Over the last few years, I’ve encountered and met a lot of different people. People who are in different stages of their life than I am, people who are actively trying to switch their career paths, and people who are passionate about what they’re doing.

Everyone has their own story to tell, everyone is at a different stage in life, you too are at a different stage than I am.

I grew up hearing, “there’s always going to be someone better, smarter, and better looking than you.” Great motivation, huh?

If there’s someone who’s always better than I am, then what’s the point in trying? If there’s always going to be a stronger candidate with a stronger resume when applying for jobs, school, etc., then what’s the point?

You shouldn't live life comparing yourself to others. 

Instead of wishing you had their life and letting this drag you down, channel this energy to look straight ahead to run after your goals and dreams. Work hard and try to find work you're passionate about.

Don't know what you're passionate about?

Go put yourself out there, join different organizations, talk to people, and start to weave out what you like and don't. Figure out how you can mature so you'll be a better version of you tomorrow than you were today. Never lose that motivation and continue to challenge yourself. Success will eventually follow in its own time.

Everyone is at a different stage in their life 

Just because your peers are more successful than you are, this doesn’t mean you aren’t doing well for yourself. Just because they have a higher degree than you, this doesn't mean you should go back to school and try to get yours so you can be on par with them. Just because your peers are starting up their own company, this doesn't mean you have to do so as well.

You're moving at your own pace, and if you're truly giving your 100% and you’re doing work you believe in, then I believe that you’re headed towards the right direction, your direction.

You can't live life constantly comparing yourself to others, so instead, start thinking about the type of life you want to live and set-up a game plan on how you're going to get there. 

Oh, and don't be too hard on yourself if you move 2 steps forward and 5 steps back. When you fall, it’s okay to sit and rest for a bit, but when you’re ready, pick yourself back up and start climbing that mountain once again because once you get to the top, that view is going to be worth it. Never let go of that motivation of yours and please, never let laziness takeover your life.

You only have one life to live, so go make the most out of it. 

I dare you to take courage and a leap of faith even if you're all alone. If it's something (or someone) you believe in, then I challenge you to at least try to see where life takes you.

So often do people tell me stories how they regret not trying. Whether it's not trying to explore a new city because they were uncomfortable about the cultural barriers they might encounter, not trying new cuisines, not trying to attend that concert because their friends wouldn't go with them, not trying to make a relationship work, the list goes on. 

It’s normal for us to stop ourselves from doing something because we’re afraid, after all, we are human, right? No.

Here's my challenge: I challenge you to take a leap and start living your life by chasing after your dreams, even if it means you have to make a few sacrifices.

If you can attend that dream college of yours despite it being across/in another country, go for it. If you received an amazing job offer and it's a job you fell in love with but it means relocating and moving away from your friends, go and take that chance; don't worry, you'll eventually make new friends. If you want to take a chance on a relationship but you're scared because you've been hurt before, don't let that past experience hold you back. 

Don't ever let past experiences hold you back but use it to strengthen you.

It's life, so hardships and heartaches will come and go, since we're forever stuck on this crazy rollercoaster of a life. But wouldn't you rather give something a shot and learn from those experiences than sit there in regret wondering, "what if?"  

Have courage. Have heart. Don’t let fear hinder you.

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Maybe you’ve already experienced this with a few people or maybe you haven’t, but I’m going to ask the question anyways: have you ever met someone (outside of your family) who felt like home?  

General home-feeling rule

You know you can be completely yourself around them and they’re the last person to judge you (or maybe they’ll lovingly-outwardly say they’re lovingly-judging you). This is someone you’re comfortable to sit in silence with. When you argue and fight, you know that they’ll still be there for you and you’ll be there for them, and you'll overcome this bump. You have a sense of safety and warmth when they’re there by your side.

Old friends, old comforting home

When I hangout with old friends, there’s a sense of nostalgia-home with them. They saw me when during my awkward teenage days when I was trying to figure out how to morph into this “adult” personality as classy as possible. They bring comfort and I love how we’re able to go back to those days when we were younger and a bit less jaded.

My dear best friends, my current home

There’s only a handful of friends I truly consider my best-best friends. There’s the best friends I care deeply for and will have their back no matter what, and vise versa, but what makes my ultimate best friends stand-out is how I feel when I’m with them. When I’m homesick, they’re the ones I call and they’re the ones I feel completely comfortable showing every side of me with. They’re the friends that feels like family and that I trust with my whole heart.

& then, there’s that rare human who appears once in a blue moon

This person will take you by surprise because they’ll feel like home in a completely new level. It can be overwhelming. They'll give you a sense of security, you’ll be willing to put them before you, they'll bring joy in your life, and you'll want to bring joy in theirs. You'll want to spend time with them, whether you're out and about or sitting at home doing absolutely nothing. You’ll feel safe and at ease that they’re right there, they'll just feel like home. 

My, Yours, home 

These people are rare to come by (at least for me), so hold on to them tightly when they enter your life. Home should be a place of comfort, safety, and support. But like any home, there will be times when you need to move on and start fresh, and that’s okay. Trust me when I say this, you will find another new home. Just give it time. No home is the same, but every home will be great in its own way. 

So let me ask the question again, do you have people in your life (outside of your family) who feel like home?

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You might be the type of person who has multiple friend groups or maybe you’re someone who just has a small number of people you call friends. Everyone views and defines friendship differently, but here’s how I think of it:

Your real friends should be people you trust, who will support you, respect you, and people you respect, support, and trusts you back.

I’ve always been a strong believer in having quality over quantity friendship, but I also understand the appeal in having a large pool of “friends” since you’ll always have something to do, someone to talk to, someone to hang out with, but are these type of “friends” worth it? 

If I invest in my friends and build those relationship, won’t it be worth it?

I’m not saying don’t do this. In fact, I highly recommend that you invest in other people’s lives; be selfless, get to know them, listen to them. You never know what these relationships will turn into and the impact you’ll have in each other’s lives. But just because you invest, this doesn’t necessarily mean these people will automatically become your best friends, and that’s okay. I applaud you for putting yourself out there and trying to build a relationship, but if it leads to nothing, then that’s okay too.

You learn something new from everyone. 

Don’t judge someone in the first ten minutes, take time to get to know them and give them a chance. Wouldn’t you want this treatment back too? Everyone has their own story to tell, everyone has their own unique personality. By interacting with new people, listening to their stories, and getting to know them, I believe this is never a waste of time. You’ll learn something new, they’ll bring out a new side of you and vise versa.

It’s okay to only have a small handful of people you call best friend.

Let’s be real, time is limited, so of course we want to use it wisely. This crazy thing we call life is stressful and you’ll constantly have battles to fight, but these fights aren’t too bad when you have a good - healthy support system. Whether that’s a family member or a friend, even if you only have one person, it’ll make all the difference. In fact, your best friend(s) should be the easiest part of life, as told by one of my best friends.

It’s okay to let go of certain people.

I know this might be terrifying, especially if this is someone you depend on, but if a certain person is starting to get toxic in your life, you feel like they’re not meeting you halfway, or they’re taking advantage of you -- are they really worth it? If you’ve already confronted them and tried to resolve the issue multiple times but you come back to the same conclusion, is the friendship/relationship worth it? I understand how difficult this can be, letting go of people is something I struggle with, but as scary as it is, sometimes, it can be the best thing for you. Be free, let them go, and you'll start to find yourself again. 

You win some. You lose some. It's a never ending cycle of meeting new people and building relationships.

Some will stick around, some will fall under the "network" bucket, and some will completely disappear from your life. If some people are bound to leave, then what's the point in investing in them? Scroll up and reread this post from the start.

You'll meet people you'll grow with and people who'll make you grow; people who'll fight with you and people who'll make you fight; people who'll help build your home and people who'll leave you alone.

It's during these times when the people who'll make you grow, make you fight, and leave you alone, that the people who'll grow with you, fight with you, and build a home with you will shine ever so brightly in your life and the people you'll want to keep.

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I recently got a new lens and I've been dying to play around with it. I got the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 stm, which is great for portraits. I'm currently in the process of finding friends who'll spare their time and let me take photos of them so I can play around with my new lens.