10 Pieces Of Advice I Wish I Could Give My 17-Year-Old Self

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1. You’re going to be just great. You’re going to find something you truly love and reach out for it with all your heart. Be it a job, a hobby, a relationship, or anything else.

2. Don’t stress about things that didn’t work out your way, only because there’s so much more that will. Time has its own power and life has a way of working out.

3. It’s okay if you are absolutely uncertain of who you want to be, professionally. Some people take a few weeks to decide their careers, some take years. But just know that as long as you’re searching for a career you love, you will find it.

4. Nobody knows who they want to grow up to be. It’s okay if you have a wandering soul, a somewhat fluctuating moral compass. Because a few years down the line, circumstances will shape you exactly into the person you need to be.

5. There is no overarching idea of happiness. It isn’t a permanent state of mind. It’s just basically the small things that align together. It’s the smell of fresh air when you’re driving on the highway, the cup of warm hot chocolate on the days that hit you the hardest. It’s the feeling when you see your best friend smile. It’s just all of these little moments, bundled up together.

6. Don’t over think things. Don’t fret too much about not having a plan. Any plans that you make, may or may not go through. Live each day as it is, live it like it’s your last. It may just be your last.

7. Look out for yourself. I’m not encouraging you to be selfish or shallow. But put yourself first, most of the time. Everything else is secondary. Do what you love, do what makes you happy. People come and go, times change and at the end of the day you’re all you’ve got.

8. Don’t give a rat’s ass about what people think. Not even the people closest to you. Make your own choices, you’re own decisions, you’re own blunders if you have to! People will always have opinions on everything that you do. But again, it’s you that has to live with the choices you make, so why let someone else determine them?

9. No girl can ever steal your man. You’ll realize this when you grow up. Hell, nothing in this world can steal someone you love. They’ll stay if they don’t want to leave. They’ll move mountains and cross seas if you’re all that they want. If they leave for someone else, it’s probably their call and they probably weren’t meant for you in the first place.

10. You will turn out great! No matter how many nights you cried yourself to sleep, thinking that you won’t be able to make it out. No matter the heartache, the pain, the confusion, the anxiety. Just think about everything great that is in store for you. There’s so much to look forward to, everyday is a clean slate. You can get rid of all the shit that’s pulling you down and start afresh tomorrow morning. Just know that.