17 things i learned when i was 17

5:12:00 PM

Louvre, France


This text was also published on Berlin ArtParasites.

1. People leave. All of them. Even if you think they’ll stick with you forever, they won’t. I won’t be pathetic and say things like they’ll rip your lungs and leave you breathless on bathroom floor. Some of them will, some will quietly disappear and you won’t even notice. But there is ONE person that’ll be there always, only one and that’s you. So try to make yourself happy.
2. Work on making experiences and memories instead on focusing on things. They will last more than that brand new iPhone.
3. Some things are fucking scary and you’ll be scared shitless but sometimes you just have to do it. Don’t think, just do it.
4. I’ve already mentioned people will leave, but when they’re here, love them with all your heart. Love them like you’ve never been hurt and be nice to them and make them feel good. Do it for yourself. But remember to put yourself first and if they make you feel like shit, leave.
5. Find people that inspire you and make you feel loved and like you can conquer the world. Surround yourself with creative, smart, caring, funny and good people. You deserve that.
6. You have to learn to accept yourself. I know it’s hard and that you’d rather be someone else. Someone prettier. smarter, more popular, richer, skinnier, better. But you can only be you. Good news; you can be prettier, smarter, more popular, richer, skinnier, better you if you work hard on yourself and never give up. And accept yourself as a bunch of flaws and learn to love yourself for it. Get to know yourself better. ‘If a lion knows his strength, no man can control him’.
7. It took me long to realize this but everyone, literally everyone has some problems, some things they hate about themselves, something or someone they can’t get over. You’re not the only one.
8. Every day go on an adventure. It doesn’t matter if you skip a class, sneak in the random building nearby, try to hold in laughing so people who live there won’t hear you and hang out on the roof or take a night ride in car of your friend who just passed a driving test. Break a routine. Live.
9. You can’t help people if they don’t want someone to help them. It will hurt to see someone you love suffering and knowing you aren’t able to help. It will hurt like hell, but you can’t do anything.
10. Laugh. Laugh until your stomach hurts and you cry and you pee in your pants a little and look like a mess. But who cares? It’s the best feeling ever.
11. You’ll have to decide what are you going to do with your life and choose college and job. Choose to do what you love, because that’s the only way you’ll be good at it. Remember you are choosing will you, 10 years from now, get up on a Monday morning feeling like you’re going to hell or looking forward to begin with your day.
12. You can do literally everything. You can become President, lose weight, get your life together or do whatever the fuck you want to do (not neccesserly in that order). All you need to do is to stop yourself from stopping yourself (if you get what i’m saying), and have some motivation and dedication. When you wake up say to yourself I OWN THIS.
13. Every day write down what have made you happy that day, or what are you grateful for. At first it may be hard, but just keep doing it.
14. Surround yourself with art. Go to museums, galleries, concerts, look up when you’re walking down the street to see architecture. Draw, write, sing, play any instrument. Beautiful thing about art is that it has infinite ways to be understood.
15. Read good books, classics. They may not seem interesting at first, but i promise you’ll learn a lot. I have nothing against John Green, but fault is not in our stars. Fault is in ourselves, and we create our own destiny
16. Take photos of everything. Few years later you’ll be glad you did.
17. Love yourself unconditionally. Do things that make you happy or are good for you. Never let other people define your worth. Live up to YOUR expectations and opinions, not others. The most valuable thing i realized this year is that i’m worth it. I deserve the best. No one has to save me, i love myself enough to be my own savior. I’m unstoppable and beautiful.

Picture taken in Paris 2012.

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20 comments

  1. Great post :) you learned some great things, things I could learn. I'll have to try some of these.

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    1. Thank you! You should definitely try them :)

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  2. Love this post! Number 10 and 12 are my favorites. As you get older people always tell you that you need to do ONE thing. Why?!

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  3. loved those points and some points r so critically true ..its never to late to make a change in ur life and sumtimes its only ourselves that are hurdles...this was a reminder for me thanks.

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    1. Thanks! Life is what you make it, and often the only thing that's holding you back is.. yourself! I think that's something we all need to learn & overcome, but that's a long process :)

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  4. Loved this! It's all so very true!

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  5. I enjoyed your list and it's very insightful for one so young. I don't think I learned many of those things until I was much older.

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    1. Thank you! It's never too late, since some people die without realizing some of those things

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  6. This is so true. Number 6 is my favorite, thanks for sharing.



    www.beinspiredwithmily.com

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  7. I love your blog, especially this article which "take you back in time" so to speak.
    Please visit / comment on my blog too at My Sunshine Sparkles http://mysunshinesparklesblog.blogspot.com/

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  8. I love your blog, especially this article which "take you back in time" so to speak.
    Please visit / comment on my blog too at My Sunshine Sparkles http://mysunshinesparklesblog.blogspot.com/

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  9. Wonderful post. Numbers 1 and 8 are my favorites.

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  10. Dunja,

    It amazes me you have learned so much at 17 especially nos. 5 and 7. You have youth on your side. You have time in your side.

    Go, be wonderful, be amazing!!!

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  11. Number 17 ftw! I actually did something similar to this on my blog. Actually, this is a deep one. I mean, the courage to share. I really do admire :)

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