16 Quotes That Got Me Through 16

 

How the heck am I 17 already? The days seem so long, yet the months so short. 365 more days until I'll be... an adult. Peter Pan, you better get on your game. I have one more year to reach Neverland.

1. "Twenty years from now, you'll be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones that you did." -Mark Twain 
• I used to fear life. Then one day, I finally fully understand that I was only going to get one shot at life. 
2. The best is yet to come.
• These 17 years have been magnificent, but this is not as good as it gets. High-school is a great time and being a teenager is a great ride. And I have all of the faith in the world that adulthood will be wonderful and college with be incredible.
3. Create a vision that makes you wanna jump out of bed in the morning.
• I love writing. I used to wake up every morning, and as I scarfed down my breakfast, I would open up my blog and update today's date. Then I would visit a few of my favorite blogs to see if any new posts had arrived. Despite being exhausted, I was excited to start my day. I have definitely slacked off on this routine, although I plan to pick it back up.
4. Be the type of person that you want to meet.
• I used to be shy. I will not pretend I have completely overcome this, because I haven't. I have, however, improved greatly. I read this quote on day and realized the people I love meeting are the friendly ones. Optimistic people, people who give you their sole attention, people who make you feel as though you have been their friend for ages, people who reach out if you are too quiet, and those people who seem to bring the fun with them. I was usually this way around my intermediate family, but that was it. Once I started to branch out and became this way with more and more people, I realized that not only did I finally like me now, but other people did too. 
5. They want to see you do good, but never better than them.
• Have you ever had a class or subject you excelled at? So much so, that you were the one your classmates and friends came to with questions. Let's say you tutored them one period. Then the next day, you take a test. This time, all of those kids got A's and you barely managed a B. You wanted to see them do good... but did you want to see them do better than you? In my AP chemistry class, I work very hard to congratulate my friends even when I bombed a test and they rocked it. But I've realized, that when the roles are reversed (which is a bit rare... but it has happened), their responses are just as forced as mine. We want to see one another succeed, but not necessarily do better. 
6. Respond to every call that excites your spirit.
• Have you ever questioned where you belonged? I have. I do not know if I genuinely questioned it, or was simply afraid to admit it. Sometimes standing behind your dreams is even harder than getting people to stand beside you. 
7. Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. 
• You don't have to go from Twinkies to vegan in one day. Simply choosing a banana over a cupcake is progress. 
8. It doesn't matter what others are doing. It matters what you are doing. 
• I am not a fan of the term "peer pressure". In the end, you are responsible for you. If you do not want to drink, don't. If you do not want to go to a party, don't. If you do not want to smoke, don't. It really is that simple. 
9. When you stop and look, life is pretty amazing. 

• Sometimes, life gets overwhelming. But if you take a moment to embrace the warm sun or catch a snowflake on your tongue, you will be amazed at how your life changes. Not in that instant, but if you continuously pause to take in the beauty of a moment, your entire perspective of life will change. 

1. Life isn't about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself. 

• I used to always hear the first part of that saying, but never the latter. This quote truly changed my perspective on who I was and who I could be. I finally have given myself full reigns over my life. I can be whoever I want to be. 

1. If you're not excited about what you are doing, why are you doing it?
• I constantly hear teenagers complaining about not liking a club they are involved in or not wanting to be in a certain class. If you are so bothered by something you chose to do, why not choose not to do it any longer? Go to your counselor and drop that class. This year, I took AP chemistry. At first, I was excited about it. Then, I realized it wasn't my niche. I love art, whether it be writing, filming, photography, drawing, painting, etc. I cannot get enough of it! Forcing myself to study a subject I despise is pointless. At first, I didn't want to drop the class because I would have to explain my reason to the vice principal. Then, I realized that what would be even worse is failing the class. While I could put in an hour or two of studying each day, I simply do not have the motivation to do that for a subject I can't stand. 
2. There comes a day when you realize turning the page is the best feeling in the world - because you realize there's so much more to the book than the page you were stuck on. 
• It is not easy to move forward in life, leaving so much behind to experience something new. One of the biggest milestones I made this year was getting my first job. I was leaving behind a fun, responsibility-free way of life. The job forced me to branch out and connect with my coworkers. It has also made talking on the phone much easier. I was quite intimidated in the beginning, but now I feel like I belong there just as much as anyone else. 
3. "Maybe there's something you're afraid to say, or someone you're afraid to love, or somewhere you're afraid to go. It's gonna hurt. It's gonna hurt because it matters." -John Green
• This quote might be of help during 17 too. There is a boy who I have feelings for... feelings I cannot possibly sum up into words. But I am so afraid to love him. I am afraid to feel it. I am afraid to admit it. I am afraid of getting hurt. Soon enough, I will have to break down and tell him. If not, I just might go insane. It's terrifying... but not telling him is even scarier. The thing is, I wouldn't tell him just because I wanted him to respond with the same thing. I would tell him simply because I wanted him to know that he is lovable. 
4. "Walk like you have three men walking behind you." -Oscar de la Renta
• I'm a high-school student, of course I have insecure moments while walking through the halls. I always think back to this quote, and just imagine myself as some big-shot CEO click clacking down the halls in heels that add an extra 6 inches. 
5. If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse.
• I would workout today... but I've just been so busy. I mean, I had time to watch two hours worth of Netflix, but that doesn't count... right? Come on, if I really wanted to workout, I would have gotten off of my lazy bum and put forth some effort. 
6. Make the first move, tell people how you feel, stop being so scared of rejection, stop feeling so engulfed with thoughts that aren't even yours, and stop wasting your fucking time.
• Honey, I don't throw around profanities but there was simply no better way to phrase this quote. Awhile ago, I would have stared at my phone waiting for a boy to text first or spend hours wondering what someone's first impression of me was. And then... I realized that instead of waiting for the boy, I had fingers that were capable of pressing send first. If the boy didn't respond, it was his loss. If someone didn't like me, that was okay. I don't need everyone to like me as long as I like me. Instead of constantly waiting, I have learned that if I want something, I have to go get it.