I'm 29 today. I have one more year left of my 20s, and coming to this age has brought about a lot of personal reflection of how I view my life. I'm always looking to grow and improve, and I've struggled a great deal with certain harmful and fallacious ideas that have held me back--perhaps most specifically, the idea that I'm only worth what I can provide to other people. I really need and want to rid myself of these harmful notions, and so as I enter this new year of my life, I've drafted up a set of goals for me to follow in the hope of continuing my self-improvement. There is room for expansion and refinement, but I think this works quite well for me for now:

My Manifesto

--I will love myself completely every day in a healthy, wholesome way, which will allow me to extend the same type of love to those around me.

--I recognize that my journey is my own, and I appreciate it for its uniqueness as part of my celebration of my individuality.

--I accept an objective, unbiased view of reality as the best model for understanding the universe in which we live, and I use knowledge gained from this perspective as a basis for my continual growth in any applicable facet of my life.

--I choose to be happy, and I work to cultivate a perspective and personality that maintains this mood as much as is reasonable.

--I celebrate my achievements as they come, always with an attitude that I am already enough. Understanding that I am already enough is more important than using achievements as a gauge of completeness.

--I find as much joy and beauty in the minutiae of daily life as I do in the large and far-reaching events of the universe.

--I continue to grow as my own life's path dictates, always moving towards a place of perfect love.

--Should I choose to compare myself, it will only ever be a comparison to my past self, with a complete reconciliation of reality and thankful appreciation of my journey to date, devoid of shoulda-coulda-wouldas or other forms of despair or bemoaning. Every step of my journey has led me to this point, which is not an ill.

--When I look to the future, it will always be with realistic optimism and hope.

--More than reflections on my past or dreams for my future, I live to appreciate each moment for all the beauty, joy, and amazement it inherently contains.

--I recognize and embrace every struggle or setback as being as much of a learning opportunity as times of tranquility and stability.

--I place as much value in others as I place in myself, and love and appreciate all forms of individuality as equal parts of the rich, interwoven tapestry of life in the universe.

--I value myself for my individuality, including my individual thoughts, accomplishments, flaws, strengths, life journey, personality, and perspective.

--I recognize that I am imperfect, yet that there is a certain perfection within my set of imperfections. I recognize the awesomeness of the quest for personal improvement happening on an infinite scale, that "perfect" is a finish line for a never-ending race, because this reality affords me to always learn, discover, and develop something new or better than what I currently have or am.

--I employ the power to define myself for myself, and to choose what matters to me and what does not.

--I choose to forgive, in all completeness, people guilty of wrongdoings done against me, as well as to forgive myself when I do wrong against others.

--In all my actions, I pursue love, beauty, joy, peace, justice, generosity, temperance, and all related aspects of goodness in as much a proper balance as I can assess is necessary. I recognize that this is the foundation for healthy growth, and as I better myself in this way, I also better the world around me in turn. I recognize that as the world betters around me, it provides a better foundation for me to continue to better myself in beautiful synergy.

--I recognize that there is an end to all things, including myself, and I maintain a sense of quiet comfort with this understanding.