If I could offer you only one tip for the near future, swimming would be it. Return to your parents’ house and hit a nearby beach. Swim with a pink bathing suit on, and yeah, swim without it.

When dealing with family, friends, work, weight, and such, use a mind filter. Don’t take in stray stressors, let things flow as should be. Physicists believe that everything our planet encompasses, comes and goes in one fluid motion. When tossed among ass-kissers and bullies, choose dignity, excellence, faith, honor, and grace.

Feeling trapped? Take to the roof deck. Clarify your perspective.

Or hie off to the mountains. Visit a museum. View art with a friend. Take photographs. Preserve the experience. One day you’ll have something to fall back on, in case you’re trapped again.

Watch every sport you can’t play; rugby for one, that ruffians’ game played by gentlemen. Support your country, cheer for your players. Who knows but that from the bleachers you’ll discover a piece of who you are?

Eat and be merry. If you don’t have a comfort food, find one. Explore the metro, or the weekend markets. Make plans.

Don’t begrudge people who play favorites. Life has its own balancing act anyway. Make efforts to extend peace to one and all. Stop swallowing your pride, spit it out instead. That way, you’ll taste life’s flavors at their best.

Scrawl your bucket list somewhere, and tick items off it one by one.

Hear out fellow bloggers. They have stories to tell. But before strangers, listen to your friend, sister, mother, father. They’re a great part of the stories you share.

Never mind failed first dates. Open your heart to love.

Laugh.

Smile, dance, scream, sing.

Meditate in the morning.

And trust me on the swimming.

*****

PS If I could offer you one tip for the whole year, swimming would be it.

PPS The best advice you can offer is the advice that you took.