15 Pieces of Advice

As I turn fifteen, I realize I have experienced quite a few things. Here is my advice for life.


1) Chances. The world is full of them, and there are so many people missing out.

2) Others. It doesn't matter if other people don't like your style. You do, and that's all that should matter right now. Do things that make you happy.

3) Effort. All great things take effort and persistence. Don't believe me? Check out my previous blog post, dedicated to the lack of motivation in today's youth.

4) Time. There's a lot of time in your life. More than you think. Wait to do adult things when you're actually an adult. You don't need to smoke or have sex now. Now is the time to get through school, and hang out with friends. Don't worry about what you can't control now. There is always a brighter tomorrow that holds new opportunites.

5) Thoughts. While most humans like to share their thoughts and feelings out loud with people, it's important to have a "filter". Take in the consideration of others, and make sure your comment isn't going to hurt them. It's important to have a voice, but make sure it's a positive one.

6) Priorities. Spending 20 minutes every morning putting on mascara to impress your peers isn't going to help you pay rent in 15 years. A job is. Education is number one right now.

7) Respect. Respect is treating someone with no lesser value than you would treat yourself. Always remember that in order to respect others, you must first respect yourself, because without it, you wouldn't know how.

8) Confidence. Following suit of "self respect", confidence is key. Pursue your dreams, and have faith in yourself to achieve any goal you set, because no one succeeded in this world without first believing in themselves to do it.

9) Health. Your body is growing right now. The most it will in your whole life. Take care of it. Soap is nice, as well as an occasional facial cleanser. Eat fruits and vegetables, as well as lots of water. Don't binge on candy too frequently, but make sure to give yourself treats every now and then.

10) Belong. You were put here on this Earth for a reason. Whether that was by God or Buddha or whoever you believe in, or a freak chemical reaction, it happened. Don't think you were ever a mistake, because at one point, the stars aligned just for you. Why would you hurt a body that was put here to do great things? Cutting, drinking, or puking won't help any problems. This world wouldn't be better "without" you. You always belong somewhere.

11) Love. We as humans have always had an unfulfilled duty to love one another. We were made as equals, and therefore shall be treated as equals.

12) Color. Everything deserves to be colored at some point. And when you think about it, color can add variety, excitement, or change, to anything. However it doesn't change what is on the inside of that thing. It's just a slight outer adjustment.

13) Connect. There are so many people in the world with the same dreams or interests as you. You can make so many friends and relationships based on them too, you just have to put yourself out there, and connect.

14) Dream. Always keep your goal in mind, no matter the strength of darkness.

15) Live. Value everyday as your last, because you never know if it might be.

Effort

As I recently found out, people are oblivious. They fail to recognize opportunity. So caught up in their own lives they become unaware to the chances they are missing, and therefore become content. Content with achieving the standard, and are not tempted to surpass it. We are growing up in a world where the minimum is accepted, and humans deter their efforts to make themselves someone. I guess you could say, we are losing inspiration. It's times like these that we can lose sight of the future. And, I am not speaking for the adults in this world, or for the people who have their heads on straight. No, I am speaking for my teenage friends who as I talk to, become less and less excited for their lives ahead, and that are so engulfed with their well-being now that they never want to grow up. Kids that obsess over their hair, or makeup, or social media accounts, or significant others, they tend to all lose motivation to become something in their life. As they deal with the traumas that occur now, the idea of a "bigger picture" can get lost. However, it's as simple as walking down the street without taking selfies, or auditioning for that role without getting nervous. The distractions that inflict upon your intentions can change the outcome, sometimes in a positive or negative way. As I've stated many times, when getting frustrated or scared with what's happening now, take a step back and look at the bigger picture. You have so much to look forward in life, and you as a human are capable of so much. Just think, you basically are made out of the same things as celebrities, or renown philosophers. The only difference is they might just work harder, or think differently. If you have a "dream" or goal you want to reach, there are so many resources you can use to obtain it. Maybe, the only thing you're missing right now is time. And trust me there's lots of that. Don't get discouraged or lose hope just because your goal can't be reached right now. Keep working on it, and never lose sight of what you want to become, because the easiest way to fail is to stop trying.