Of course, as a disclaimer, you can use this list if you are not 15 yet to maybe accomplish some of these things and if you have passed 15 years of age, then you can check to see if you can do these things. And it is your choice if you want to do these things, do it at your own risk and you can accomplish these at any age.

Have a bucket list or set of goals. This really gives that sense of motivation and push for who you really want to become when you are older. 

Have a side project. Don’t neglect the fact that nowadays, skills are also very important alongside grades to get into good colleges, universities and jobs. So, if that’s your aim, join an extracurricular activity or create something new, like a podcast.

Have at least one reliable support system. I have found that my best friends in life are my family. Don’t neglect your parents as a teenager as many people regret that later in life.

Understand that peer pressure is not the way to go forward. Peer pressure drives many teenagers at this age but it really isn’t worth it.

Develop certain habits. Mastering certain habits such as making a daily to-do list and cleaning your room often are quite helpful.

Know how to edit photos. I think this may be a life skill that everyone can learn and I think it’s p

Know how to cook/make at least 5 good recipes. Even if you are not a great cook, try to learn five simple recipes that you can make at any time for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Know how to have your own me-time. Learn to spend time with yourself and not be covered in guilt and negativity but in a positive light.

Know how to do grocery shopping by yourself. Only do this if your parents allow you but I think whenever I have done this, I have felt this sense of renowned independence. 

Know how to have fun without the screen. What a lot of people are guilty of is finding that the only way to relax is looking at a screen. That is wrong. Find other traditional ways of having breaks too such as going for a walk. 

Know how to clean your room regularly. Cleaning your room is something that you may not like to do but if you want to live alone, you will be compelled to do it. It really doesn’t take that long.

Know how to manage money. Ask your parents if you can have your own bank account and learn to manage the money and not just spend it all straightaway. 

Have your own signature. I have changed my signature a few times but know I am quite stuck to one, so have a consistent signature of your own.

Know that it is okay to have low days (but you need to get back up). All teenagers go through low days but remember it is okay and all you got to do is get back up.

Those were 15 things I think every teenager should try to know. It is okay if you don’t know all of them. 

If you want some more juicy tips and advice, check out my other links such as my podcast.

Also, surf around my website.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

A few days ago, I turned 14 years old. I am extremely grateful and privileged to be able to have lived on this Earth for fourteen years of my life. Within those 14 years, I have gained some amazing experiences and cherished moments with my loved ones. But I have also learnt a lot. This is why in today’s article, I will be sharing 14 things/advice I have learnt in 14 years of my life. These are some of the beliefs that I wholeheartedly believe in and this is obviously just my viewpoint – you don’t have to agree with it. So without any further ado, here are my beliefs: 

You have to work hard for everything you want

From a young age, I was taught the power of education and how you have to work hard every step of your life. People may support you but no one will be there to spoonfeed you.

Make connections with people rather than sticking with one person

I have seen people who stuck to one person like glue for many months and years, yet once that person had left them, they didn’t have any other friends and were left heartbroken. Therefore, my tip is to try to have small connections with lots of people rather than focus on one person fully because if that one person leaves you, you will have no one to go to.

Pray to God and believe in him

I am a Muslim and I truly believe in Allah. Therefore, whether it’s the happiest of times or the hardest of times, I always pray to Allah as He has the potential to change anything and He can keep all your secrets without anyone knowing.

Believe in yourself

If you don’t believe in yourself, how do you expect others to believe in you? If you don’t love yourself, how will others love you? Have that self-confidence and feel that self-worth for everyone to value you.

Your phone can be your worst enemy

Nowadays, social media and having the latest iPhone is seen as a norm and a trend that everyone has to follow. But you have to look out for the disadvantages as well and really ask yourself if it is worth your time and energy.

Being rude to others won’t get you anywhere

Revenge is something that you have to really consider before you act upon it. If you want to take revenge on someone, it’s just making you go as low as that person. I truly believe that Allah sees and acts upon everything, so sometimes no action is the loudest action. However, this does not mean that if you really are facing injustice, you should not speak out.

Karma really exists

Speaking of revenge, it’s not always the best option. What goes around comes around. A real-life experience of mine is when a friend left me and after a few months, she also got ditched by her friends, and she then wanted to be my friend again. And I didn’t even have to do anything. 

Giving will always come back to you

Giving something to the world will always have a way of coming back to you. If you give to charity, you may end up getting that 9 on that Science test you’ve been wanting. 

Your family won’t ever be judgemental

I saw this quote in a movie and I really think it’s true. Any hardship you are facing or any secret you are hiding is not big enough to hide from your family as they are there to support you. My family have always been there for me and I know they won’t ever judge me, they will just correct me. 

Successful people do things that failures wouldn’t want to do

If you want to get a 9 on your exam, you have to sacrifice partying with your friends to study for that test. This is because successful people are willing to study and seek knowledge for the long-term, unlike failures who want to party for the short-term.

There are three things you will face in life: pain, loss and sacrifice

There is no progress without pain. For every loss, there is a better replacement. Every pain can make you more tolerant and stronger as a person. Every sacrifice is always paid off.

Prioritise and balance life 

In order to live life to the fullest, you have to find a balance between all the different aspects. Life can be busy at times but you have to prioritise. Should you use your phone or talk to your family? Should you study or party? You have to make some important life decisions yourself.

Learn to say no

If you answered ‘study’ in the question above, you now have to face the reality of saying ‘no’ to the host of the party. This can be difficult at times and you may feel selfish or may feel that you have not gone to enough parties. However, you have to remember that at the right time, after you have finished your exams, you can party. So for now, say no and later it can turn into a yes.

Never compare

There is a fine line between comparing yourself to someone else and getting inspired by someone else. When you compare yourself to someone else can you complain in your head, that is what can put you down. But if you get inspired, you feel good and work harder to exceed your capabilities. You want people to be inspired by you.

Life will be hectic but the successful ones are those who can get over every hurdle

Life will be hectic but in order to be successful, you must embrace those hurdles, climb them and be prepared for the next one. 

Those were 14 things I have learnt in 14 years of my life. I still have a lot to learn In Sha Allah. Remember that you don’t have to sacrifice all the time, you can find the balance between fun and work, and that’s what makes a successful person. Comment down below your beliefs and make sure to share this article with your family and friends.

Please check out my other articles:

http://surobiscribbles.com/how-to-be-happy-as-a-teenager/

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

“One in four British girls are hit by depression at 14.”  How does that make you feel? As a teenager myself, it makes me feel scared, worried and makes me ask ‘why?’ How can I prevent it?

Well, you know what. I want you to smile right now. How does that make you feel right now? It makes me feel good to see myself and others smile. I think teenagers sometimes just need a boost of motivation, happiness and confidence. In today’s article, I will give you some advice and tips according to my own experience and research about how to keep positive, increase confidence and just be happy. Before I get started, remember that these tips can be hard to follow in the beginning but through practice and initiative, you can get there. You can be the happiest person alive.

Smile – Smiling and laughter is the medicine for any pain. It gives you instant recovery and relief. Even a fake smile can make your day.

Don’t compare yourself to anyone – Everyday, teenagers compare themselves to the photoshopped celebrities, friends, models, cousins or even siblings to the point that it makes them break down. Look in the mirror and embrace yourself because you are beautiful.

Meditate/reflect upon yourself – Set aside some time each day to pray to God, meditate or just say positive affirmations to yourself such as ‘I am amazing’.

Do things that you love – This could be cooking, singing, dancing, walking in the park, cuddling up to your pet, anything that makes you happy.

Spend time with people you love and support you – There’s no point of spending your precious time with people who will discourage and bring you down. Try to spend more time with people who will make you laugh like your parents, siblings or your best friends.

Eliminate toxic people – According to studies shown, we spend 80% of the time thinking about 20% of the people we stay with. If you are thinking about people who will belittle you and make you feel insecure about what you are thinking, it is time to leave those friends for good. This may be tough but it will be for your good.

Don’t care about what other people think of you – It is hard to do this when we are surrounded by people all the time. An important step to take and think about is if you yourself are judging others.

Ignore popularity  – You don’t become popular by swearing or backbiting, you become popular by being kind and having a sweet personality. If you do see popularity that is by swearing and acting rudely towards others, that is only short-term.

Don’t bottle up your feelings – It may be hard to confess or speak out your emotions but it is important to share your feelings with a trusted adult or person. Tell your parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles about anything that you are concerned about. I’m sure they are there to help you.

Ask yourself ‘does it really matter?’ – Whatever you are thinking about right now that is causing you to become upset, just stop and ask yourself if it really matters. Half of the time we worry about things we can’t control or actually doesn’t matter to us.

Understand that you can have low days – It is fine to have low days. You can’t always be happy and you have to understand that. Sometimes, we are sad because we are tired.

Did this article make you smile or at least make you feel 1% better? I hope so. Just remember that there is always hope and if you need any professional medical help, don’t feel afraid to get it. You have support, trust me.

Please check out my other articles:

http://surobiscribbles.com/how-to-prepare-for-eid-ul-fitr-my-ramadan-series/

http://surobiscribbles.com/the-7-habits-of-highly-effective-teenagers-by-sean-covey-honest-book-review/

Thank you for reading and have a lovely day!