There's nothing like having a circle of women in your life. Like flowers and bandaids, they are indespensible....

Girlfriends don't always tell you that you're right, but they're usually honest. And they still love you, even when they don't agree with your choices.

I've learned:

1) no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

2) you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

Thanks to the Daily Om.

If you feel shy or awkward in social situations, know that many others are probably feeling the same way too.

If you‚ve ever been to a social gathering where you‚ve felt awkward and uncomfortable, chances are you are not alone.

Guest post by Alexis Sclamberg

1. Give Yourself a Gift

I’m talking about the nourishing kind (not that new purse you’ve been eyeing). Take a bubble bath, an extra long walk, or go for a drive with the windows down and the music blaring—and sing along. I often have solo dance parties in my apartment, and sometimes quiet time alone is gift enough. Pick a gift and commit to getting it today.

1) Realise your own worth.  Avoid comparing yourself with others. Each of us is special, because we are different one from the other. 

2) Set your own goals based on what is important to you, not what others think is important.  Only you know what is best for you.

3) Treasure the things that are closest to your heart.  Cherish them as you would your life, without them life is meaningless.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, or my loving family for less grey hair or a flatter belly.

As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own best friend.

I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making
 my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avant garde on my patio.