You get back exactly what you put into things.

You want good grades?

Turn in good work.

You want a healthy relationship?

Be the most healthy person you can be, and if that’s not enough to make it work, the relationship isn’t worth it anyway.

You want a promotion/accolades at work?

Produce excellent work efficiently and never do just enough to fly under the radar.

You want loyal friends?

Be a friendly person to them.

You want to spend money on yourself?

You have to make that money first.

You want to lose weight?

You have to put some serious effort into it, much as it may suck and much as you may hate every single minute.

You want to be well-respected?

You have to treat everyone politely and with decency, no matter how much you may not want to.

You want people to smile at you on the street?

You better smile at them first.

You cannot expect the universe to fulfill your every wish in exchange for complacency and wishful thinking. It’s become unfashionable to pursue a successful existence through hard work—even if that hard work is not your “passion.” Our generation has seen people get lucky doing what they are passionate about. What they don’t see is the drive, hard work, late nights and general crap that exists behind it. “Living the dream” is not so apt a description as “working the dream.” No one is going to hand you the perfect life without a catch.

As a future parent, I hope to show my children the same thing that my parents told me: hard work and dedication pay off every time. It may not be immediate, but you will reap the rewards of never giving less than you are capable of.

As I turn 23 and my marriage reaches its one-year anniversary, I have never been more proud of my husband, my family and myself.

Love you all and happy Thursday.

xoxo,

Jackie