sixteen things i’ve learned before i turned sixteen [tomorrow—eeeee!]

1. sometimes you can’t always fix the people you love, but you’re not called to change them, just love them and maybe point them in the right direction along the way

2. it helps to make a sudden, no-going back-like-ever change in your life. split the road if there’s no path already made, go rambling off into the wilderness and find something wonderful

3. opening up doesn’t make yourself more vulnerable, it allows you to feel more deeply and better connect with the hurting world around you 

4. you don’t always need a best friend to have a great relationship with someone. when it comes to friends, quality > quantity, every time

5. be active. live out loud. fight for what you believe in. start a rebellion of hope in your little corner of the world and watch the light reach to the other side

6. be kind, but don’t forget to be bold. know what you want, know who you are. great ideas only kept in secret won’t help anyone

7. it’s okay to have a silence in the middle of a conversation. embrace the quiet.

8. always smile at strangers, you never know if it could make somebody’s bad day a better one

9. maintain eye contact when people are talking to you. lean forward, nod occasionally, let them know you care

10. truth isn't only black and white in the real world—in fact, it hardly ever is

11. sing all the time. sing musicals, belt out disney melodies, trill jazz tunes to the wind and chant christmas carols in the summer. sing off key, sing loudly, sing like you’re on broadway, sing in public. never stop singing. [also, hamilton rap battles are always a go]

12. take some time to sit and think. to write things down. to ponder and meditate and wrestle with God. your soul needs this.

13. tell people how you feel. if you’re angry at them, let them know and why. if you’re sad for no reason, tell your sister—it always helps. if you’re incandescently happy, show it. tell people you love them (i’m still working on this)

14. the things you really want won’t come easily, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty for them.

15. sarcasm and cynical comments actually hurt, be the person who builds up, not the one who tears down. creation in a world of destruction is a beautiful thing

16. worrying solves nothing