Letter to Myself

I'm working on an article about exercising in China and going through all my old notes looking for anecdotes about working out. I found a note that I'd written to myself in September. I strive for this everyday:

Be nice to people. Make the world a better place. Be disciplined. Be focused. Be efficient. Don't sleep too much. Contribute to society. Live life with a purpose. Your research is your first priority. Don't eat too much. Exercise everyday. Don't deprive yourself. Don't let the little things annoy you. Love life. Be happy. Be grateful for this opportunity [the Fulbright]- cherish it everyday. Cherish it everyday because it's going to over before you know it. Count your blessings. Be thankful. Don't put yourself down- it's manipulative. Don't stress out about other people's well-being. Be yourself. Know yourself. Be strong. Be independent. Be friendly. Devote yourself to your research. BE PRODUCTIVE. Don't spend too much time on the Internet. 

Express empathy for others, appreciate what you have, care about others, be committed to community service, and think about how your actions affect others and affect society. All you can do is think about whether your actions are making the world a better or worse place. Be humble and don't pretend or think or be deluded about the fact that you think you have all the answers. Stay away from people who think they have all the answers.

REMEMBER that feeling insignificant can be a great burden lifted off of your shoulders. Feeling numb is okay and necessary sometimes. Being physically healthy is a necessary and important part of life. Discipline is an extremely, extremely important skill to have, and an aspect of life that is not fun, but necessary. Everything is temporary- and remembering this will help you keep your expectations realistic. 

Love,

Me