Every year that passes by you’ll learn a million new things and yet there will always be more to learn, always more to discover, always more of this world still left to explore. You see a bit like how love is infinite so is learning but life is gonna teach you an awful lot of lessons along the way, it’s a funny old thing and pretty soon it’s going to take you on the biggest adventure you could ever imagine but before then just promise me this:

Promise me that you won’t wait for happiness, that you won’t spend your weeks waiting for the weekend to come round, only appreciating 2 out of the 7 days a week and that you’ll try to find a little bit of goodness in every single day. You’ll learn as you grow how happiness isn’t found in dream careers, in any amount of wealth or popularity and it isn’t always in the exciting moments of our lives but more hidden ever so discreetly in all of our ordinary days.

Promise me that you’ll never be too afraid to go after what you really want in life, that you’ll be courageous, wear your heart on your sleeve and jump feet first into opportunities that come your way. Most of these will only come around once and you’ll regret the things you don’t give a go more than the ones you try and decide aren’t for you. Be brave and show the world all you have to offer, you have so many special qualities – be proud of them!

Promise me that when someone mistreats you, you won’t react with anger or rise to their actions, and most importantly that you won’t let anyone stay in your life who doesn’t deserve to be there. You’ve got a lot of goodness in your heart so go and share that love somewhere else instead because for everyone who doesn’t value you I can guarantee that there are dozens more who already appreciate you for who you are.

Promise me that you won’t panic when you feel as though everyone is moving quicker than you through life, that you won’t compare your path with others around you and that you’ll stay focused on doing whatever it is that makes you happy. There’s no prize on offer for being the first to achieve anything because there’s no finish line in this funny old life we are living. Just enjoy life at every stage and don’t rush onto the next thing because if you focus too much on what’s ahead you’ll forget to live in the moment.

Promise me that you won’t ever lose sight of who you are, your authenticity is something beautiful and you don’t ever need to change – not for anyone’s approval. Many people will pass through your life, some will only stay for a short while, they’re just flying through to teach you something but some will stay, for a very long time, they’ll always be there in the background come rainstorm or sunshine. So remember that every person you meet comes into your life for a purpose and that all of this is part of a bigger picture that you won’t see until you’re looking back, only then will it all make sense.

Promise me that you won’t ever forget just how wonderful you are, that you’ll see how your existence makes this world a much better place and how you bring sunshine with you wherever you go. Life is tricky and I need you to know that it might be tough sometimes but know that you’ll always get through and you’ll certainly surprise yourself along the way because you’re made of tough stuff my darling.

Most of all promise me that in the moments where you feel really small you’ll look up to the stars above and see how even the greatest galaxies look tiny when you see them from a distance, because its all about perspective. The way we see the world isn’t always the true picture, and as things change our view of the world around us changes too. You’ll never fully know all there is to know or understand the world that you live in but don’t forget you have such a big impact on this planet and I hope above everything you always remember just how lovely you are.