17 Things I've Learned in 17 Years!

 
 
Hello everyone! Welcome back to another blog post. This week I thought it would be nice to take a break from writing and talk about some other stuff. And that’s kind of what I’m going to do... just talk about some random stuff! Hope you enjoy the change of pace! Hey, maybe you could learn some life lessons from me!
 

1. Writing a book is really really freaking hard, frustrating and somehow wonderfully amazing and rewarding at the same time. I should know. I've been doing it for a while now. 
2. Don’t let adults in your life tell you can’t do something just because you are young and inexperienced. I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I have if I listened to them.
3. Save money. You’ll need it. I kind of realized this as I got into my later teen years but nowadays everything is so expensive and crazy priced. So might as well start saving $$$ now.
4. Don’t sweat the small stuff. If something is really bugging you, step back, take a deep breath and ask yourself: is what I’m worried about really going to matter in five years? If the answer is no, you shouldn’t worry about it. And if the answer is yes, you know where you stand.
5. Do not, and I will repeat DO NOT let what other people think of you bring you down. In life, not everyone is going to like you and that’s okay. Just remember to always surround yourself with people who make you feel good.
6. School is really, really, important. Ew, I know. Who wants to actually admit school is important? But it is. School opens so many doors of opportunity, not just in the career sense but also in the friendship and relationship sense.
7. Learn how to drive in a parking lot first. So obviously this is something I learned as I got my license. I started on the road and I was terrified. Take it from me if you are learning how to drive, START IN A PARKING LOT.
8. Guys and girls can be friends, best friends even, without falling for each other. Gasp! Yes this is true! My best friend in the entire world is a guy. We’ve been friends for ten years now. We have always remained best friends even when people used to tease us. Honestly, guy best friends are the best.
9. Cats are extremely weird and really hilarious. Man, I love cats. I got mine when I was fifteen and there is no shortage to the weird places I’ve found him. I once found him on the ceiling and another time I found sitting in my sink. Weird.
10. Live life in the present. There is no use in worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet. Life is always moving and we’re always worrying about something so we often miss the moment we are actually living in. Take it from me guys. Don’t rush things. Enjoy where you are right now.
11. Friends are fluid. Some friends will stay in your life longer than others. And that’s okay. There are always going to be new opportunities and new people that will walk into your life. Try to recognize the special ones and make sure you enjoy the times with them.
12. Talk to your grandparents if you are fortunate enough to have one or both. Grandparents are so special. They know so much about life and often lived in times that are very different from 2016. You can learn so much from them.
13. Take risks. Go out of your comfort zone. If something scares you or intimidates you, all the more reason to do it anyway. You might end up loving the rush that comes with taking chances and risks!
14. If you are a bad public speaker, don’t worry it’ll get better. I was a horrible, and I do mean horrible, public speaker up until the age of 16. I had stage fright and I used to shake. Now, I get up in front of 500 people and talk to them about my book for an hour. If you are shy, you will come out of your shell. It just takes time.
15. If you love books, make sure you have a huge bookshelf. I ran out of shelf space a really long time ago. Now I look somewhat like a book hoarder. Do yourself a favour and make sure you have room to put your addiction.
16. Do everything in moderation. Don’t study all day everyday. Don’t watch TV and movies all day everyday no matter how much you want to. Don’t chill with your friends all-day and everyday. Have a balance in your life.
17. Find what you love, and do it. Chase it down, beat it with a stick, and absorb yourself in it. Just find what sets your soul on fire and continue doing it. For me, it was writing books and inspiring people. For you it might be something different. Trust me. Everyone has something. Just find it.

 
 
And always remember your life is a story, so you should make yours a bestseller.