The best thing you can do for yourself is to have an interest in something, have a passion for something, and to know your skills.

Woke up thinking: The best thing you can do for yourself is to have an interest in something, have a passion for something, and to know your skills. This can help set up your path for life and keep you positive in tough times and inspire you. I find it sad when kids get out of high school and don’t know themselves, what their good at, or their skills. It’s such an important thing to know for yours...elf and what interests you. It’s your life and each day is yours. You don’t have to know the moment you graduate what you want to do for the rest of your life, but at least it’s good to know what your interests are, what are your skills. When I got out of high school I didn’t have the best grades but I was a competitive track runner, and I knew what classes in school I excelled at and from a young age I was into art and writing so that led me toward finding colleges with art/advertising and running programs. Then, through modeling and my writing my first book I learned about being a self-marketer. As I continue to write and publishing books I could think that I’m doing something totally different than what I thought my skills were, but writing involves creativity, creating a book cover and book trailer involves an artistic side and marketing it all takes the will to research and be a self-promoter. Writing, art, marketing all entwine here.

I’m also really big on having a passion and hobby, a passion beyond staring at ridiculous pointless TV shows. Everyone needs something that makes them feel alive, an interest that fulfills their purpose and allows them to use a part of themselves that can get easily lost among the day to day routine of survival. I believe in never being bored and always being up for learning and discovering. When you allow your mind to absorb the fun in discovery and you’ll see there’s so much to do and see in this world and enjoy, so embrace those thoughts and wonders that makes you think. ~IJ