Be a leader, not a follower.

This has always been my dad's mantra; he would teach me this constantly growing up--I can even hear his ocean-deep Sylvester-Stallone-like voice telling me this right now. He taught me not give into the pressures of wanting to fit in, and to embrace my individuality to its fullest. It's easy to give in to the pressures of society, especially for younger girls, wanting to fit in at the cost of their own unique spirit. Do what is best for you; chase your dreams, entertain your own thoughts, question everything, learn, but most importantly, know what is best for you. The mark of a leader is to be able to awaken one's inner passions and pursue them. And I depart with one of my favorite movie quotes, "I am a peacock, you gotta let me fly!" (you get bonus points if you know where it's from!).

Embrace your inner leader:

1. Trust your abilities- "can't" is not an option. Trust yourself and believe that you are capable of achieving anything you put your mind to.

2. Take initiative- make a move! Why leave for tomorrow what you can do for today? Use your inner drive and passion to go for what you want!

3. Working with others- collaborating with others, being a team player, enlightening others and letting yourself be enlightened by others is a great quality of a leader.

4. Stay true to your moral compass- know what is right and wrong; listen to your gut instinct and keep your integrity high.

5. Treat everyone with respect- "no one is below you, and no one is above you", my grandpa used to tell me this at all times. We are all equal, and treating everyone with respect should be our top priority; remember, Karma sees everything.

6. Give the best you can each day- and nothing less.