At 11, I learned that I had a fire within: A passion for acting. I learned how much I loved being onstage, how powerful it was to tell a story, and how much I truly loved becoming different characters. It was like perfect clarity.

At 12, I learned to speak up for myself. I learned that my voice could make a change, and that what I had to say was as worthy as what the next person had to say. I learned to grow my voice through writing and acting. 

At 13, I learned how to be thankful. I learned that the school I had been to, the friendships I had made, the people I had met, the family I was blessed with, and the home I grew up in, were the biggest gifts and treasures I’d ever have. 

At 14, I learned that I was different. I was tall, awkward both inwardly and outwardly, painfully sensitive, and scared of a lot of things. I didn’t know who this girl was, only that I didn’t know how to survive in a body that I deemed so fundamentally different to everyone else’s.

At 15, I learned what it felt like to be lost. What it meant to be swimming in a bottomless ocean, not realizing how far out you were. I lost my voice, my emotions, my sense of self, and my determination to be my own person.

At 16, I learned how much I hated myself. I starved, bled, pushed, cried, suffered, and felt myself drown. But, I also learned the beauty and torment of recovery. I learned how to heal my wounds and nurse mu broken soul.

At 17, I learned to love. I learned to open my heart to vulnerability, passion, loss, sacrifice, hurt, and romance. I learned what it means to let someone in. The heart is soft, yet powerful in its fragility. It should not be tampered with.

At 18, I learned to embrace change. Change does not have to be the absence of the old, but rather the introduction of a new. It can reveal things about you, and the life you live, that you never knew and never knew you needed.

At 19, I learned that letting go of toxic people is not a crime. You should not feel bad or guilty for protecting yourself, your body, your space, your energy, and your heart. Choosing to preserve your sanity is not selfish, nor do you need to explain yourself.

At 20, I have learned that you should never apologise for who you are. I have long since stopped apologising for choosing Disney movies over getting wrecked, and peanut butter over vodka shots. But, if those things are what make you happy, then be you. Be who you are, live your life in whatever way makes you happiest, eat the food that makes you feel energised and whole, and most importantly: Love. Love your family, love yourself, love your body, love your life. 

You are all you have forever. Don't waste your eternity being unhappy. 

That is the greatest lesson of all.