When you're a teenager, you're just at the beginning of your life's lessons. Life is the toughest teacher you will ever have. “Life is a cruel teacher. She gives the test first, then the lesson.” Life will throw everything that it can at you; it will try to break you and choke you until you can't breathe, but you can't let it.

 

 

There will be many challenges, obstacles¹ and curve² balls swung your way. Just try to take life as it comes. Don't fight against the current because you'll just wear yourself out. If there's a door that is standing³ wide open for you and another that you're trying to get through by knocking it down, sometimes it's best to take the door that's already open for you. In other words don't try to be someone/something you're not.

 

 

Learn how to budget and manage your money, how to open a checking/savings account, and how to use credit⁵ wisely and live within your means. Your future self will thank you for it. Buy quality items you can keep around for a long time to come, not cheap crap that breaks that you'll have to buy again in a year. Invest⁶ in yourself, your education, your personal improvement⁷, your health and your relationships to others.

 

 

Life is about change; don't fight it and just go with it. Learn from your mistakes and grow. Let go of things you can't change. Sometimes change will be so painful you will want to rip⁹ your heart out, but you'll be okay if you just hang on and know that no matter what happens, you will be alright. Win, lose or draw, life will go on and you'll get another chance to start your life over if things haven't gone according to plan.

 

 

Speaking of plans, keep them loose and flexible. It's good to have an idea of things you want to accomplish and where you want to be a couple years down the road, but honestly no one knows what's going to happen tomorrow, let alone 5 years from now. It's fine to make some plans but be flexible and willing to change them. Remember that people change and things happen that will push you in one direction or another. Don't waste time beating yourself up because your plans didn't go the way you wanted. Don't worry about things you can't change; focus on making new plans/goals and where you will go from here.

 

Nothing lasts forever. Enjoy every moment that you have. Enjoy life and practice being present in the moment because it goes by extremely fast. There will be both good and bad times. The bad thing about up is there's always a down. It's important to really enjoy and savor¹⁰ the good moments in life because you'll need those memories to reflect back on when the bad times come. The first 10 years after high school go by at a breakneck speed and before you know it you're 28 and wondering how the time has escaped you.

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