this is easy as lovers go

So. Learning experiences. Things to abide by.

.+. Flats will always prevail over heels. I'd so much rather zip around efficiently and show off my 5'2 height than totter on 4 inch heels I can't walk properly in.

.+. Curly is the new straight. BELIEVE. I love my curls.

.+. Don't be afraid to be alone. You've been single for 3 weeks, 3 months, 3 years? Good. Stay alone for as long as it take to know yourself through and through. What you'll stand for, what you won't put up with, what is non-negotiable. There's a lot of you to figure out.

.+.T-Shirts win over short, skanky outfits every time. You can't climb a tree in a short, skanky dress.

.+. Girls are so much prettier when they don't wear make up.

.+. Classy and elegant is great but quirky and clumsy is fun.

.+. Any girl that trips over her own two feet and laughs about it is a girl that you want close to your heart, trust me.

.+.No matter what you say or what you do, people are always going to perceive you the way they want to perceive you. The good news is their opinions don't matter.

.+. People are different. The situations are different. No two people will hurt you in the same way, so stop being scared. Learn from it, but be wise enough to approach each situation for what it is--brand new.

.+. Eat the damn cheesecake.

.+.Brains over beauty.

.+. Be hurt. But don't be scarred.

.+. Be vulnerable, but make people earn the right to see you that way.

.+. Everybody you meet is fighting a battle that you don't know about. Be aware of that.

.+. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. Your lawn is more than green enough.

.+.Women that can open their own jars, fix their own flat tires and understand the concept of most power tools are awesome.

.+. Girls that can spend a Friday night in sweatpants eating dodgy Chinese take out right from the carton are worth holding onto. The high maintenance beauty queen gets tiring after awhile--she'll leave you winded, frustrated and broke.

.+. Don't compromise yourself to make someone else look good. If he's that big of a man, then he's man enough to take you as you are--brains, intelligence, wit and all.

.+. Give it your all, every single time.

.+. A giggle is cute, but a big, boisterous gut laugh will make everyone feel good.

.+. Girls that need protection are overrated. Fight for a girl that can fight for herself--there will never be a boring moment.

So here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to be me, and nobody else. Just me. If I snort when I laugh, then I'm going to snort when I laugh. If I trip and flail over nothing, then I'm going to hope that somebody else finds it as hilarious as I do.