Being kind is not the same as being nice; you don’t always have to be nice, but you should always try to be kind. Be brave. Try things that scare you. Speak up for yourself and your friends. Speak up to your friends when they’re causing you pain. If you try and fail, cry about it, then figure it out and move forward. Love people fearlessly, even after you’ve been hurt. Be earnest. Be present. Give yourself room to grow. Forgive yourself when things go wrong. Remember that tomorrow is a second chance. Be yourself. Be as much of yourself as you want to be, all the time. Be loud, be intense, be ambitious, be defensive, be sad, be angry, be unapologetic about anything you are that isn’t hurting other people — and when other people tell you that you’re hurting them, apologize and be better. — Amy Poehler
