Shed Youthful Preconceptions and Fathom the Depths That Follow.
You have come of age and you are living in this broken yet glorious world, collecting sometimes painful and astonishing experiences, carefully formulating your own ideas and fathoming out your true uniqueness.
There is frothy fun amidst this adventure, as you shine with your plump-skinned beauty, revel in your unrestricted freedom, and enter into startling territory only for the hip generation.
Youth. How very tantalizing! Oblivious to the cares and concerns of others, whilst you storm on, downing the shots of that very given moment! And when you eventually shake off the heady rush and sober up, I pass this on:
* Know that when school or college is out, you will not only have gained qualifications but you will have learnt about yourself, your individual qualities, friendships, likes and dislikes. It will be useful to be aware of this entire list, as this is what you bring to the altar of Life.
* Life has a habit of throwing many curveballs at you! Be ready. The sooner you become open-minded and open to other options, you will lead a more positive life and one with flourishing growth. You will also not flounder under the suffocating black clouds of disappointment.
* Learn not to judge the homeless, the divorced, the childless women, the addicts, the mentally ill. We all f*** up at some point. They had dreams too, and are not weird because they defaulted from convention. Simply, through no fault of their own, their plans just did not work out. But a greater power is ready to give them another chance. Life is always about wonderful new beginnings.
* Educate yourself with film and search for answers. Never settle for not knowing something. You are your own researcher. Not only will you become interesting, you will also discover yourself and the world around you.
* Your teachers and tutors made predictions about you, but do not be so reckless to hold on to what they said, for they are not always right. It is your vital duty to work on yourself.
* Assess your privilege. It is not cool to be classist, be that through snobbery or inverted snobbery. Human beings all have something to offer to each other. So, get on with as many people as your sanity will allow.
* Do not bypass romances. If you click with someone, pursue it. You may list ideals about whom you want to fall in love with, but that special person or people come in all guises.
* What we sometimes fail to realize is that in life, we are a collective. Be this in the way we look at our political landscapes, our different faiths or our differences. No one person will ever rule the world. Power is composite. We can all influence. And others will listen, surprisingly.
* Most smart people want to leave a legacy in the short space between birth and death. It is short. While you wandere aimlessly in your own skin finding your passion and purpose, you have a finite time to get it together and achieve it.
* Question. Challenge. Change. These are the only processes leading to fulfillment.
* Being alive, and knowing others are alive, is the greatest feeling. You may lose contact with someone, but there is always another chance to reconnect if they are living.
The other reams of advice you have had Tannoyed to you before, my young friend — and yes, we could be friends — you must learn to branch out of your circle from an early age. When this prescription becomes your doctrine, you are setting yourself up for contentment and achievement. And, by the way, if you have any sage suggestions for my age group, please let me know.
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Keri France is a sensitive and strong soul, who believes in the power of creativity for personal growth. If you sometimes feel you have been on the brink of success, despair, sadness, Keri has been there too. She believes in creating opportunities for herself, being enriched by experiences, and writing down her thoughts on what she has learned in the process. With a voice-over demo, collection of her own artwork, and now writing, she knows a good life is a creative life.
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