1. You can be exceptionally good at something, even if you don’t have the right training, the right education or the right experience. It’s called talent.
2. They will always find excuses for you not to do something but it’s your job to find reasons why you absolutely need to do it.
3. Some people just take the easy and comfortable way out and some people choose to fight for their dreams. You’re a fighter.
4. If you choose to fight for your dreams, you’ll never stop fighting for your voice or your ideas. It’s part of the package.
5. People won’t always support your dreams. Sometimes you have to be your biggest fan and just go for it.
6. If you decide to go against the crowd, you will meet like-minded people going in the same direction who will encourage you to keep going regardless of what others tell you.
7. You’re never as alone as you think you are. You’ll always find someone with the same story, wanting the same things.
8. ‘Security’ is not a 9 to 5 job anymore. Security is building a life you’re happy with and doing something you could see yourself doing forever. Something you don’t want to retire from.
9. Most people live their lives trying to minimize their losses, which is why they don’t encourage others to live a daring life. People can warn us against something because they don’t want to see us suffer or lose but their fear is clouding them from seeing the fascinating life you could be living.
10. Don’t let people predict your future for you just because they’re older or they know better. You are not here to follow their paths. You’re here to follow yours. The universe is in charge of your future, not people.
11. You may think you can’t live without their support or validation, but you can. It’s human nature to seek support and encouragement from the people around you, but it is not mandatory.
12. At the end of the day, you’re the only who’s going to deal with the consequences of your decisions. It’s up to you to decide what you can or can’t handle. No one else can make that decision for you. 
Rania Naim is a poet and author of the new book All The Words I Should Have Said, available here.
