This week, I finally sent my final manuscript into the printing process. Only one thing went through my mind: I’m almost there. For the past eighteen years of my life, I have been told to dream out loud and find something I love to do, to find something that I know will always be a part of me and never let go. Seven years ago, I found it, I found my dream. Seven years later, I am lucky enough to almost have that dream in my hands. In an excerpt from my unbelievable journey, “Getting lost is a part of life. The story only comes when you decide to try to find yourself again.” Every single day, we are given an opportunity– to breathe, to smile, to adventure, to live. These are the moments we live for, the chances we will never get back. Maybe we get lost  a few times along the way to figuring it all out, but no matter how old we are and no matter how much time we have lost, hold onto the fact that we are here and we sill have a chance to be something. We may live in the country of freedom, but it is also a place of tragedy and loss that is not only a reminder of how fragile our lives can be, but a reminder to use every moment we are given. Right now is where we need to be.

This week we celebrated the day of our country’s independence, and on that day, we also remembered our own. Free yourself from whatever may hold you back and find that dream you have always wanted. Find something that reminds you of who you are and gives you your own sense of independence, no matter where you are in life. Every one of us is alive and therefore we are given the chance to find what sets us free. Today, I am beyond excited to announce that my book, Live, Laugh, Love Like a Teenager is out and available for purchase through both Archway Publishing and Barnes and Noble (click for direct link to the site).
So many people in the world are searching for a reason to keep going, a way to make themselves important, something that makes them who they are. My writing is what makes me who I am and this world is my inspiration to keep going, to find something new to say. This is my freedom and without the amazing people or experiences I have had in my life, I would not have achieved it. In the midst of this journey, I give you all a call to action: Find your own independence and do not stop until you do.

Go check out my new book and keep following my blog posts, because this is only the beginning for me.