Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there...to serve some sort of purpose, to teach you a lesson or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become.

You never know when these people might appear, but when you lock eyes with them, you know that every moment you spend with them, they will affect your life in some profound way.

And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful and unfair, but in reflection you realise that without overcoming these obstacles you would have never realised your potential, your strength, your willpower, your heart.

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul.

Without life's challenges, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere.... safe and comfortable but dull and utterly pointless.

The people you meet affect your life. The successes and downfalls that you experience help create who you are, and the bad experiences can be learned from.

In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones.

If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them because they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart to.

If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because they are teaching you to love and open your heart and eyes to the essence of life which is love.

Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again.

Talk to people you have never talked to before, and actually listen to what they say.

Let yourself fall in love, break free from any limitations to loving another and set your sights high.

Hold your head up because you have every right to.

Tell yourself you are a unique individual.

Believe wholly in yourself.

For truly and indisputably there is no other person quite like the being that you are.