Hi everyone! Welcome, or welcome back, to The Teen Safe Zone where it's safe for teens to be themselves! Today's blog post is dedicated to those people who are having a hard time choosing to follow their dreams; to those people who feel that their hard work is being overlooked; and to those people who feel that they will never measure up to their dreams.
This blog post is written for you.
Regardless of what we aspire to do, we all have faced having to make tough decisions regarding our dreams and desires before. As a teen, it can be hard to choose your dreams or follow the more "logical" pathway. We all have talents, but it's easy to question whether or not they are "good" enough to guide us in life. We might have people telling us to pursue one thing, but you want to pursue something you're passionate about. You might put all of your efforts into a hobby of yours, but it feels that your talents and efforts are being overlooked. The bottom line is, it's easy to give up.
Following Your Dreams:
A few months ago, I came across an aspiring author on YouTube who shared the truth of having self-doubt about yourself and your hobbies. By watching her video, I realized that I could relate to her a lot and so could an entire community of people. It's extremely easy to just want to give up because it feels that things will never pay off. Or that the hobby you hope to turn into a career will never happen because it's a "one-in-a-million chance". It's a tough position to be in and trust me, you're not the only one going through it.
I felt that I should write this post as an encouragement for someone out there, including myself, to never give up on your dreams and talents. We all have individual talents that we were gifted with, and some of us haven't even discovered all of our talents. So why put them to waste? Just because you desire to do something out of the "norm," doesn't mean that it's impossible.
Whether you write, draw, sing, etc., find purpose in your talent. Find a way to impact the world with your talent. For me personally, I used my advice-giving skills and decided to create a teen blog website to spread my talent around and help others. Though I don't see many results yet, I have to keep the faith that one day I will. Even if you impact just a small group of people, it's a start. Even the small interactions matter! Somewhere out there, there is someone who can use the power of your talents. There's someone out there that will appreciate your art, or your writing, or your voice, etc.
Do What Makes You Happy:
Even if you don't see the results paying off, do what makes you happy. Not everyone's hobbies are meant to be monetary; sometimes when you add "business" to your hobby, it takes the fun and creativity away. As long as you are happy doing it, that's all that matters. It's OK to write for hours even if you don't plan to publish for others. It's OK to make art for yourself to enjoy, etc.
Another common thing that happens is having to pick between doing what you're passionate about vs. what will pay the bills, etc. In case anyone is ever put in this position, I want you to keep in mind that just because you are required to take a different path right now, doesn't mean that you should give up on your dreams. If you want to be an aspiring author but have to do a 9-5 instead to live, that doesn't mean to give up on your writing.
It's always good to have a Plan A and Plan B, sometimes even a Plan Z! I would say to use this time in your life to invest even more into your hobby. For example, you can put aside money for publishing fees, etc. so therefore whenever you are given the opportunity to publish, you'll already be prepared. Just because life is looking in the opposite direction right now, doesn't mean that it will stay like this forever.
When we feel like giving up, it's because there's something even greater that's inside us. You have a purpose, but how will you ever find that purpose if you give up so soon?
Never give up on your dreams, despite how circumstances are looking right now.
I hope you all enjoyed reading today's blog post and hopefully you found words of encouragement today. If you want to contact me about anything, please visit the "Contact Us" page on this blog where we can privately talk! New posts every Sunday! - Lexi
I really needed this today! Thank you!
Hi everyone! Long time no see. I apologize for being on an inconsistent schedule this past month. I recently started my junior year of high school last month and my scheduling has been all over the place. Hopefully with the new month, I can get back on schedule! Can you all believe it's September already?! I'm so pumped for the sweater weather, cozy drinks, and spooky season! Anyways, I hope this post is found as encouraging for someone out there who is having doubts about their dreams. Remember, do what makes you happy! Question: What is something you truly desire to do in life and what steps could you take to achieve it? I hope you all have a safe…