DOING WHAT YOU LOVE

It was only a couple of months ago that I realised how little attention I paid to those four words throughout my life. Do what you love. In childhood, this manifested itself in hobbies; some children played football, some swam, some danced. Or if you were like me, you spent half your time playing sport and the other half reading. But although your parents may have shifted the balance towards you choosing a certain activity, it was your choice, and you chose to do that particular activity because you enjoyed it. This becomes even more prevalent when you reach teenage years and begin to drop hobbies - for those you carry on with are clearly those you have the most fun doing. I did synchronised swimming until I was 16 - competed in Nationals twice, with 12 hours of practice a week. You can only reach that level of commitment if you enjoy something. Children 'specialise' in fields of interest, and this decides what sort of a person they are and what they will be doing in later life.

Fast forward to the age of 16, when children have to decide their career. I know I seem fixated on career choice in my posts, but it was such an important realisation and journey for me personally that I don't want others to be stuck in the same position I was. So many people choose careers because they looked through a web page and spotted one they liked the look of, or looked at the highest-ranking salaries. But money is not going to seem like such of a pressing issue if you are bloody miserable earning it! A friend once said that although her dad earns a fair amount of money at his job, he dreads waking up every morning because he cannot stand his job. This is supposed to be a career lasting you 50 years, so why would you choose something that you hate? Life is supposed to be about happiness and fulfilling the short time we have, so why would you make yourself unhappy by making one wrong decision? If you always enjoyed leading groups and presenting in class as a child, be a teacher if that is what you want to do! If you wrote stories throughout your childhood and still have notepads full of them (ahem) then find a job where you can write for a living! If you are an incredible singer, bringing goosebumps and tears to those around you, don't listen to anyone telling you you are not good enough. Prove them wrong, and sing your way to the top!

I decided a while ago that my life is going to be focused around happiness. I will be around the people who bring out the best version of myself, and distance myself from the toxic ones. After exams, I will pick up the activities I always enjoyed doing - scrap-booking, drawing, writing, reading...the list goes on. I will set my sites on my end career goal, and do everything in my power to get there. Life is far too short to press pause and watch the replays, the best way to live your life is to LIVE! Have messy nights, travel, work night shifts, be completely and utterly spontaneous because that is the only way you can properly explore who you are, and from that develop where your future lies. University, a career and a family don't have to follow in quick succession, there is not a set path you must follow.

Do what you want, and don't let anyone tell you you're wrong.

L xx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx2u5uUu3DE Bon Jovi - It's My Life

WELCOME TO MY BLOG

So the purpose of this blog is to share with you, with anyone, maybe even with no-one, the thoughts and feelings of my adolescent years. As everyone knows, and I'm sure most adults will tell you, the teenage years are when some of life's most difficult and important decisions are thrust upon you. You are told that you have to decide your career, what you are going to do for the rest of your life. At 17 years old, you have only just learned to drive a car, you are not yet classed in society as an "adult". However, despite not being able to drink alcohol, buy fireworks or (being slightly stereotypical) get married and start a family, you are forced to sit down with your peers and decide what you would like to spend the rest of your life doing. Now I personally am in this situation, and having chose a mixture of AS levels (Psychology, Maths, Biology and English Language, in case you are curious) I have yet to decide what I would like to study at university, let alone the career path I will follow after that.

So I have started this blog in order to try and find myself, find what I am interested in, discover my own thoughts and feelings. I doubt anyone will ever read this, but that's not why I have started it, I have started it for my own benefit, to lay to rest some of the messed up emotions in my head. If you are going through a similar situation, or if this topic simply interests you, then great, I welcome any crusaders who feel that taking to the internet will solve all of their problems. I started a blog because I thoroughly enjoy writing - not the rubbish we are given to analyse and solve in lessons but my own ideas and tasks. This blog will be a conundrum of rants, reviews and representations to express who I am and what my purpose is in life.

Enjoy.