Strive to make the best of situations and look for the good in other people, especially when it is difficult to find.
Be able to take a punch, hopefully not literally, and still come up fighting even harder. Persevere.
In Lauren Tarshis’ novel, Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree, Emma-Jean’s mom gives similar advice to her daughter:
"Things don’t always work out the way you want them to. We try, and sometimes we get hurt and sometimes we cry. I guess you could say we even fall out of a tree, in a manner of speaking. But we get up. And next time we don’t go up the same tree, or maybe we go up, but hold on tighter."
Or as Leslie Burke says more simply in Katherine Paterson's The Bridge to Terabithia, “…nothing crushes us.”
Don’t create problems, solve them.
Quotes About Being Resourceful:
"Most people spend more time and energy going around problems than in trying to solve them." - Henry Ford
“Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.” - Ernest Hemingway
“Tap into resourcefulness; unleash creativity; progress will follow.” - Anonymous
“Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” - Arthur Ashe
"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship." - Little Women by Louis May Alcott
Don’t keep looking back or forward. Sometimes it’s best to just to appreciate where you are now.
In Hour of the Bees, Lindsay Eager reminds us of the importance of holding and enjoying the moment. Her character Carolina says of a memorable moment with her grandfather, “If only I could have bottled that moment and saved it for when I needed it - but moments can’t be slowed or repeated. They are lived once, then gone.”
Quotes About Being in the Present:
“What day is it?” “It's today," squeaked Piglet. “My favorite day," said Pooh.” — A.A. Milne
“Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.” — Oprah Winfrey
“Live today. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Just today. Inhabit your moments. Don't rent them out to tomorrow.” — Jerry Spinelli
“Be present in all things and thankful for all things.” - Maya Angelou
You’re old enough now. Younger siblings, cousins, and neighbors look up to you. Set a good example. Have them admire you for the right reasons.
People change the world without violence through courageous words and actions and a dedicated perseverance in pursuing what is right.
Silence and indifference to the suffering of others, however unintentional, serve to perpetuate problems.
Quotes About Being an Upstander:
"The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference." - Elie Wiesel, interview with U.S. News and World Report, 1986
"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." —Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, 1986
"That person who helps others simply because it should or must be done, and because it is the right thing to do, is indeed without a doubt, a real superhero.” - Stan Lee
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Work hard, do your best, and be a kid. Go outside (weather permitting!) and throw a ball or catch a firefly or play a game of pretend. Never be too old or too cool for something fun.
“Play is the highest form of research.” - Albert Einstein
The people who love you most, and that should start with you, wouldn’t want you any other way. Find friends who accept the true you and only push you to be better. And be the same type of friend in return.
Quotes About Being Yourself:
"Being different isn't a bad thing. It means you're brave enough to be yourself." - Luna Lovegood, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” - Dr. Seuss, Happy Birthday to You!
“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
"When the sharpest words wanna cut me down, I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out. I am brave, I am bruised, I am who I'm meant to be, this is me. Look out 'cause here I come. And I'm marching on to the beat I drum. I'm not scared to be seenI make no apologies, this is me." This is Me, The Greatest Showman
Being courageous does not mean that you are not afraid. You can’t control whether or not you are afraid, but you do have control over how you approach your fears.
Quotes About Bravery:
“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.” – Mark Twain
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” ― Nelson Mandela
"Having a superpower has nothing to do with the ability to fly or jump, or superhuman strength. The truest superpowers are the ones we all possess: willpower, integrity, and most importantly, courage." - Jason Reynolds
It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone
“Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness.” - R.J. Palacio, Wonder
“You have plenty of courage, I am sure," answered Oz. "All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.” - L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Feed your mind with books. In The Paperboy by Vince Vawter, the main character asks a wise old customer named Mr. Spiro how to become smart. Mr. Spiro invites him into a houseful of books. The paperboy then asks what’s in the books? Mr. Spiro responds, “All the world and more.”
Don’t be a book collector; be a book reader.
Read all types of writing - biographies, plays, poetry, novels, magazine articles.
Quotes About Reading:
If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” – J.K. Rowling
“Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.” - Lemony Snicket, Horseradish
“If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books.” – Roald Dahl
Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people – people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.” – E.B. White
"There is no Frigate like a Book To take us Lands away" – Emily Dickinson
“Reading for me, is spending time with a friend.” – Gary Paulsen
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go. - Dr. Seuss
Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift. - Kate DiCamillo
Keep a journal of your activities and thoughts. Not only will you become a better writer, you will find that when you reflect and write, you will discover new things about yourself and this self awareness will help you make smart choices on your journey.
Think big, think wildly, think outside the box. Our world needs creative thinkers and problem solvers.
Quotes About Confidence:
“Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.” - Mahatma Gandhi
“Happiness and confidence are the prettiest things you can wear” - Taylor Swift
We all have moments when we think nobody really sees us. When we feel like we have to act out or be somebody else just to get noticed. But somebody notices Topher. Somebody sees. Somebody out there probably thinks you're the greatest thing in the whole world. Don’t ever think you’re not good enough. - John David Anderson, Miss Bixby's Last Day
But also, …
Confidence is key, but you do not wear true confidence like a flashy outfit. There is a fine line between being confident and showing off. Walk that line. Part of being humble is being respectful. Thank you’s and pleases are not only polite, but they show that you do not feel entitled or better than others.
Education is not a competition. Enjoy learning for learning’s sake. Let the grades fall where they may as they often land quite well when you take this approach.
Quotes About Learning:
“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” - Albert Einstein
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” - W.B. Yeats
"They cannot stop me. I will get my education, if it is in the home, school, or anyplace." – Malala Yousafzai
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." – Nelson Mandela
"Children must be taught how to think, not what to think." - Margaret Mead
"I am still learning." - Michelangelo
"Once there was a boy who wanted knowledge." What About Me? by Ed Young
Gratitude is the quality of being thankful, the readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
Quotes About Gratitude:
“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” - Henry Ward Beecher
“Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.” - Misty Copeland
"Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude." - A.A. Milne
“Thank you, hard taco shells, for surviving the long journey from factory, to supermarket, to my plate and then breaking the moment I put something inside you. Thank you.” - Jimmy Fallon
Quotes About Kindness:
The level of our success is limited only by our imagination and no act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted. - Aesop
Be kind to unkind people – they need it the most.- Unknown
Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.- Mark Twain
Always be a little kinder than necessary. - James M. Barrie
Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.- Henry James
A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.-Amelia Earhart
I think probably kindness is my number one attribute in a human being. I'll put it before any of the things like courage or bravery or generosity or anything else. … You can be a lovely person without brains, absolutely lovely. Kindness - that simple word. To be kind - it covers everything, to my mind. If you're kind that's it. - Roald Dahl
When given the choice between being right or being kind choose kind. -R.J. Palacio, Wonder
There are friends and family who you can always count on in a pinch. Be honest and true to them. Reciprocate their love and be the person that they can count on and trust in their lives.
Quotes About Loyalty:
“But it does not seem that I can trust anyone,' said Frodo. Sam looked at him unhappily. 'It all depends on what you want,' put in Merry. 'You can trust us to stick with you through thick and thin--to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours--closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo.” - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
“You think I'm a fool?" demanded Harry. "No, I think you're like James," said Lupin, "who would have regarded it as the height of dishonor to mistrust his friends.”- J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
“Courage and kindness, loyalty, truth, and helpfulness are always the same and always needed.” — Laura Ingalls Wilder
“You stand up for your teammates. Your loyalty is to them. You protect them through good and bad, because they’d do the same for you.” — Yogi Berra
Don’t get too set in your ways. Learn to adapt to new and changing situations. Be open to new possibilities. Life is unpredictable.
Be flexible, yes, but feel free to be stubborn when you think you need to draw a line. Don’t get pushed around. Make strong decisions; do not waver.
We all make mistakes. Own up to yours and forgive others theirs.
Your families and teachers love you, but there’s something you should know if you don’t already. This world’s not all about you! So, share your gifts with the world - your knowledge, your creativity, your kindness, your humor.
As the wise Japanese grandmother in The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata, advises her granddaughter Summer when she is faced with a tough decision: “Sometime it very inconvenient to tell truth. But girl, I be proud to tell truth, anyway.”
Part of being honest is also taking a sincere and authentic approach toward others. Being fake just doesn’t cut it.
Don’t be too quick to judge others. Give them your patience and the benefit of the doubt. Feel empathy for them.
As the character Sal teaches us in Sharon Creech’s brilliant novel Walk Two Moons, you shouldn’t judge someone until “you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins … Until you’ve been in their shoes. In their place.”
In any setting that involves winning and losing, win with respect and modesty; lose with poise and class.
Frankly, perfection is boring.
As Dan Gutman reminds us in his novel, Ted and Me, “… even Ted Williams - the greatest hitter who ever lived - made an out six out of every ten times he came to the plate.”
Sure the people who love you will be happy and proud of all your successes academically, artistically, musically, and athletically. But my biggest hope for you and what will make those others who love you most happy and proud is that you continue to grow into a good person.
Consider what the character Emma Jean, in the Lauren Tarshis novel Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree, says about her friend Colleen:
Colleen wasn’t the prettiest girl in the seventh grade, or the smartest. She wasn’t the best artist or the best violin player or the best dresser. But Colleen Pomerantz was nice. Really, really, really, really nice. Maybe even the nicest girl in seventh grade, though she would never want to brag. Colleen had this idea - a faded crumpled, smudged idea - that being nice counted for something, even in the seventh grade.
She continues:
Everything was so crystal clear! Laura Gilroy was prettier than Colleen. She was a better dancer. But Colleen had the better heart. And wasn’t that the most important thing?
Quotes About the Importance of Being a Good Person:
I prefer to win titles with the team ahead of individual awards or scoring more goals than anyone else. I'm more worried about being a good person than being the best football player in the world. When all this is over, what are you left with? When I retire, I hope I am remembered for being a decent guy. - Lionel Messi
Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. - Albert Einstein
Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands. - Anne Frank