At Age 19: Things I Wish I Knew

1. You don’t have to stay who you were in high school.

Styles change. Opinions change. People change. You can be whoever you want to be. Just love yourself, and every version of yourself that you have yet to meet.

2. If people are meant to stay in your life then they will.

Don’t worry about losing people. You will, and it’s sad. But appreciate and love the people who stay. They are the people you deserve.

3. Not everything has to be planned out.

Be spontaneous and take risks. You don’t have to be together all the time.

4. You don’t have to stop and take pictures of everything.

Live in the moment, seriously. The memories that are most worth experiencing don’t need to be captured through a lens, because they’re so amazing you’ll be able to remember them without a picture, and you’ll enjoy it more without the interruption.

5. The boy who broke your heart in high school should be left in the past.

He was a boy and you’re a woman now. Find a man, or don’t. Conquer the world single, and love every second of it.

6. You have options.

Not everyone chooses the same path in life and that is okay. You don’t have to do what your parents did, and you don’t have to do what your friends are doing. Do what’s right for you, and trust yourself.

7. Read more books.

I thought I never had the time, but I’m busier now than I was then, and I make the time. One book contains a whole other world, a whole other life—what better way is there to understand the world than to read what other people have to say?

8. Set goals, and dream big.

If people aren’t telling you that your dreams are impossible, then you aren’t dreaming big enough.

9. Laugh at yourself.

Don’t take everything to heart. If you learn not to take yourself so seriously, you’ll be a better and happier person.

10. Follow your dreams and don’t worry about looking stupid.

Please, never think that your dreams are impossible and you shouldn’t even try. Everyone thought their dreams were impossible at one point, and a lot of them came true.

11. Apologize when you’re wrong.

Your pride isn’t worth the importance of your relationships with your friends and family.

12. Stand up for yourself, and for what you believe in.

Get educated on the issues that are important to you. Because you deserve to be heard, and never let someone else tell you otherwise.

13. Be open minded.

Listen to people when they speak to you. And don’t only listen to reply. Listen to listen and listen to see the world differently, because you have to know that there so many different ways to see the world.

14. Don’t keep friends around because they’re simply fun to hang out with.

Of course, they can be fun to hang out with too, but they can’t only be that. Find a friend that has the best heart and will always be there for you and never let them go. Also, be that friend.

15. You do not need a relationship to be happy.

I see so many girls saying “I’m going to die alone.” You have so much time for love. Spend time with your friends and enjoy it. Most of all, enjoy yourself, and love yourself.

16. The amount of likes you get on social media does not define your worth.

You are not measured by a number. Your greatness isn’t defined by popularity. Live your life, and post the pictures that you feel beautiful in, because you are.

17. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

It’s easier said than done, I know. But remember, if it won’t matter 6 months from now, then it’s really not that big of a deal.

18. It’s better to have a few great friends than a million fake ones.

You’ll figure this out eventually, but it’s good to remember, because eventually you’ll see that people who you thought were your friends, actually weren’t. Remember though, it isn’t a loss if they weren’t a good friend in the first place.

19. It’s okay to feel lost.

It’s okay not to know who you are and it’s okay not to know what you want or where you’re going. It’s all always okay, as long as you keep trying to figure it out, and never give up