1. People will be forgetful, it is OK
Birthdays, anniversaries, important holidays and in my fish's case, food. No one is perfect. People are going to forget it's your birthday or that you had a dinner date or that you got a haircut. This is not an indicator that they are not their for you or that you aren't important, just simply that they are human, just like you.
2. Life will undoubtedly get foggy
When I forget to clean Ronald's water, it gets a little foggy and unclear. Life is like that especially when people don't show up for you. If we surround ourselves with toxic people then our life can get a little tangled. However, this is not permanent. There are far too many people in this world to keep toxic people close to you. Look for the good people, the stranger who smiles on the street, the girl that picks up your pencil for you, the professor who stays after hours, your friend who never ceases to make you cry laughing.
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3. The world is our oyster
One small fish bowl, a leaf bed and some shiny rocks are all my fish needs to be happy. Granted there are quite some differences in our brain structures, but my fish makes do. As a college student just starting out in the real world fish bowl, things aren't going to always be the best but if I make the most of things thrown my way I can be as happy as I choose to be.
4. Be forgiving
I once heard that holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. If people do forget about important things, forgive and move on. If my fish held a grudge against me every time I forgot to feed him (which is not often, don't worry) or clean his tank, he would probably have died. Forgiveness is a healthy mechanism to survive the hardest and most gruesome situations.
5. People will tap on your glass
There will be times in the business world or in your life here at college that people will, for their own amusement, disturb you or poke fun of you. They will try and get under your skin for a reaction or try to knock you down for their own success. Just know, that this will not work. Their success cannot be determined by knocking others down or picking fun of people. If you stay calm and don't react the people will stop tapping on the glass because you aren't giving them the reaction they wanted. This is success in itself on your part.
6. Life is either sink or swim
In the case of Ronald, my fish, it is either swim or float. But for us, you'll get run over even if you're on the right tracks if you just sit there. Dory said it best, "Just keep swimming." Keep going, keep living, keep trying and always be hopeful, there is no greater feat than to believe in yourself against all odds.
7. Be a good listener
Although Ronald doesn't have a choice, he is a great listener. It is important to lend an ear to those around you. By listening to what someone has to say, you give them the opportunity to work their troubles out themselves with their own words. Through this, we learn not only to listen to people but to hear them.
