roses.

Sweet, cool rain on your face, a strong cup of coffee after a long night, sun kissed cheeks, or the way the pages of your favorite book feel between your fingers. We need to realize that these are the instants our lives are molded around, that these tiny things that we take for granted every day—these snapshots of time—are, in fact, what makes up our entire lives. They bring us from the lowest of the lows to our all time highs. From young soul to old soul.

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” ~ Ferris Bueller

Ferris is a smart man. Listen to him.

3. Being uncool is cool.

Bad hair days, big zits, off-brand clothing, moms who kiss you at the bus stop when you’re 15. We all know what it feels like to think that these things ultimately equate to the end of our world as we know it.

What I wish my old soul could whisper to my young soul is that those things are bullshit. That feeling uncool or out of place is going to happen more times than not.

But here is the big secret—the one that only the truly “uncool” will ever understand.

We find pleasure in things that no one else will ever understand—things like reading The Great Gatsby over and over again, or the thrill we find in making the perfect cup of coffee, or that, secretly, we love staying in on Friday nights watching the latest episode of Girls over getting drunk with our friends.

Stop hiding in fear of rejection. Scream from the mountaintops your quirks. But above all, be proud. Stand tall for all that makes you uncool.

4. Giving is always better than getting.

Want to know the quickest way to bring yourself joy? Give. Whether you’re giving your own possessions, moods, feelings, or just good advice, it doesn’t matter. You will never find yourself closer to nobility than when you offer a piece of yourself without expecting anything in return.

5. Never stop learning.

Strive to learn something new every day. Your brain may appear physically small in stature, but its storage capacity is infinite. Knowledge is the greatest of any power; don’t ever forget it.

6. Learn the art of being still.

Stop. Just stop. And sit. Or stand. Either way, be still and close your eyes. Feel your surroundings. Remember the smells that infiltrate your nose, the sounds that permeate your ears and the way the hairs on your arms stand when the wind kisses them.

In a world where we are constantly spinning ourselves out and pushing to the absolute edge, learning to be static can be unnerving. What we don’t realize is that in our constant state of motion, we are missing out on the beauty that stillness can bring.

Ally Kupcewicz is a Georgia native who decided the mountains of Colorado were more her style. Lover of all things furry, a strong cup of coffee, trashy magazines and practicing yoga, Ally has recently taken the leap into freelance writing. Traveling to third world countries to help those who can’t help themselves, and being able to write about it, is her biggest aspiration. Ally’s biggest daily mantra comes from her favorite yogi, Rachel Brathen: “Life happens for us, not to us. Let it all be.”

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Ed: Thandiwe Ogbonna & Brianna Bemel