The three most memorable pieces of advice I received when I was starting out on my own were: 1) clarity comes through experience, 2) map out your short and long-term plans, and 3) practice self-care.
Clarity comes through experience. This simply means putting yourself out there and learning new things. Meet new people. Experience life. You’ve got to see what ideas really appeal to you. You can’t shape the direction of your future, if you’ve not seen all the places you can go.
Map out short and long-term plans. This helps you capture your dreams. Plan what classes you need. Plan what internship gives you marketable skills. If you can see it, you can become it.
Practice self-care. You’ve got to have that me time. You need time to play and refresh. You’ve got to replenish your energy so that you can keep on giving to other people and moving forward. You’ve got to get enough sleep and eat well. Mind and body are tied together.
Rejection Isn’t a Stop Sign — It’s a Detour
I was eleven years old when I mailed my first piece of writing to be published. It was typed on a typewriter, carefully addressed, and signed with hope. It was also rejected. Years later, my first novel was rejected again and again. Today, I’ve published eight books—proof that rejection doesn’t get to decide the ending unless you let it.
