Life Lessons Learned

What's a tough situation you've been through, and what did you learn from it?

One of the toughest things I’ve been through was feeling like I had a dream but no one around me believed in it. I’ve always had a deep love for photography. The way a single picture can hold a story, a memory, or an emotionit's something I connected with early. I started learning in a photo studio where I picked up editing and camera skills, and honestly, it felt like I had finally found what made me come alive. But then life happened.

Support started fading. People around me didn’t really understand what I was trying to do. I didn’t have the money to continue with proper equipment or training, and the few people I hoped would help just didn’t. It was heartbreaking to feel so unseen and stuck. I was trying to push myself forward, but everything around me felt like a wall.

What I learned, though, is that passion doesn’t die easily. Even when everything seems to be against you, the dream stays in you quiet, but alive. I started learning to use my phone instead. I watched tutorials, practiced editing with free apps like Snapseed, and reminded myself that talent doesn’t come from having expensive tools. It comes from effort.

I also learned how to show up for myself. Even when nobody clapped for me, I kept going. That taught me patience, quiet strength, and how to keep dreaming even when it hurts.

So yeah, I’m still figuring things out. But I’ve learned that the fight to build something from nothing can shape you into someone stronger than you thought you could be.

What's a piece of advice you'd give to your younger self?

If I could sit with my younger self for just five minutes, I’d hold her hand and say this, Please stop being so hard on yourself. You’re doing the best you can, and that’s enough.

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Growing up, I always felt like I had to prove something. I thought if I worked hard enough, smiled enough, or stayed quiet enough, maybe someone would notice me or finally say, I’m proud of you. But honestly, I spent so much time chasing validation that I forgot how to just breathe and be proud of me.

I’d tell that little girl that it’s okay not to have everything figured out. Life won’t always make sense, and people won’t always understand your dreams, and that’s not your fault. Not everyone is meant to see your vision. Some people will doubt you, ignore you, or even laugh at you. But none of that matters if you keep showing up for yourself.

I’d remind her that her passion for photography, her love for capturing beauty even in simple thingsthat’s special. And even if no one sees the vision right away, it doesn’t mean it’s not valid. One day, all the little efforts, the quiet late nights, the lonely moments, they’ll turn into something beautiful.

And most importantly, I’d tell her that support or no support, you are still enough. Your dreams matter. Your voice matters. And the world needs the way you see things.

So take your time. Don’t rush. Heal slowly. Grow gently. And never, ever stop believing in the version of you that no one else sees yet.

What's the most important lesson you've learned and how has the lesson changed you?

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that you can’t wait for the perfect moment or perfect support, you have to start with what you have. Even if it’s small. Even if it’s just your phone, your hope, and your effort.

I used to think that for my dreams to make sense, I needed the best tools or someone to hold my hand and guide me. I wanted that so badly someone to say I believe in you, or to offer the kind of help that makes things easier. But life didn’t really give me that. At some point, I had to decide either I let the lack of support hold me back, or I keep moving with what’s in my hands, even if it’s not enough yet.

That decision changed everything.

I started using my phone to keep practicing photography. I’d edit pictures with free apps, learn from random YouTube videos, and just keep trying. And slowly, I realized that growth doesn’t always look loud. Sometimes, it’s quiet. It’s choosing not to give up, even when it feels like nobody sees you.

This lesson has made me more independent. It’s taught me to show up for myself. I don’t wait around as much anymore I create. I try. I fail. But I keep going. And I’ve become someone who understands that the dream isn’t about how big your tools are, it’s about how deeply you care, how much you’re willing to keep going without applause.

That mindset has made me stronger. It’s made me proud of how far I’ve come, even when nobody else clapped for me. And I’m learning that sometimes, that’s more than enough.
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What mistake taught you the most and what's the best lesson you've ever gotten?

One mistake that taught me the most was waiting too long for someone else to believe in me before I started believing in myself. I kept putting my dreams on hold because I thought I needed permission.
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I waited for encouragement, for support, for someone to say, Go for it. And because that never really came, I ended up stuck. I doubted myself so much that I stopped trying for a while.

Looking back now, I realize how much time I wasted sitting in that fear. I was scared to try with what I had a phone, basic editing apps, small ideas because I didn’t think it was good enough. I thought people would laugh or not take me seriously. But the truth is, the only person who needed to take me seriously was me.

That’s the best lesson I’ve ever gotten, your life won’t wait for anyone’s approval. If something is burning in your heart whether it’s photography, creativity, or any dream at all you owe it to yourself to at least try. Even if it’s small, even if you’re scared, even if nobody claps.

Now, I’ve started to create without overthinking. I’ve learned to hype myself up even when no one else does. I’m learning how to work with what I have, instead of wishing for more and doing nothing. And I’ve realized that confidence doesn’t come from the outside it grows when you start, when you fail and try again.

So yeah, I made the mistake of doubting myself for too long. But it taught me that believing in yourself is the first and most powerful step toward becoming who you were meant to be.