I am 21, living in Stroud, a small town where I have lived my whole life (bar a year in Bristol, 6 months in Weston-Super-Mare and a brief encounter with Cheltenham). I love music first and foremost, fashion, being social and a Chinese. I’ve tried lots of things, but like most 21 year olds (and most people in general) I still have no fucking idea what I’m going to do in my life. Here’s a load of advice that I should be taking myself, but am giving to you instead.
1. Write down your goals. You’re 50% more likely to achieve them.
2. Stop giving a fuck what other people think. It’s a reflection on them, not you.
3. Don’t get into debt. This doesn’t need explaining - just don’t.
4. Remove toxicity. People, social media, certain foods, a job - if it causes negativity, get rid.
5. Don’t be scared to ask for what you want. In your work-life, sex-life, family-life - What’s the worst that can happen?
6. Question everything. But don’t overthink it.
7. Don’t compare yourself to others. Take inspiration from them and use them as a tool to boost yourself.
8. Express yourself regularly. Whether it’s writing poetry, singing, dancing, sport - make time for it. Watch your mental health flourish.
3 more points (but with descriptions this time)
1. It’s okay to change your mind. A lot.
I have battled with this anxiety for as long as I can remember. Why can’t I just stick the one thing? Why can’t I finish anything I start? Truth is, quitting is not failure in some cases.
I wanted to be a dancer so tried a year at Uni studying Dance and hated it. I decided to be a front-end developer, taught myself for 6 months and decided against it. My next plan was to travel world and teach english, but I landed a lucky job in marketing. My new and improved plan is to travel to Bali (tickets booked so there’s no getting away from this one), then move to Manchester to find a Junior Fashion Marketing role. Lets see how far I get. Try and test then try again - if you don’t try new things, you won’t find your niche in life.
If you don’t love it, sack it off and try something different.
2. You are not late to life
If there was a right time to do certain things throughout your life then who’s late/early in relation to who? Samuel L Jackson didn’t make his big break until Pulp Fiction, 1994 when he was 45. Vera Wang entered the fashion industry at 40 and Colonel Sanders (founder of KFC) didn’t begin his billion dollar franchise until he was 62… There is no schedule and you have plenty of time.
3. It’s okay to be working a dead end job
As long as you’re keeping your passions at the forefront of your mind - it’s okay to work a dead-end job whilst you figure out your next step. Zoella, one of the worlds biggest bloggers was working in Topshop when she made her first vlog - she now worth 2.5 million. Jamal Edwards, founder of SBTV worked as an ametur film maker in his bedroom in London, is now worth 45 million. The point is not money, but that everybody starts somewhere.
Final note: learn to take your own advice…
*This is a guest post from Mia Ashcroft