In my short 20 years of life I could say I've learned a lot, but that doesn't mean I don't have even more left to learn. In the knowledge that I have amassed in my oh so wonderful lifespan, there are a few "life hacks" I have come to know and live by.

1. Be Yourself

Obviously this one is a bit cliché, but it's so very true. Being yourself is one of the most important things you could ever do. It shows that you respect yourself and who God made you to be. When you remain true to yourself, you are setting an example for others, loving yourself, and ultimately being the best you that you can be, and there's no one else you should ever be but yourself!

2. Smile Often

Being a Positive Polly in today's world has become almost impossible and being a Negative Nelly is pretty much encouraged. But stay positive. Smile. It exercises your face muscles, makes yourself happy, and makes others happy. You never know what someone else is going through, your smile might be the only one they see that day. I know resting b*tch face is something I suffer from personally, but even when I'm having a bad day it always helps to smile.

3. Laugh At Stupid Jokes

I say stupid loosely here. I love jokes. Probably way too much, and I laugh at all of them. Puns are my favorite. But laughing always makes me feel better. Having a bad day? Get someone to make me laugh and it instantly brightens my mood. I laugh all the time, so much that I should have a six-pack of abs. But I love it, it's one of my favorite things to do and I'm so thankful God gave us the ability to laugh.

4. Take Responsibility For Yourself

This is my mantra. If you put your name on something, follow through with it. If you tell someone you are going to do something, do everything in your power to make sure it happens. Your word will sometimes be the only thing people can trust from you. Remaining true to yourself also falls under this category because if you stay true to yourself you should also take responsibility for your actions and follow through with everything to the best of your ability.

5. Try new things

Again with the cliché, but it's so very true. I'm an extremely picky eater, but more and more I find myself branching out and trying new foods. Step outside your comfort zone and do something different. Join an organization of something you otherwise wouldn't be around. Make friends with the girl sitting by herself. Dance around at concerts when nobody else is. Just branch out, step outside the box, and try new things.

I know these are super predictable and you have all heard them before, but they still remain true to me. Life isn't always easy and it isn't always fun, but its the only thing we've got. So we may as well make the most of it before it's too late. Learning from our past and our mistakes is so important to better our future. We can't help but inherently learn different "hacks" that remind us how to handle certain situations and make it through this crazy thing we call life.