As my dad turns 50, I thought a lot about the ways that he's inspired me to live my life. If I have learned anything in the short 17 years that I've spent on this planet, it's to:

1. Spend time with family

2. And friends.

3. Look forward to the future, instead of dwelling in the past.

4. Love everything

5. Make promises... and keep them!

6. Set goals for yourself.

7. Make commitments to future events.

8. Learn. Everywhere.

9. Inspire others.

10. Dream big.

11. Make memories that will last a lifetime.

12. Allow time for yourself to heal.

13. Leave a legacy.

14. Go on an adventure.

15. Seek out new opportunities.

16. Better yourself by doing good things for others.

17. Stop and smell the roses. Life moves so fast sometimes, if we don't stop to appreciate it.

18. Live without regret. If you make a mistake, learn from it.

19. Tease your siblings.

20. Embarrass your children. (Or be embarrassed by your parents)

21. Help others. Try to do one random act of kindness every day.

22. Self-actualize. Everybody is good at something, and nobody is good at everything. Appreciate yourself for who you are.

23. Do things that make you happy.

24. Eat dessert first.

25. Travel the world, whether it's in your hometown or countries away.

26. Look back on happy memories.

27. Be yourself, and don't apologize for it.

28. Eat ice cream every Saturday... (Sunday... And Monday... Tuesday.. Wednesday.. OK, Ice Cream is good every day)

29. Eat breakfast for dinner.

30. Limit your TV or electronics time, and go out and do something.

31. If an apple a day doesn't keep the doctor away... Try chocolate.

32. If you're tired and contemplating going out.. Go out. You can sleep when you're dead.

33. Take pictures wherever you go. There's no vacation without documentation.

34. Don't bother making your bed, there's more important things to do.

35. Laugh at yourself. If you don't laugh, you'll probably cry.

36. Embrace differences. If everyone in the world was the same, life would be boring.

37. Watch the sunrise.

38. Sing in the shower, no matter who's laughing/listening outside of your bathroom door.

39. Read for fun-- without annotating! Yay!

40. Vote-- even in local elections-- and make an informed choice about the candidate you're voting for.

41. Sleep in every once in a while. Or twice in a while. Or every Sunday.

42. Celebrate milestones with others. What does it matter if you don't have someone to celebrate the fruits of your labor with?

43. Use sunscreen. You can buy yourself a spray tan later, but don't damage yourself to try to impress others.

44. Look for recycling bins, instead of tossing your cans and bottles in the trash.

45. Look at the stars every once in a while. If you can't see them where you live, drive somewhere where you can. Appreciate the beauty that nature provides for us.

46. Keep music in your life in some way. Whether it's listening, playing, or performing, it provides something that everyone can relate to.

47. If you go to a party, bring something with you. Whether it's food, or a gift for the host, it will always be appreciated.

48. Take care of your body, you only get one.

49. Give thanks to public servants. Your local police, teachers, firemen, doctors, etc. all work very hard to try to make improvements to overall life. Thank them, and make their day and jobs that much better.

50. You never know what tomorrow will bring, so tell always tell your family and friends that you love them. Give them a hug.