At some point, you have heard the saying “When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.” Well I am here to tell you that if life hands you lemons… do not make lemonade. Now, before you get all worked up about this, hear me out for a second.

Lemons and lemonade; seems pretty normal that you would make lemonade if you have lemons. Key word here: “normal.” Lemonade is exactly that –– normal. You are handed lemons, and you are expected to make lemonade because that is what most people do when life gives you lemons.

Think of when you were younger and you were given a sheet of paper and a pair of scissors. You then proceeded to create some cool shape by folding and cutting the sheet in different ways. You had those kids that made a really neat looking snowflake, and then you had those kids that made triangles and squares all over the sheet of paper. And then you had those kids that by some grace of the art gods, they made a dinosaur out of their sheets.

I encourage you to be one of the kids that made a dinosaur. Be that kid when life gives you lemons. Instead of making lemonade, make a lemon pie or make some tangy lemon chicken.

The point here is that you must think outside the box in order to see that some things in life serve a much greater purpose than what they are always used for. Now, in case you haven’t made the connection yet… I am clearly not just talking about lemons here. I am talking about you.

You serve a much greater purpose than what your teachers, peers and even (sometimes) your parents give you credit for. Always been the class clown? Surprise those that know you and show them that in addition to having hilarious jokes, you are secretly a math whiz and love working with numbers. Always been the quiet, shy kid in the group? Surprise everyone by singing your lungs out with your Adele-like voice to your favorite song next time you’re in the car together.

In life, we get objects and obstacles thrown at us that we don’t know how to handle so we end up just taking the easy and familiar route. Life gives you lemons, you can’t think of anything firsthand that you can make with lemons besides… what else? Lemonade.

You are able to do so much more with whatever life throws your way than just plain old regular lemonade. Step out of your comfort zone and try something new and deal with life in as many ways possible to see what works and what doesn’t. After all, you will have to make several lemon pies to get the taste just right- not too sweet and not too sour.

Next time, when life gives you lemons, make some lemon pie –– and have a glass of lemonade next to you too.