What Else to Do

I didn't expect to feel different the morning of my 16th birthday. I figured it'd be like every birthday ever. People would wish me happy birthday on Facebook, I would eat cheese cake with my family, maybe watch a movie.

The thing is, I did feel different.

*Gasp!* I know, I know. I wasn't really that much older than I had been last night. Nothing had physically changed. I didn't magically have a drivers license. I certainly didn't grow (haven't grown since I was thirteen). I didn't wake up to balloons and confetti and people screaming "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!" at me. That would've been terrifying. I probably would've cried.

Instead of waking up feeling the same way I did the night before, I came to a realization: I have a life. Like, I'm a person. Who is alive. And breathing. And I can use words.

As I reflected stereotypically over the last year of my life, I realized I was tired of waiting for my life to begin. I'm not Rapunzel from Tangled (as much as I want her hair). I haven't been sitting in a tower for sixteen years, waiting for my mom to let me see the floating lights. (Speaking of Tangled, I See the Light just came on my Spotify and feeeeellsss.)

I realized I have a lot of dreams. College, marriage, etc. My big dreams, though, are more along the lines encouraging others with my life, living confidently in who I am, and glorifying God through all I do.

So after about eight attempts at choosing a name, here's this blog. *Cue confetti cannons.*

I want to, like I said, encourage other people. The topics I write about will range from friendship/relationship advice, stories from my life, my opinions on Christian living, etc. Knowing me, I'll probably post about the dark path society is going down one week, and Tangled the next (I really love Tangled.)

Something I've learned is that I love people, and that's where my dreams come from. When I am able to encourage someone, it gives me so much joy. I want to be able to do that my whole life. I don't always know how to show people I care about them, so this is like my message to literally everyone: I really love people, including you.

I don't want to pretend to be someone or something that I'm not. I believe that living confidently means being who you are, where you are. It's a choice. I'll talk about confidence and being who you are a lot on this blog, But I want to be clear that I'm no expert on any of this. I just want to honestly share what I've learned

I guess my goal is just this: to live and write honestly, gracefully, and confidently right now. And that's what's up.

~HG