Loosen Up

Stress – which makes your neck and shoulders tighten up – is a big cause of bad moods. That’s why relaxing your muscles can help when you’ve got the grumps. Do some stretches that open up your upper body, like reaching for the ceiling with your fingertips, or doing big, backwards circles with your arms. If you’re totally sluggish, you can also slide into a warm bath. The heat from the water will help to loosen tight muscles. Add your favorite bath salts or bubbles for an aromatherapy boost. (Psst: The smell of lavender is proven to be soothing).

Quiet Down

Get to school on time, do your assigments, make the social scene, keep up with extra-curriculars… whew! Sometimes it’s the frantic pace of life that makes a girl feel ornery. What that happens, just close your bedroom door, turn off your cell and make yourself relax for ten minutes (at least). Take deep breaths, do yoga stretches, listen to trancey music, or just gaze at an object that makes you happy, like a picture of your pet or a birthday card from your BFF.

Think It Out

When you’re good and angry, venting might seem like the obvious thing to do. But surprise – it doesn’t necessarily make you feel better to express your anger. In fact, it can make things worse if you bad-mouth someone while you’re feeling irritable, since it can get back to them and mess up your relationship. So wait until that crabby mood passes, before you go emailing or confronting anyone. Do your thinking in silence, or write out your feelings on a piece of paper that you tear up when you’re done. There will be plenty of time to talk later, if you still want to.

Indulge Sensibly

On those days when it seems like Murphy’s Law (“Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong”) was invented to describe your life, do something to cheer yourself up. Let your friend do a makeover on you, download that song you’ve been singing all week, or take your dog for a walk in the park. Just remember to reward yourself with something that’s actually good for you, and that you can afford. Binging on ice cream, or spending all your dough on something too expensive, might seem like a fix – but you’ll end up with regrets, and possibly feeling worse than you started.

Get Real

In the heat of a bad mood, every little frustration can seem like a huge disaster, even when it’s really not. When you’re in this headspace, stop and ask yourself, what’s the worst that could happen here? You missed your bus, so you’re fifteen minutes late. You spilled cola on your white skirt, so you’ll ask your mom to help you get the stain out. Viewed this way, the little irritations of life don’t seem like such big whoop-dee-dos

It is gut-wrenchingly hard to be dumped by someone you love. You just want to cry when your parents and friends tell you “time heals all wounds.” (Since every moment feels like an eternity to you, that’s not such a reassuring thought!) The truth is, being broken up with can be horrible and painful and agonizing. There’s no magic formula for making you feel instantly healed. Getting better and getting on with your life is a process, and it’s one that takes time. However, you can speed things up by being aware of what that process is. Once you know it, you can help yourself get through the stages of recovery and have a goal to look forward to: being over it. Here’s how you can go from hopeless to mopey, to neutral, to warmer, and finally to being truly happy again.

KEEP HOPE ALIVE

If you start forgetting what you ever felt like when you weren’t miserable, it’s time for a reality check. Even after a very tough breakup, when you are feeling sadness and despair, it’s important that you look over the horizon of those feelings and remain aware that somewhere, deep down, there IS a kernel of hope. Maybe you don’t feel it now, but you can see it off in the distance if you look. If you can’t find it, keep looking. Remember this: you were not put on this Earth to be alone.

WALLOW, BUT THEN STOP WALLOWING

When you break up, your instinct can be to hide from the world, stay home in your pajamas, listen to sad love songs, eat junk food (or not eat at all), watch brain-dead TV and cry all day long. This is normal. You should not feel guilty about “wasting your life” doing this… because you’re going to stop soon. After a couple of weeks of hiding away and wallowing in your hurt feelings, you must pick yourself up and make contact with people again. Set a limit on how long you will mourn alone. Two or three weeks should be the very maximum. Write the deadline date for moping on your calendar in red (if you don’t have a calendar, buy one). Then get up on that day, say “today’s the day I move on with my life” and force yourself to do something with other people and NOT mention your ex for the whole day. Take it one day at a time, but get through that day. Then get throught the next one. And so on. You will get a feeling of achievement from doing this. Another thing you could do is to set aside a period of time each day for wallowing. For example, from 7:00 to 8:00 every night. If you catch yourself mourning over him during the day, say to yourself “I’ll think about it between seven and eight” and go on with your day. This works.

FOCUS ON THE PROCESS OF GETTING BETTER

How many times in the past did you waste weeks being upset over something, and now you realize it was all for the best anyway? Or, how many times did you struggle through a hard time in your life, but later you realized that you learned something big from the ordeal? My point here is, focus on the knowledge that, given time, you’ll be able to look back on your experience and take important lessons from it. This may not seem like a helpful thing to hear when you’re still in pain, but you have to intellectually know that you will take something positive out of the pain you’re feeling now, even if that seems like a stupid thing to think right now. Give your intellect some credit, and some say in how you’re going to handle this time in your life.

ACT HAPPY BEFORE YOU FEEL HAPPY

You have to trust that, in time, the heavy fog hanging over your life will become clear. Until then: pretend, pretend, pretend. Don’t feel like smiling your way through school? Try smiling at people for a morning. They’ll smile back. You’ll feel a teeny bit better for being smiled at. You’ll be amazed at how much acting like you feel a certain way helps you actually feel that way.

GIVE YOURSELF ADVICE YOU’D GIVE A FRIEND

Tell yourself this is horrible now, but it was meant to be. Tell yourself that you know it’s for the best. That you know something good will come out of it. That it’s better it happened now rather than later down the road, like if you had gotten married and had to get divorced and break the news to your poor kids. Keep telling yourself until you listen.

LEARN WHAT YOU CAN AND MOVE ON

As things start to become more clear – and you see what was wrong with the relationship and what could have happened differently – figure out if you really had control over what happened. Maybe you could have changed some things. Others, you couldn’t. Deal with the things you could have changed, and realize it’s now in the past and doesn’t matter. Think about what qualities your boyfriend had that you want in future boyfriends, and what ones you don’t. Realize that is valuable information for your future happiness.

GET UP AGAIN

Finally, when you are ready, start dating again. Yes, for the next while you will definitely be comparing every new guy to your ex, and of course you assume they won’t match up to what you had with him. But you might be surprised. You might realize that the universe works in strange ways. Sometimes a relationship that seems perfect ends, so that an even better one can come into your life. If you trust that your life has meaning and a purpose, trust that there is a reason why your relationship had to finish.

DANCE

If all else fails, put on your favorite dance music in the world and dance around your room until you can dance no more. Silly? Yes. A life-safer? Most definitely.

Harness Your Dream Power

Create a dream journal, and you can start to use your dreams to improve your waking life! Experts say that analyzing your dreams can help you unlock secrets of your unconscious mind. You can use this 411 to make better choices, or know which path to take in certain situations. You may even catch a glimpse into your future!

Get Started!

A dream diary doesn’t have to be fancy. It can be a spiral notebook, or even blank scrap paper stapled together. You can make a cute dream dictionary yourself by decorating a blue binder with glittery stars,stickers and pictures from magazines. Or you can buy a ready-made dream dictionary at a bookstore if you like. Whatever you decide to use, the most important thing is writing down your dreams properly so you can analyze them later.

Make It A Ritual

Commit to writing in your dream dictionary every morning when you wake up (or in the middle of the night, if you awaken from a dream). The more often you write down your dreams, the more often you will remember dreams in the coming nights. You will also get better at recalling details and remembering longer pieces of your dreams.

Keep It Handy

Keep your dream dictionary and a couple of pencils right beside your bed. The dream dictionary has to be handy to write in at the moment when you wake up.

What To Write

As soon as you awake, try to capture any memories of dreams you had during the night. Don’t worry if you can’t remember much the first few times you try this. Some people remember all their dreams, but it is more common to forget most of your dreams. Even if you can only remember a few fragments, or one symbol, even a color, anything remembered from your dream is a great start. Write it down in your dream dictionary. You may find you remember more once you start writing. Write everything you can remember, even if you have to set your alarm early to give you time to do this.

Get Creative

Use pictures, not just words, to record the thoughts and events of your dream. If you can picture in your mind something that you saw in the dream, draw it in your dream diary next to your description of it. This will help you remember it clearly later on when it’s time for analysis.

Use All Your Senses

Try to remember every little detail you can about your dream. Think of what feelings, colors, smells, sounds or other sensations you may have encountered in the dream. Think about whether the dream was bright or dark. Did it take place inside a building, or was it set outdoors? If you’re having a hard time thinking of details because your dream seemed vague, give your mind a rest. You can always add more detail to your description if you remember something later. Any description is better than none at all.

Consider The Emotion

When writing down your dream, try to notice if you get a specific feeling about it. Does remembering the dream make you feel sad, happy, angry, nervous? Write that down when you write down your dream.

Track The Date

Write the date (day and month) at the top of the page on which you recorded your dream, so you can look back later and investigate if any events in real life around that time may have influenced what you dreamed about.

Analyzing Time!

Once you have written down your whole dream, you are ready to analyze it if you wish. Read over your dream description and at the bottom, make some point form notes of key dream symbols. For example, if you dreamed that you flew out the window and landed in a field of flowers where you danced with red rabbits, you might make the following point form list:

-flying
-field of flowers
-the color red
-rabbits
-dancing

Use the Myjellybean.com Dream Dictionary

Visit Myjellybean.com’s Dream Dictionary and look up your key dream symbols. Write down the meanings of your symbols in your dream diary. Use the next page in your diary, or the back of the page you recorded your dream on, so it’s easy to go back later (if you want) and see which meanings go with what dream. After you’ve gathered the meanings for your dream symbols (write to Myjellybean.com for help if your symbols aren’t listed), read them over all together. Try to see if you can get a general sense of what your dream is trying to tell you. Do the meanings all seem to be along one theme? Do they fit together in a way that makes sense for your life? Be creative in the way you think about the interpretation of your dream.

Look For Themes

As well as working daily with your dreams, review your whole diary once a month. You will undoubtedly see some themes emerging. Also, meanings may become clear to you that were foggy when you first had the dream. Over time, you will become very adept at analyzing your own dreams. Stick with your dream diary… this is an exciting journey into understanding the communications of your own unconscious mind!

How many times have you said to yourself, usually after something has gone wrong, “I should have followed my instincts. I knew something didn’t feel right…?” So, why don’t we listen to and follow our intuition on a more regular basis?

Everyone Has “Intuition”

Intuition might seem mysterious. When we talk about having “good intution”, we mean that we seem to know information, but we don’t know how we got it. The fact is, intuition is a natural part of being human. If you learn to listen to your intuition, you can use it to guide you and to make amazingly smart decisions in your life!

People Feel Intuition in Different Ways

Some people “feel” intuition with their bodies, such as feeling “hairs rise up on the back of the neck” or “going cold” when something doesn’t feel right. Other people get an intuitive “insight” about other people, such as being able to meet someone and instantly know what kind of person they are. When you are making a decision, pay attention to all of these ways that your intuition communicates with you.

Are You Preventing Your Intuition from Thriving?

Why do so many girls stay in loser relationships – with friends or with boys? It’s because they are thinking about what they want – not what really is. They want so badly for things to work out that they either misunderstand or ignore the “signals” they are receiving about it.

Learn to trust your instincts! To use your intuition, you have to trust yourself. Start listening to those “feelings” you get about situations, and act on that intuition. If you get a strong, negative feeling about a person you just met, don’t ignore it because you think “that’s crazy, I don’t even know them.” Listening to your intuition can save your life in some cases! And in others, it can help you make smart choices, or help you to plan your future.

Intuitive Techniques

When you want to know what your intuition “thinks” about a situation, get quiet. Turn off any noise around you, by focusing on hearing only your inner thoughts. Take a few deep breaths, relax your body, relax your mind, and ask yourself, “What is my gut feeling right now?” “How do I really feel right now?” “What is the right thing to do?” Follow these techniques to make your intuition work for you:

Technique #1: Ask Your Intuition Questions

Many people believe that intuition comes from out of the blue. But you can ask your intuition questions, and it will respond! Close your eyes and ask, “What should I do in this situation?” or “What do I need to know about this.” Remember you may get the answers from a variety of sources. (Feelings, words, physical sensations, and images.)

Technique #2: Use Your Intuition to Increase Your Joy in Life

The feeling of joy and enthusiasm – excitement and happiness about something – is one of the ways your intuition speaks to you. What makes you excited, happy, delighted? What do you look forward to each day? Do more of it! That’s your intuition telling you, “hey, this is how to make yourself really happy!”

Technique #3: Set Goals and Let Your Intuition Help You Achieve Them

Setting clear goals can increase the power of your intuition. You are probably quite clear about what you don’t want in your life. Now, spend time thinking about what you DO want. What does your ideal life look like? Draw pictures or cut out scenes from magazines that illustrate the life you want to create. Write in your journal, imagine. Spend some time each day imagining your ideal life. Form mental pictures about the details of that life. Imagine you are living it now. What are you wearing? What are you feeling? Who are the people around you? The power is within your mind and heart to bring forth the new life you desire. Your intuition will show you the way. A really wise person learns to use her actual experience AND her intuition, so both are working together to guide her decisions.

Technique #4: Look for Coincidences

Some people believe that coincidences are God’s way of giving of signs that we are on the right path. Whether or not you believe that, it’s a fact that synchronicity – noticing unexplained patterns or connections in separate events – can show us that we are on the right path. As you trust your intuition, you will notice that these coincidences seem to occur more often.

Technique #5: Use Positive Affirmations

Write down your goals, visions and dreams. Write a short positive statement that sums up your goal. Here is an example: “wonderful friends flow into my life as I let others see the real me.” Say the affirmative statement several times a day. As you do this, pay attention to any “intuitive feelings” you may get. This will be guidance from your intuition that shows you the best ways of reaching your goal.

Technique #6: Pay Attention to Your Dreams

You should start paying attention to your dreams, because they often send you messages directly from your “subconscious” mind – also known as your intuition!

Remember, trust your intuition enough to act on it! Using your intuition means trusting your own heart – trusting those gut feelings that come from somewhere inside of you. Using your intuition is like exercising any other muscle in your body. The more you listen to your intuition and follow it, the stronger it becomes!

Make a “Pro and Con” List

Talk about a classic, this trick is practically carbon dated! But for a good reason – this is a totally time-tested method for making up your mind when you could go two ways about something.

For instance, maybe you’re thinking about breaking up with Brad, that sweet but quiet guy you’ve been seeing for a couple of weeks, but you can’t decide if it’s the right thing to do. No problemo, just whip up a “Pro and Con” list. Draw a line down the middle of a blank piece of paper, and scribble “Pro” at the top of one column and “Con” at the top of the other. In the “Pro” column, write a list of reasons why it would be good for you to stay with your guy (such as his sense of humor and your shared love of comic books). In the “Con” column, write reasons why you’d be better off without the dude (like the way he flirts with his ex-girlfriend and doesn’t IM you back).

When you’re done, hold up the list. Which column is longer? You’ll be able to eyeball the page and “see” which decision is better for you. (No cheating and writing really big on one side of the list to make it longer! Of course, if you do that, it’s a pretty good sign that you already know what you want to do).

Imagine Doing the Opposite

Another great way to achieve a decision when you’re confused is to think about what you’d typically do in a certain sitch, and imagine yourself doing the opposite of that.

Let’s say you’re obsessed with getting your navel pierced, just like your best friend. Problem is, your salon of choice requires your parents’ signed permission, and your folks are notoriously old-fashioned about this stuff. To get your own way, usually you’d beg and plead with the ‘rentals to say yes, then throw a temper tantrum if they don’t cave in. What would happen if you took a whole different approach?

Instead of going the emotional route, imagine yourself getting all academic on this problem. You could start by doing some serious research to learn how to choose a clean and reputable salon, how you can prevent post-piercing infections, how quickly the hole will close up if you stop wearing a belly ring, etc. Then, you could share your savvy on the subject with mom and dad. Would this help your parentals see you as more mature, and capable of making such a big decision? Are they more likely to say yes when faced with facts, and not fighting? Your gut reaction can be a good sign of which choice you should make.

Be Your Own Best Friend

You don’t always know how to be your own Dr. Phil, but you’re pretty good at doling out advice to friends. Try talking to yourself like you would to your best bud, and you may just find yourself with a clear map to right-ville.

Here’s an example. You already know you want to bring your grades up to a B-average, so your parents will let you go to the camp of your choice this summer. That’s the deal you made. But you’re slipping in History class, and you need to ace the final exam to improve your mark. Then the unexpected happens – an acquaintance slips you what she swears is a copy of the test. What would you tell a friend to do in this situation?

Once you take yourself out of the equation, sometimes it’s easier to see what the savvy choice is. If you’d advise a friend against looking at the scammed test (knowing that if she got caught she could blow her chances completely and get in big trouble), you can apply the same wisdom to your own decision.

Play Fear Factor

Stuck between two options? Get some mental closure by dreaming up the scariest thing that could possibly happen in both cases.

For example, your school is having its annual Spring Fling Talent Show and you’re pretty tempted to try out. You’ve never sung (or acted, or danced) in front of a crowd before, but your friends and folks say that you’re awesome. Plus, your inner diva is itching to wow the crowds, Should you sign yourself up and start rehearsing your heart out? Or will you skip performing in public, and stick to singing into a hairbrush in front of your bedroom mirror?

Imagine the worst that could happen if you take the stage. It’s possible that you could forget your lines, or fall flat on your face, and everyone (and their parents!) will laugh at you. Now imagine the worst that could happen if you bail on performing. You could wind up sitting in the audience, green with envy at the applause your pals in the show are getting, and wishing you’d had the guts to get up there and show everybody what you can do. Once you see the two “worsts” side by side, it’s easy to see the lesser of the two evils!

Investigate It

When a decision seems too huge to make, sometimes you’ve gotta pull a Harriet the Spy and do some detective work.

What if you’re feeling lost in translation at your public school, so your folks offer to send you to a private academy next year? You’ve heard the institution has a good rep for college prep, but you’re worried the girls there might be uber snotty. And you’re definitely not feelin’ those uniforms they have to wear! Then again, the label competition in your current school is making you mental. What’s the best option for high school happiness – and if you make the wrong choice, could it even affect your future?

For major decisions like this one, some fact seekage is in order. For instance, you could visit the school with your parents, and talk to teachers and the guidance counselor. The admin might even let you sit in on a class, so you can scope out the peeps and the learning vibe. Going online to scope out the school website is another option.

When you’ve got the lowdown on all your options, it’s much easier to figure which choice will make you happiest in the long run.

Always Trust Your Gut

Let’s face it – a girl’s life is always throwing random situations her way. When the going gets baffling, try out the techniques we’ve suggested. Take your time with every decision, and always listen to your “intuition” – that little voice in your head that lets you know when you’re making the right move. Remember, practice makes perfect!

Compliment three people everyday.

Watch a sunrise.

Be the first to say “Hello.”

Don’t waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.

Treat everyone as you want to be treated.

Never give up on anybody: Miracles happen.

Stop comparing yourself to other people.

Remember someone’s name.

Pray not for things, but for wisdom and courage.

Be tough-minded, but tender hearted.

Be kinder than you have to be.

Don’t forget that a person’s greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.

Keep your promises.

Don’t gossip.

Remember that overnight success usually takes 15 years.

Leave everything better than you found it.

Remember that winners do what losers don’t want to do.

When you arrive at school in the morning, let the first thing you say brighten everyone’s day.

Don’t rain on other people’s parades.

Keep some things to yourself and don’t promote havoc by backstabbing people you love.

Create a “It Rules To Be Me” List

Make a list of your best qualities. Think about what your best friend, your grandmother, your fave teacher, even your pets (if they could talk!) would say your most positive characteristics are. Make sure you include lots of emotional stuff (like your ability to tell great jokes), as well as physical assets (like the way your hair gets those awesome natural blonde highlights every summer). When you’re feeling blue, read your list to remind yourself how amazing you really are.

Choose a Personal Motto That Rocks

Come up with a personal motto that inspires you to be positive, like “Seize the day!” or “A joyful life is all about a joyful attitude.” Make up your own, borrow a line from a song’s lyrics, or look for inspiring quotes on the internet. Write your saying on your binders, post it in your locker, make a poster of it for your bedroom. And say it to yourself whenever you feel your mood faltering. Mottos not only cheer you up, they help you keep things in persepctive, so you remember what’s really important to you.

Make Passwords Into Positive Words

Instead of having your computer password be something boring or even negative, make it something that will give you a mini confidence boost – like “futureceleb” or “higorgeous” or just “beautiful”. That way, every time you punch in your password, it’s a reminder that you’re awesome!

Create a Happy Box

Get your hands on an empty shoebox and write a positive message on the lid (like “Fabulous!” or just “Happy Box”). Then fill it with items that make you feel good – like pictures of you and your posse, birthday cards, the test you got an A on, silly or sweet notes from friends and crushes, tickets from a super-fun concert you attended, a CD signed by your favorite band, and anything else that makes you smile and feel great about your life. Then next time you’re feeling mopey, open up your box and beam a little ray of sunshine into your day.

Boost Someone Else’s Mood

Nothing makes you feel better than knowing you made someone else’s day. So get out of the dumps by putting a smile on someone else’s face! Tell your mom you appreciate everything she does for you. Let your little brother play with your stuffed animal collection. Watch your grandma’s favorite TV program with her. Volunteer your time at a local community center. Before you know it, you’ll be feeling happier – plus, you’ll be proud of yourself!

1) People never change.
If you don’t like something about the other person now, it WILL become a problem later. 

2) Even if you are unsure of what you want, always be sure of what you DON’T want. 

3) NEVER get into a relationship with a person that cheated/left their significant other for you.  There’s a pretty high chance that they’ll do it again when they’re bored of you or the relationship.  Don’t be a fool.

4) There’s a reason why they are no longer with their ex.  Try not to be jealous. 

5) You shouldn’t have to be constant fear of losing your significant other, always thinking…”Omg, what if i do this and he doesn’t like me anymore?” or “What would she think of me if she knew?”….”What if she wakes up one morning and decides that she doesn’t love me anymore?”  “What if he falls for that girl in his office?” 
You should be confident that if they were approached by a really hot person, they’d just shake it off and walk away.

6) Anyone is capable of anything.  Don’t think they won’t cheat on you.  Trust me, i’ve seen it first hand.  Even the people who you think would never cheat…CAN and WILL.  However, you might never find out (sucks for you).
This point kinda contradicts my last, but whatever!

7) If you start picking up signs of things you DON’T want in a relationship, talk to them about it…and if it seems to go nowhere, Leave.

8) When you stop enjoying the presence of the other person, and the relationship seems like a drag…Get out.

9) When the trust is lost, the relationship goes downhill. 

10) When the lies begin, the relationship ends.

11) If you’re not happy, you should probably end it.  Better now, than later…when you are much MORE attached. 

12) Don’t stay with the person if the bad times outweigh the good times.  If you spend the majority of your time together fighting, then it’s not worth it.

13) Make sure you’re able to stand their temper when they’re mad or when you guys are fighting.  (Because let’s face it, it’s gonna happen a lot if you are together for a while.)

14) None of that break-up, make-up shit.  If it didn’t work the first time around, it won’t EVER work.

15) Do not, i repeat, DO NOT, get too attached.  Always ask yourself, if he were to leave me tomorrow, would I have other things lined up to do?  Never be the person whose world falls apart when their significant other leaves them.

16) If you can’t see yourself with them for a while, don’t get into a relationship.  Have your fun, enjoy your time together, but that’s it. 

17) Try, i mean REALLY try to work at it.  Don’t just step over your problems.  It will always come back.  Try to understand the other point of view.  Don’t always think you are right.   Most of the times, both sides have good reasons to be angry, it’s just both people too stubborn/heated to see the other side. 

18) DO NOT cut ties with your friends once you get into a serious relationship.  You won’t have anyone to turn to when you’re having relationship problems, and no one’s going to want to hang out with you once you get dumped.

19) Try to have the mindset that if they were to leave you tomorrow, you’d be okay.  You’d be sad, of course, but you’d be okay.  Who gives an eff…their loss!

20) Try not to take breaks, but if absolutely necessary, be clear what the “break” means.  Be specific.  Don’t pull a Ross. 

21) Breaking up is not the end of the world.  (Despite what you may think at the time.)

22) After a break-up, you have to work on bettering yourself.  If you run into them or talk to them six months later, you’d want to be able to make them think, “Damn, I wish I hadn’t let her go” or “Her new boyfriend is a lucky bastard”. 
You may think…”Why do i even care what my ex thinks of me?  I don’t give a s***.  I shouldn’t even be doing anything because of them.” 
But no, think of it this way:  If you are constantly bettering yourself, one relationship after another…in the end, it’s for YOUR benefit.  You become a much better person overall.

23) Always trade up. 
You would think this a given right? But it just blows my mind how some girls (or guys) can go from someone who treated them really well to someone who treats them like a P.O.S.   Every guy that i’ve dated has been better (for me) than the previous guy.  Otherwise, there’d be no point.  Don’t settle for less.

24) Hanging out with you ex = bad idea. 
Unless you’re both single…and just looking for some ass. 

25) Have fun!

Myjellybean.com gets hundreds of letters from teenage girls who are unhappy with the way their bodies look. That’s a lot of unhappiness… and it’s all for nothing!

Stop Being So Hard On Yourself!

Punishing yourself for not having a perfect body is crazy. Your body is “perfect” if it WORKS – period. If you have ever looked with pity at someone who was missing a limb, or had to use a wheelchair, you know that’s true. Being happy in having a body that does what you need it to – like walking into a loved one’s arms, dancing to music, being able to jump for joy – is true happiness. Compared to not having a body that works, having a few extra pounds or a patch or cellulite can seem pretty unimportant.

It’s About Being Positive

Happy people attract others through their confidence and great attitude. And if you don’t love yourself – including your outer package – you cannot really be happy. Unfortunately, girls are constantly bombarded by attacks on their self-esteem from “perfect” images in the media. So how can you cope?

Look In the Mirror, Not at Fashion Mags

Be honest with yourself and practice self-acceptance. Due to genetics and body types, not everyone can be as thin as Britney Spears. (Not to mention, she has a personal chef and three personal trainers!) But we CAN all be healthy. Instead of comparing yourself to a model on the cover of a magazine, or a superstar singer, look in the mirror to find your own standard of beauty. If you love yourself, body quirks and all, you can protect yourself from dangerous media stereotypes.

Here are Myjellybean.com’s Top 10 Tips for Loving Your Body:

Quit dividing your body into parts.

“I like my thighs but I hate my fat stomach,” for example. This kind of thinking is harmful to your self-image. Your are not a collection of parts, you are a whole person. Appreciate how well your whole body works together to keep you going strong. Love the whole you.

Stop teasing your body with food.

Don’t punish your body by playing mind games with food. Food is not the enemy. Eat healthy but don’t obsess. Allowing yourself to enjoy treats helps prevent bingeing and keeps you in control. Food is the fuel we need to keep our bodies going. Give your body good fuel, and it will keep up with you. Starve your body, and it will rebel and make you sick.

Uncover the whole you.

Focus on who you are and not just on what your body looks like. Acknowledge the whole you and not just your body. What are your gifts, talents, and dreams? What have you done to uncover your hidden assets? How many lives have you touched? How is the world a better place because you are in it? Feel beautiful. You are!

Be your own best friend.

Speak lovingly and positively to yourself. Fight negative self-talk by complimenting yourself. Look for the good and praise it. Remind yourself how wonderful you are.

Experience joy.

Take pleasure in just being alive. Be grateful for all you have and all that you are able to experience. Life is too short to be miserable over the external things that will fade away with time. Focus on living each moment from the inside out.

Pamper your body.

Treat yourself to a facial, a manicure, or a pedicure. Indulge in a long, hot bubble bath. Wear a wonderful fragrance. Treat your body like something you treasure!

Be realistic.

Take a good look at the other real bodies around you. The majority of people are not models. Appreciate the beauty of your own body and stop comparing yourself to glossy media images. You are a real person in three dimensions.

Exercise your body.

Learn the basics of exercise and set realistic goals. Your focus should always be on your health. Be the star of your own fitness program. Walk, run, bicycle, or do yoga. Exercise makes you feel good about your body, and it makes your body feel good. Indulge your body in fun, feel-good activities often.

Find your own style.

Dress up your self-esteem by taking care of your appearance. Wear clothes that are flattering to your figure no matter what size you wear. Stop waiting until you lose a “little more weight” before feeling good about yourself.

Ask for support and encouragement.

Ask for TLC from family and friends when life is stressful or you are feeling down. Being around others who love you can remind you just why you are so loveable.

Myjellybean.com gets hundreds of letters from teenage girls who are unhappy with the way their bodies look. That’s a lot of unhappiness… and it’s all for nothing!

Stop Being So Hard On Yourself!

Punishing yourself for not having a perfect body is crazy. Your body is “perfect” if it WORKS – period. If you have ever looked with pity at someone who was missing a limb, or had to use a wheelchair, you know that’s true. Being happy in having a body that does what you need it to – like walking into a loved one’s arms, dancing to music, being able to jump for joy – is true happiness. Compared to not having a body that works, having a few extra pounds or a patch or cellulite can seem pretty unimportant.

It’s About Being Positive

Happy people attract others through their confidence and great attitude. And if you don’t love yourself – including your outer package – you cannot really be happy. Unfortunately, girls are constantly bombarded by attacks on their self-esteem from “perfect” images in the media. So how can you cope?

Look In the Mirror, Not at Fashion Mags

Be honest with yourself and practice self-acceptance. Due to genetics and body types, not everyone can be as thin as Britney Spears. (Not to mention, she has a personal chef and three personal trainers!) But we CAN all be healthy. Instead of comparing yourself to a model on the cover of a magazine, or a superstar singer, look in the mirror to find your own standard of beauty. If you love yourself, body quirks and all, you can protect yourself from dangerous media stereotypes.

Here are Myjellybean.com’s Top 10 Tips for Loving Your Body:

Quit dividing your body into parts.

“I like my thighs but I hate my fat stomach,” for example. This kind of thinking is harmful to your self-image. Your are not a collection of parts, you are a whole person. Appreciate how well your whole body works together to keep you going strong. Love the whole you.

Stop teasing your body with food.

Don’t punish your body by playing mind games with food. Food is not the enemy. Eat healthy but don’t obsess. Allowing yourself to enjoy treats helps prevent bingeing and keeps you in control. Food is the fuel we need to keep our bodies going. Give your body good fuel, and it will keep up with you. Starve your body, and it will rebel and make you sick.

Uncover the whole you.

Focus on who you are and not just on what your body looks like. Acknowledge the whole you and not just your body. What are your gifts, talents, and dreams? What have you done to uncover your hidden assets? How many lives have you touched? How is the world a better place because you are in it? Feel beautiful. You are!

Be your own best friend.

Speak lovingly and positively to yourself. Fight negative self-talk by complimenting yourself. Look for the good and praise it. Remind yourself how wonderful you are.

Experience joy.

Take pleasure in just being alive. Be grateful for all you have and all that you are able to experience. Life is too short to be miserable over the external things that will fade away with time. Focus on living each moment from the inside out.

Pamper your body.

Treat yourself to a facial, a manicure, or a pedicure. Indulge in a long, hot bubble bath. Wear a wonderful fragrance. Treat your body like something you treasure!

Be realistic.

Take a good look at the other real bodies around you. The majority of people are not models. Appreciate the beauty of your own body and stop comparing yourself to glossy media images. You are a real person in three dimensions.

Exercise your body.

Learn the basics of exercise and set realistic goals. Your focus should always be on your health. Be the star of your own fitness program. Walk, run, bicycle, or do yoga. Exercise makes you feel good about your body, and it makes your body feel good. Indulge your body in fun, feel-good activities often.

Find your own style.

Dress up your self-esteem by taking care of your appearance. Wear clothes that are flattering to your figure no matter what size you wear. Stop waiting until you lose a “little more weight” before feeling good about yourself.

Ask for support and encouragement.

Ask for TLC from family and friends when life is stressful or you are feeling down. Being around others who love you can remind you just why you are so loveable.