WHY I STILL WRITE

As long as I can remember, I’ve been a writer. In third grade, sometimes my friends and I would ask to go out to the hall during story time after recess. Instead of hearing other people’s stories, we wanted to write our own. We wrote these stories in my Garfield notebook. They were about our school mascot, E the Eagle. We imagined he went inside the Internet and met a hologram named Holly the Hologram. I don’t remember much beyond that, but it shows me how long storytelling has been a part of my life.

Even before that, one of my best friends and I would pass back and forth a paper yellow folder filled with pages and pages of handwritten stories about a talking dog named Ripper. On white computer paper, we made up the adventures of Ripper the talking dog and his two teenage female companions. We imagined we would play them in the movie version.

I wish I still had those pages, even if just to see what our wild little imaginations could dream up. It’s crazy how much we lose our imaginations as we get older. I always protested. I said it would never happen to me. I chose a creative field, therefore, I should get to keep mine. Right?

Wrong.

I never dreamed how wrong I could be. I wouldn’t say I don’t have an imagination; we all do to some degree. But it is nothing like that of a child. We use phrases like “thinking outside the box.” Kids — they aren’t thinking about how to think outside the box. They are already five steps ahead, using the box as a portal to another universe. One filled with adventures that are now beyond our wildest dreams. They’re innocent, but also naive to the world. And for once, that’s a good thing. They don’t have the biases — we like to call wisdom — of living. They haven’t learned logic or reason. And to me, that is a beautiful thing.

I can’t explain why I started writing. The words pour out of me. The floodgates opened the moment my number two pencil touched the page for the first time. I get little flashbacks to my earliest memories of writing — like how I got the word “of” wrong on a spelling test in first grade. I remember the red dash next to the “ov.” I remember the story I wrote about journeying through Candyland in third grade. And I remember writing my AP Comp essay my junior year about how I wanted to help people through my words — giving myself the pen name Dr. Wordsmith.

The most valuable thing I’ve learned through writing is how important is for me to keep writing. It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of life. We’re going and going and going — until don’t know where we’re going anymore. Writing grounds me. It heals me. Like I said, I hope that my words can be healing for other people, too.

I’ve had people message me telling me how much they related to something I wrote. Others tell me that they actually laughed out loud or had to share my words with someone else. To me, that’s the best feeling in the entire world.

Even if it’s just a line that resonates with someone, I feel like I’ve done my job. But more than that, it reaffirms why I still write.

WHAT I'LL TELL MY FUTURE KIDS ABOUT HURRICANE IRMA

I never thought I would live through a hurricane. Midwesterners know thunderstorms and blizzards. Extreme winds back home are just mildly inconvenient at worst. I don't why, but I assumed it was one of those things that people talked about -- but would never actually happen.

But as I curled up on an air mattress on the second of the news station -- just months after arriving in Southwest Florida -- I couldn't help but wonder what I would tell people about what it was like to survive a hurricane.

Wrapped up in Wisconsin... I realized I covered myself in what felt familiar in such an unfamiliar time. My WINK hurricane survival kit included:

• 3 Wisconsin T-shirts
• 2 Wisconsin Sweatshirts
• 2 Wisconsin tie-blankets
• 1 Wisconsin Baseball cap

No, that's not all I brought with me. But as I laid there, actually trying to fall asleep in my workplace, I realized I was subconsciously comforting myself with things that reminded me of the place I called home for the last four years.

While my new home became threatening, I brought in my old home to keep me safe.

For some reason, as I laid there, I thought about what I would tell my future kids. Years from now, what would I have to say? What will I remember most about this super storm?

It felt surreal. 
Although the hurricane hit Fort Myers, I only saw the storm through the screens in the station -- making it still feel like just something that was happening on TV. Despite being stuck at the station for days, I struggled to wrap my head around the fact that it was actually going on around us. I think that's why I didn't know have anything profound to say about it to friends or family after the fact.

It was scary. It was crazy. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before. That's it.

Irma caused widespread flooding, power outages, and destruction. 
Irma left behind catastrophic damage in parts of Florida. As pictures and videos of the aftermath began to flood our inbox, I couldn't believe some of the images I was seeing. It was heartbreaking.

People went into a state of panic -- especially since Irma came through right after Hurricane Harvey devastated Texas. 
It was a little like what I imagined the end of the world to be like. In the days before the storm, crowds rushed to the grocery stores, wiping out the bottled water supplies and flashlights. Gas suddenly become the most sought-after commodity. Both before and after the storm, lines that backed up onto main streets, leaving many people waiting for gas for hours. We heard stories of people waiting for two hours only for the gas stations to run out by the time they got to the pump. Others were taking advantage of the shortage -- filling up gas containers, and trying to turn a profit off of other people still stuck in the lines.

The hurricane brought out the best and the worst of people. 
We had the pleasure of telling stories of communities coming together to help each other out in the wake of a natural disaster. And people really stepped up. Neighbors helping neighbors, strangers helping strangers. It was truly incredible to see our reporters telling the stories of people who risked their lives and spent hours in the heat, helping others clean up the mess after Irma. At the same time, it was distressing to hear the stories of people who took advantage of others, like the looters who stole tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment that a pastor used to spread the word of God.

Working during Hurricane Irma was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. 
When my family and friends up North found out that I had to stay to work during the hurricane, they freaked out.  They were scared. They didn't want me to stay. Governor Scott was telling millions to evacuate and, admittedly, it was scary. I didn't fully know what to expect. Irma had a pretty uncertain path for a long time -- and it definitely raised concerns. But I can't tell you how proud I am to have been a part of something like that. I watched hundreds of emails pour in about how grateful people were that we were there for them throughout the storm. And I knew, if I had to, I would do it all over again. We were there from Saturday morning to Monday night straight, and we were on the air for more than 80 hours in a row. We couldn't shower. A few people even washed their hair in the bathroom sinks. Everyone was exhausted. But it was worth it. We provided vital information for people in their time of need.

When I was 16, I wrote a paper in AP Comp about how I wanted to save people through my writing, because I realized I no longer wanted to be a doctor. I knew my calling was writing. But I had a really hard time believing in myself for the longest time. When I have kids, I want them to know that Hurricane Irma taught me how valuable what I am doing really is.

I often wonder if what I'm doing is worth it-- the long hours, the odd hours, the lack of time I have to have a life outside of work. But as I laid on that air mattress on the second floor of the news station, I couldn't help but think: if I make it through this, I can make it through anything.

NO ONE KNOWS WHAT CHEESE CURDS ARE HERE

There's a lot I didn't know before moving to Florida. For instance, did you know that despite being called the Sunshine State, it rains pretty much every day for about half the year? Didn't know that? Funny, neither did I before moving down here. And we're not talking about a little sprinkle in the afternoon. We're talking about trees down, aggressive lightning, and flooding on the roads so bad sometimes that you might as well just commit to life as a hermit because you don't want to be caught in the massive puddles.

Okay, so that last part was a little melodramatic. But in all seriousness, I thought I moved to Florida, not Seattle.

Moving to a new place both excited and scared me. It was something that I had wanted to do a for a long time, but I knew that it would make the transition into adulthood even more challenging. The move meant a new start--a fresh start--but it also meant starting from the beginning.

It meant making new friends, learning how to navigate a new city, and figuring out who I was when I was completely alone. With no one to fall back on, I was forced to start learning how to live on my own. That part was a little scary.

But what I never expected was how much I would miss home.

Now, over the last four years, I've had two homes: Minneapolis and Madison. It only took being away from both to realize how much love I have for them.

No one knows what cheese curds are here. I didn't even eat cheese curds that often in Wisconsin, but I never realized that they were a concept people in other parts of the country didn't understand. The other night I found myself struggling to explain a concept that I've understood since I was a little kid. It's just a curd of cheese??

The Humidity is killer. Honestly, if you've never been to Florida in August, you don't even really know what humidity is. Imagine walking into a sauna every time you set foot outside. There's no relief. Your only choice is to stay inside in the A/C. Even the ocean and pools usually don't cool you down that much because they get so hot. At least up north, even on a hot day, when the sun goes down, so does the temperature. Here, you can walk outside at 2 AM and it's almost as humid and sticky feeling as it was at 2 PM.

People drive like maniacs here. Slow down there, Vin Diesel. We're just trying to get to work, not film Fast and Furious 9.  And don't even get me started on how the older people drive here. I cannot even imagine what it is going to be like "in season" (when all the "snowbirds" come down).

I've become 77% sand. It's everywhere. My car is covered. My flip-flops have to stay outside. You can't escape it.

There's no Caribou here. And it's a serious problem -- not for my bank account. But sometimes a girl just wants a good cup of joe.

My 7-year-old sister keeps asking why I can't come home, and it's breaking my heart. When my little sister first asked why I moved to Florida, I told her it was because I got a job here. Her response? "There are jobs in Minnesota too. You could work at Target, Dairy Queen...." If only she understood why her big sister couldn't be satisfied serving Blizzards and Dilly Bars. The other day she said, "Don't you want to be with me?" That girl really knows how to tug on the heart strings.

I'm going to miss the Minnesota State Fair. And that means I can't eat my weight in Sweet Martha's cookies and Fresh French Fries, and that's a huge problem. The Great Minnesota Get Together is one of my favorite times of the year.

I miss the city. I really took for granted how much there was to do in Madison and Minneapolis. Bored in Fort Myers? Well, I guess I'll go to the beach again? Not that I'm complaining about going to the beach. I will gladly soak up some sun while everyone up North is huddle around the fire in their parkas.

 Lauren, Becky, Taylor, and Shelby ( at 17) in line for the concert of our lives outside Fine Line Cafe

But more than anything, I miss my friends and family. Yes, I have made friends here, and I'm so lucky to have them. But sometimes you just want to sing Anna Sun in your car and know that your friends are there to harmonize and reminisce about that time that you discovered one of your favorite bands. I miss watching movies with my parents, and freaking out over Big Brother with my little brother. And my mom's cooking. Boy, do I miss my mom's cooking. And Grandma's baking.

All right, before I get too sentimental, I better remind everyone why I'm here. As much as I miss Minnesota (and Wisconsin), I know that I'm where I'm supposed to be. After all, this blog was founded with the goal of inspiring other people to pursue their passions. So, here I am showing you that it's possible.

Four years ago, I wrote a post right before college wondering if I could really make it happen. Could I actually make a career out of writing?

This is for 18-year-old Taylor.

WHY I AM FAILING AT BLOGGING

Lately, I have not been on my blogger game. I have been slacking, and for a few reasons:

1. I am a full time student. 

Junior year is in full effect. And boy am I feeling it. I'm drowning in an endless sea of midterms and projects. Work keeps going from being super busy to only a shift a week, and it is always the worst when I have no time to spare. I barely have enough time to get all of my homework done, nonetheless keep up a blog.

2. I am prioritizing a lot of over blogging. 

My number one priority is school, followed by work, maintaining my relationships with family and friends, and being an active member in all of my extra-curriculars. Since becoming a managing editor for Her Campus, my schedule has filled up even more, and while I love the position, it has sure added an extra stress.

3. I am not keeping up with other blogs. 

I wish that I had time to read my favorite blogs all the time. Thankfully, some of my favorite bloggers are also full time college students, or trying to adjust to life outside of college. So they are in the same boat, and not posting as much nowadays. But I really need to start actively reading other people's work more!

4. I am not making a big enough effort on social media. 

While I have been trying to participate a little more on Twitter lately, I haven't been interacting with other bloggers enough. I haven't been posting enough articles. And the only reason I have been posting on Facebook is to share Her Campus articles, and occasionally I sprinkle in some other article sources to spice it up a bit. Don't even mention Instagram or Pinterest, or anything else that I don't even have time to think about these days. I'm lucky if I get the chance scroll through Instagram for a few minutes twice a week.

5. I am questioning my motivations for blogging. 

This one has been on my mind for a little while. I read a post on The Daily Tay over the summer that really resonated with me about her motivations for blogging. I can't remember the exact title of the post, but she was explaining her desire to write more creative fiction stories, instead of blogging as much. She also felt like she was blogging for some of the wrong reasons or the posts that she wrote were just geared to getting more page views. And I have definitely felt that! I have been trying to make more of an effort to write about subjects that are important to me, rather than click-bait listicles that I have become accustomed to because of Her Campus. Don't get me wrong, I love Her Campus and I love blogging. But sometimes I want to go back to what this blog really started as, and I want to show my authentic self. I don't want to just share lists of things that people might get a laugh out of.

I know that I haven't been doing such a great job lately, but I promise to be better. That doesn't mean I'll be posting on here 5 times a week. I certainly don't have time for that. And my priorities will probably remain the same for now, because I really value my education (I mean I should with how many thousands of dollars I am spending on it). But I intend to create more meaningful content when I can that reflects my own values and personality, while trying to provide some value for my readers, as well.

Thank you so much to everyone that takes the time to make this little space of the Internet so special to me. I truly appreciate everyone that supports me so much!

Is there anything you could improve upon? 

THE TIME IS NOW

As a college student, I spend a lot of time thinking about the future. All the somedays and the maybes. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I am a dreamer. I probably daydreamed more than the average kid. When I would walk to the bus I would write stories in my head. I would spend hours and hours at home behind the computer writing stories--remember back when Word had that little paperclip dude? We were best buds. 

I was certain that I could write a book by the time I was 18. In 7th grade when we read The Outsiders, my English teacher told us that the author was only 17 when she wrote it. If she could dream up Ponyboy and the Greasers at 17, I could write a book by 18, right? A few months shy of my 18th birthday I realized that this ambition had come and gone. And sometimes I wonder if all of these dreams I have will turn out the same way. 

People throw around phrases like "there's no time like the present" and "carpe diem" without having any real meaning behind them. I want to change that. When I am looking back at my life, I want stories to tell about the times that I actually listened to that advice, and the times that I truly believed in myself and made my dreams reality. 

Today I realized maybe I spend too much time dreaming and not enough time doing. Maybe it's too late to be the girl that published a book by 18. But I refuse to give up on the rest. 

When is the last time you did something remarkable? When is the last time that you had a day you will never forget? 

So often we talk about the somedays and maybes. We make "bucket lists" and speak in ambiguous terms about things that may or may not happen in our future. But what about today? If you treat every day like it's just another day, then someday you will wake up and realize that you had a lot of unremarkable days. 

THE TIME IS NOW.

What are you putting off? Is there something you have really always wanted to try but haven't for some reason yet? Ask yourself why you want to do it. Whether you want to learn calligraphy or go on a wild road trip, you should know what you want to get out of it. 

Related: Always Move On To The Next Thing 

What is holding you back? Your answer might be life, which is valid--up to a point. Life happens. Jobs get in the way. Money becomes a factor. And sometimes our goals and expectations seem too big or unrealistic. But sometimes you have to think about what you would do if there were no limitations? Put reality aside, and think about what would make you happiest. 

What steps are getting you towards making it happen? Let's say you want to go camping. Everyone knows that you can't just roll up your sleeping bag and go wandering off into the woods with your bag and a granola bar. That would be foolish. So find out what your equivalent of packing for a camping trip is and start preparing. 

Related: How to Actively Pursue Your Passions

Why NOT?! Remember when I said to get rid of all of the limitations and think about what you really want. When I was in high school, my creative writing teacher went around the circle and had us share what we want to do after high school. I shared my ideas about what I thought I would actually do, and then I said but if I could really do anything, I would work in film. And she asked me if that was what I really wanted to do, then why wouldn't I try to go after that? So, I told her what I really truly believed, which was that I didn't think it was possible. And she countered me with "Why not?" It was the first time anyone had really done that. Now, I don't know if anyone has ever done that for you, but I am asking you now. It doesn't have to be as big as what you want to do with the rest of your life. Maybe you want to go skydiving or try unicycling. The time is now. 

I believe in you. The real question now, is do you believe in yourself?

Today's post is inspired by Helene In Between's #31PhotosInBetween Instagram challenge for July. Join now! Check out @HeleneInBetween for the full list of prompts.

JULY GOALS

Where is the summer going? I can't decide if I feel like I have done a lot or nothing at all. There is still so much that I want to do. At the beginning of summer it feels like you have time to do everything. But before you know it is winding down and people start using words like syllabus and welcome week again. Ew. 

So this month, I have decided to make some concrete goals, and maybe if I share them I will be more likely to accomplish them. Who knows? It's worth a try. 

//ONE// Blog 2-3 times a week. I haven't been great at this lately. During the school year it was nearly impossible to find the time to sit down and actually blog. Most of my posts were re-posts from my Her Campus articles, and I felt awful about it. I wanted to create more posts just for the blog, but I definitely over-committed myself last semester. 

//TWO// Actually open the case to my guitar. I have wanted to learn the guitar for ten years now, and I have yet to put in the effort to actually learn, even though I have a guitar. So my goal for this month is to actually take it out of the case and put some work into learning how to play it. 

//THREE// Learn more about HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. I love coding websites. As nerdy as it sounds, it's true. I probably won't try to learn anything more complicated than JavaScript. I know some HTML/CSS, but I keep telling myself I am going to learn Java. There's no time like the present, right?

//FOUR// Read for 30 minutes a day. This is something I have wanted to do forever. I read a lot--but mostly from a screen. My goal is to finally make it through some of my books. I just got Aziz Ansari's book, Modern Romance, and it is already helping with this goal. It's so good. 

//FIVE// Keep my curls at least 3 days of the week. Taming my curls is nearly impossible. I find it hard to wear my hair naturally usually, because I just can't get the curls I want. Especially with the humidity, my hair gets large and frizzy, and sometimes I can't help but straighten it. 

//SIX// Exercise 3-4 times a week. Admittedly, I haven't been working out as much as I want to this summer. I was so good about it at the end of the school year, but I definitely need to get back into making it a part of my routine. 

//SEVEN// Try something new every week. I think summer is the perfect time to try out new things. One of the things I really want to try out it kayaking. Hopefully I can make that happen this month. 

//EIGHT// Take more pictures. As I have been trying to find more images for the blog, I realized that I haven't been taking that many pictures lately. I plan to take my camera with me more often so that I will force myself to take more pictures. 

//NINE// Eat more veggies. I love fruit. I could eat berries all day long, because they taste like candy. The thing is they are like nature's candy, because they are sugary. So I have been trying to be conscious about incorporate more veggies into my diet, too. Any suggestions about how you do this? 

//TEN// Comment on other blogs more often. One of the ways that I love to get inspiration is by reading other blogs. There is so much to learn from other bloggers, but I want to focus on commenting more. I know how much it means to me to receive comments, and I want to return the favor!

What are your goals for July?

BLOGGING WITH PURPOSE

Blogging ignites my fire. It brings me joy to press publish. It fuels my creativity and sparks my imagination. It pushes me be successful and it inspires me to be greater. Blogging is not simply typing your thoughts and presenting it to whomever comes across it on the Internet.

Blogging is reading other blogs. Blogging is taking creative pictures with the intention of editing them into posts. Blogging is being part of a creative community that supports and encourages each others growth.

Technically, I have been blogging since the Fall of 2011. But it wasn't until a year ago that I really got into it and learned how much of a blogging community is out there. Since then, I have drastically changed my approach to blogging. I try not to write only when feeling inspired. When I have the time, I actively think of ideas and browse blogs and online magazines, hoping to come up with an idea of my own. I realized that I am blogging with a purpose. I have intentions of inspiring other people creatively, and I know that there are certain things that I have to do if I want to accomplish that goal. 

Here are some of the things I think you have to do to blog with purpose:

Spend time reading other blogs. First of all, there is so much you can learn from other bloggers. People like Brittany (from The Kardia), Gina (from Gina Alyse), and Jessica (from The Blogging Brew), continually inspire me. Not only do they have great advice about blogging, but their creativity motivates me to push my creative boundaries. This part is non-negotiable. Reading other blogs will help you come up with new ideas, know what is popular in the blogosphere, and make meaningful connections with people across the world. 

Engage with other bloggers. Who knew that you could make such personal connections with people you might have never met in real life? I feel like I know some of these ladies after reading their blogs, and engaging with them on social media or via email. Just sending a friendly email to tell someone how much you enjoy their blog can go a long way. Likewise, try to regularly leave genuine comments that show you really connected with their content. 

Create a mission. This is one of the biggest parts of blogging with a purpose. Why are you blogging? What is driving you to create content to share with other people? It doesn't necessarily have to be written out, but it will definitely help if you establish it for yourself. If you want your readers to take away a certain message or feel a certain way after reading your blog, you need to keep that in mind every time you blog. You should ask yourself, "Does this post align with the goals of my blog?" 

Always have pictures. Jana from Life Could Be a Dream has a great post about how to create Pin-worthy images. As I said, Pinterest has been one the biggest drivers of traffic to my blog, so creating Pin-worthy images is really important. 

Utilize social media. Anyone in the blogosphere will tell you that if you are really dedicated to blogging, your social media will reflect that. This includes regularly tweeting, posting on a Facebook page for your blog, being on Bloglovin, updating your Instagram, and Pinning your content. Social media is a great way to interact with other bloggers and get your content out there. My Pin of "7 Things I Never Want My Little Sister to Feel" has been repinned over 800 times, liked almost 400 times, and because of that it has almost 13,000 pageviews. It is my most successful post to date, and it has been amazing to see it take off. That is the power of Pinterest. 

Know your resources. Some days I feel like I am underutilizing my blogging resources. I wish took more pictures. I wish I spent more time learning Adobe Illustrator. And I really wish I could make a blog schedule and stick to it already. I keep telling myself I am going to make a blog planner, because I think I could be a lot more successful if I did. Part of blogging with purpose is making it a part of your regular routine, so that you can grow trust with readers and foster a community. Blogging is as big of a commitment as you make it, but know that if you want your blog to grow, you have to put in the time and show your dedication. Gina Alyse has a great post on Must-Have Creative Resources of Lifestyle Bloggers! 

Remind readers of your purpose. Every once in a while I like to say, "Since my blog is about encouraging other people to pursue their passions..." One, it lets new readers know what to expect out of a lot of my posts. And two, it reminds people of what I ultimately want them to take away from reading my blog. 

Write what you would want to read. What haven't you read that you have always wondered about? It really isn't difficult to find blogs; they are everywhere! There are so many bloggers that have written about so many topics. But if you have a mission to your blog, creating content specific to your goals for your blog should be much easier. Sometimes I don't post simply because I don't have anything to write about, but there is always something that you can uniquely add to a conversation or share from a personal experience. 

How do you blog with purpose?

CURRENTLY // JUNE '15

Listening to // "I Need Your Love" by Shaggy. I heard this song on the radio the other day and instantly loved it. The lyrics are pretty simple--it says "I need your love" a million times. It's a good one, though. 

Shopping for// I have been focusing on eating more fruits and vegetables lately, so I was excited when my mom wanted to go to the Farmers Market when I got home. My little sister loves her fruits and vegetables, but I think she was most excited over the cheese samples. As soon as we got there she announced that she wanted the cheese you could eat with toothpicks. 

Watching // "Parks and Rec." I love Amy Poehler. She is one of my idols, and I have been meaning to watch it for the longest time. Hopefully I will be able to watch the whole series this summer.

Following // Shaylen Carroll on Vine. Wow her voice is great. I don't go on Vine that often, but when I do I am always so impressed. One of my favorites on Vine is "Us the Duo." I saw them for the first time last summer when they opened for Eric Hutchison during a short concert for Oake on the Water.

Working on // Learning calligraphy. I have wanted to learn this forever. I plan on spending some time practicing this summer.

Playing //  Lately I have been trying to get better at volley ball, because a lot of my friends seem to be pretty good at it. Last week my friend Jessie and I sat on the sidelines and colored, because we were too tired to play. We made signs cheering on the teams with names like "Glitz and Glamor" and "Why Do You Like Fishsticks?" It was a good time. 

Reading // "Screenwriting Tips, You Hack." I have been trying to get through this book for a while now. I really enjoy reading it, but I feel like I need to dedicate more time to actually practice the things I am reading.

Writing // I keep telling myself that I am going to practice screenwriting. My goal by the end of the summer is to be doing it a few times a week. For now, I am trying to get some posts out and practicing when I can.

Catching up on // My sleep schedule has been turned upside down by work. One day I will sleep four-five hours and the next day I will sleep for ten hours. Thankfully work is settling down, so hopefully I will be able to establish a better sleep schedule.

What have you been up to lately?

HOW TO ACTIVELY PURSUE YOUR PASSIONS

The other day I heard someone talking about how they don't like calling pursuing your passions "dreaming", because dreaming is for sleeping, and you should be active in going after what you want. You have to chase after what you want and put in a lot of hard work.

I agree with that to a point. I believe that reaching your goals involves actively making decisions that will get your closer to what you are working towards. However, I think the concept of dreaming is beautiful. Everyone should have something that gets them so excited that it keeps them up at night thinking about sometimes. Everyone should have that one thing that makes them excited for the rest of their life, because they cannot wait for what the world has in store for them.

I have no idea what I will actually end up doing in the future. I don't know where I am going to live after college or what my first job will be--or what the one after that will be. Yet, I feel something burning inside of me every day that knows I should be excited for whatever my future turns out to be. I am certainly not wishing away the present, because I am thrilled to be where I am in my life right now, but I am not afraid of the future either.

 

1. Establish your goals.

Having a dream is one thing, but if you want your dream to become a reality, you need tangible goals that will help you get there.

2. Envision the steps to achieving your goals.

Take some time to think about steps that you can take right now to achieve your final goals. Are there skills that you can be refining? Are there people you can talk to that can give you advice? It is never too early to start working towards your dreams.

3. Set deadlines.

I don't know about you, but if I don't have a deadline I tend to put things off. There needs to be something to keep you in line and make sure that you are actually putting the work in. When you have deadlines, you are more likely to keep yourself on track and actually accomplish something. For instance, maybe you want to improve your Photoshop skills. Make a goal of how often you want to have projects done by or a number of tutorials you want to have completed by a certain date. 

4. Take time to refocus.

Sometimes you need to step back and look at the reasons you chose to go after whatever it is you are passionate about. Why do you have these dreams? What is pushing you further? What is it that fire burning within you that tells you this is all worth it? You need to remind yourself of why you have those dreams.

5. Don't let yourself get stuck.

This one kind of relates to number 4. If you took the time to refocus and you realized that you couldn't figure out why you had these dreams, maybe you need to reconsider what you are working towards. For years I wanted to be a doctor. I tried to teach myself medical terms in my spare time. I narrowed down my specialty by the time I was 12 and stuck with it for years. But then one day, I realized that it wasn't actually my dream. Maybe it had been at one point, or maybe it was just easy to stick with it because I had been saying it was my dream for so many years. Either way, I realized it's okay to change your mind. Don't feel anchored down by one idea. Be open to other possibilities, because there are so many things you can do with your life that you might not even know about now.

6. Accept failures, and move on.

One of the best talks that I have ever attended taught me that you should move onto the next thing before you find out how the last thing turned out. So maybe you're a writer, and you want to be published. Part of the gig is facing rejection letters sometimes. Instead of getting stuck on whether or not your work will get accepted, start working on your next project. That way you are not letting your successes or failures dictate your path. You are moving forward, regardless of how one thing turns out. There will always be other opportunities, so make sure you are open to finding them.

7. Finally, invest in yourself.

You have to your biggest fan. If you want other people to believe in you, you have to believe in yourself first. Your confidence and your passion will be your greatest assets, and they will be invaluable in achieving your goals. Treat yourself well. Don't push yourself too hard, and always remember that your dreams matter.

Dreaming might be something that we do when we're sleeping, but I think it's one of the most amazing things that our mind can do. When I am daydreaming, I don't scold myself, because I know how important it is to my creativity. My imagination is one of my greatest strengths, and I don't ever want to deny it. If you take anything away from this, please remember: never stop dreaming.

You may say I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one. -John Lennon

WHAT I WOULD TELL MYSELF AT SIXTEEN

At 16 I was positive that I had it all figured out. I knew then that I was destined to be a healer. I wanted nothing more than to be able to see the world in terms of figures and numbers, because I had to be good at math and science if I wanted to be successful in life. Everyday I tried to suppress my desire to write and create imaginary places in my mind. I had been writing stories since I was able to write, but I had wanted to be a doctor just as long. 

If there was one thing that I was even more sure of, it was that I needed to have it all figured out then. People told me that I had time to decide, but those same people had been asking what I wanted to do since I was old enough to understand that grown-ups went to work. Looking back I realize how much pressure I put on myself. To some degree, it is normal. People often hold themselves to higher standards than necessary, and those standards can cause a lot of anxiety.

1. You don't need to know what you are going to do with the rest of your life.

Some people change their career two or three times in their lives. They go back to school or decide to start their own business, or they try something completely different. It's okay to change your mind. It took my dad telling me one day that it was okay if I decided not to be a doctor for me to realize that. I had been telling people I wanted to be a doctor for so many years; it had become a part of me. And everyone was so proud. Maybe I didn't realize they could be proud of me if I chose to do something else.

2. Stop punishing yourself when you don't get the grade. 

I spent way too many nights doing homework from time I got home from school until I went to bed. My grades were always on my mind. I wanted to go to a good college, and in order to do that I knew that I had to get good grades. But I always pushed myself harder than I needed to. Now, I would tell myself not to be so hard on myself, because in the end the grades didn't matter as much as I thought they would.

3. Don't compare yourself to your classmates.

My class was over 800 people. I'm pretty sure we had some of the best and the brightest in the state. Senior year, our "Top Ten" comprised of something like 21 students. One of my friends was retaking the SAT with me, because she had gotten a couple wrong and wanted a perfect score. She had gotten a couple wrong. Needless to say she is now at Harvard, and I am certain she will change the world. But among students this focused, it was hard not to be competitive. It was as if there was an unspoken competition about how many AP classes you were taking, how many extra curricular activities you were involved in, and how many leadership positions you held. Comparing yourself to other people isn't fair. You come from different backgrounds. You had different opportunities, and you think differently. Please know, that is okay.

4. Dress for yourself.

I would tell myself to make sure that every day I got up and got ready for me. Don't compare your sense of style or clothes to anyone else. Your curly hair doesn't have to be straightened to be pretty, and don't let anyone else make you think otherwise.

5. Write more.

The only way to improve is to keep writing. The world isn't meant to only be seen one way, and it needs more people who are willing to go after what they want. Write stories. Write poems. Write, because you can.

6. Stop stressing about college.

You will get into college. And you will love it. All of your hard work is going to pay off, and it won't all be for nothing. It won't be an easy decision, because nothing that really matters ever is. But you will end up where you are meant to be, and you will wonder why you spent all that time worrying about it.

7. Don't worry about boys--especially the older ones.

Boys are great. But in high school, there are so many other things to be concerned with. My dad once said that it was better to just have friends that were boys, because then I could have as many as I wanted and they couldn't be jealous of each other. Maybe he was only trying to make me feel better, and I didn't end up actually having that many guy friends until college, but I would say it was pretty good advice.

8. Keep an open mind. 

You don't have to be A or B. There are so many possibilities of what you can do in this world, and you don't always have to stick with your plans. I think some of the best experiences come from trying out something you wouldn't normally do or choosing a path that you never considered before.

9.  Take more risks. 

 Try out new things--even when you don't want to. Walking on the right side of the road might seem like the right thing to do, but then you will never know what you are missing on the other side.

10. I am proud of you.  

I will never be able to change the past, and I am okay with that. I am proud of the person I was in high school. Looking back, I could have cut myself some slack every once in a while, but overall I am pretty happy with the way things turned out. Most importantly, I have grown since then. I am able to look back and know now that it is okay to relax, because the world is not going to end if I don't figure it all out tomorrow. 

What would you tell your younger self? Would you have done anything differently?


Today's post was inspired by The College Prepster.

GOALS VS. ACCOMPLISHMENTS

 

Lately, I have been extraordinary lazy. I have had all these big ideas about what I want to get done. So many days start with ambition and hope. But then I get tired, and I usually watch Netflix. Friends is now on Netflix, in case you have been living under a rock for the last few months. I am addicted. I used to watch the reruns all the time on Nick at Nite and ABC Family, but it is still funny every time. Plus, this time I am watching them in order. 

In my head my day should go like this: 

7:30 AM: Wake up. Get ready for the day. 

8:00 AM: Make my morning smoothie. 

8:30 AM: Start writing and learning Java Script. 

10:30 AM: Take a mid-morning break (20 minutes or so).

12:00 PM: Lunch time. 

12:30 PM: Resume blogging/writing short stories/scholarship applications. 

2:30 PM: Break. 

3:00 PM: Read a book. 

5:00 PM: Eat dinner/ go out to dinner with friends. 

7:00 PM: Spend time being social. 

10:00 PM: Watch an episode or two of Friends. 

11:00 PM: Go to bed. (And feel accomplished). 

In Reality: 

Between 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM: Wake up. 

Between 10:45 AM and 1:00 PM: Eat some sort of meal. 

Between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM: Think about being productive. Decide to start later. Turn on Friends. (Maybe even read a couple pages of a book.)

Between 3:30PM and 5:30 PM: Feel bad for not doing anything all day. 

Between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM: Someone makes dinner. 

Between 8:00 PM and 10:30 PM: Goof around with my little sister and watch something with my family. 

Between 11:00 PM and 12:30 PM: Watch more Friends. 

So, Taylor. You didn't get anything done, again? 

Now, not every day goes like this. But winter break is somehow half over, and I feel like I have not accomplished anything. I was hoping to get a lot more writing done. Unfortunately, I have not had the motivation or inspiration lately. I want to change that.

This month I have a little more time on my hands than usual, and I want to stick with my writing goals. A few months ago I decided that I wanted to get at least one piece of writing done a week. I was pretty consistent for a while. I was updating my blog more frequently and writing for Her Campus more. With the New Year I would like to make sure I stick with my goals, and I would like to make sure that at least once a month I finish a piece of writing that is not for my blog or Her Campus--or school.

I want to write more fiction. Also, I have thought a lot about it for the last few years, and I want to try my hand in poetry. The last time I wrote a poem was for my creative writing class in the Spring of 2012. And in fact, I think I ended up making it into a song, anyway. My biggest high school regret is not taking that poetry class I almost switched into with one of my favorite teachers my senior year. So this semester my goal is learn to write at least one decent poem.

One of these days I will start actually being productive.

For now, I feel like this:

When my brain feels guilty for not doing anything: Taylor, you should really do something besides watch Netflix and play Trivia Crack.

But then I think: 

I would love to keep writing, but I have a plans with Rachel, Ross, Joey, Phoebe, Chandler, and Monica in a few minutes. Until next time.

What goals have you been putting off? Are you watching Friends, too?