5 things I want my daughter to know.

I am 27 years old, and have an amazing daughter who just turned 5. I get a bit anxious thinking about how life will be for her when she is a young adult. People today are hurting more than ever. People today are broken. People today seem lost.

I want my daughter to be above that. I want her to live a life of purpose. Most everyone has been hurt, broken, and lost at some point (including me). Here is a list of things I think are important and I would like my daughter to know about life when she’s older:

1. Partying is not important- focus on things that will make you a better person. You will be better off if you choose not to party when you are young. Drinking typically leads to drama, hurt, broken hearts, and poor choices. I have seen people arrested, relationships ruined, and plenty of poor choices made by people who have abused alcohol.  Avoid the consequences- choose to stay away from that. Going down that path can open doors for other things such as drugs. Drugs are horrible. They ruin families. You will be better off if you never touch alcohol, and especially drugs. People abuse drugs and alcohol because they are trying to fill a void in their life. Drugs/alcohol will never fill the void like people hope. It only makes life more difficult.

2. Wait for the right man. Every girl wants her prince. We all want to feel loved and appreciated. If you fool around with every random guy what’s to say that you won’t miss your prince? Most guys these days are interested in one thing. The right guy will be interested in your heart. He’s the one worth waiting for. It might take longer than you’d like but it will be worth it in the end. A broken heart is not fun. The right guy won’t break your heart.

3. Keeping your heart right with God is important. Many things will come and try to knock you off the right path with God. It’s good to have strong beliefs that won’t be swayed with temptation. Don’t miss out on all that God wants for you because you weren’t obeying Him. Follow God and He will help you navigate through this life.

4. Never settle for less than what you deserve. This is so important. People today are stuck in relationships because they feel like they won’t find better. People are in dead end jobs because they don’t feel like they are “smart” enough. You deserve the best! Don’t settle for anything else! I settled for things in my life. I learned the hard way, and it’s taken me years to finally get back on the right track. I could’ve avoided all the heartache and grief had I just determined for only the best in my life.

5. Be true to yourself- stand true to your convictions. You’ll end up regretting following the crowd. People today give into peer pressure all the time. Don’t allow yourself to be one that isn’t true to yourself, and gives in to peer pressure. I have seen/experienced heartache in all 5 of these. My hope is that my daughter will learn from my mistakes. I want her to succeed. I want her heart to stay whole. I want her to be someone that stands up for her convictions. My hope is she will avoid the struggle and hurt so many experience these days. Our kids deserve the best!