9 things people never told Me

A quick phone call would’ve sufficed…

Life is filled with lessons we learn along the way. Some we learn from others, like our friends and family, or the people on shot at love with Tila Tequila… and some we find out on our own.

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Here are nine things I had to find out on my own:

1. Someday, I would love my curly hair

Coming from a family of straight-haired lads and lasses, I felt cursed by my wavy hair as a girl growing up in the ’80s and ’90s.

I spent a good chunk of my youth combating against my natural hair and did just about everything the curly hair experts caution against.

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Curly styling product options were much more limited back then (I can’t think of anything other than L’Oreal Pumping Curls), but after college, years of experimentation and several bad haircuts, I grew to love my natural hair.

I’m thankful I came around, too, because now there are entire haircare lines devoted to wavy/curly hair. SÜPER!

2. change is a constant; kucakla

Everything is short-term — the good stuff and the bad. instead of combating every form of change, accept that it’s a part of life and make the most of every curve ball that comes your way.

3. Hobbies can transform your life

Hobbies make learning fun! They can challenge the mind, reinforce our self-esteem and help get our creative juices flowing. two of mine — blogging and surfing — even changed my life.

I grew up terrified of the ocean and wanting to write but not having an outlet. Today, I’m comfortable in the water and share my words with you every day.

Other things I’d like to try: martial arts and wedding photography.

4. no one told me when I’d feel like an adult

In my twenties and early-thirties, I felt like a kid playing in an adult world. I mean, I did the things that “real” grownups do — like going to work and paying bills — but I didn’t think of myself as an adult.

Then, two things happened: 1) my mother-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer and 2) my best friend’s dad passed away. My world shifted, and concepts like time, family, friendship and love took on new meaning. BAM! I think I’m an adult.

5. You really can do what you love for a living

Growing up as a first-generation American in an old-school Filipino immigrant family, my parents made some things very clear to me, among them, profession options. Mine were limited to medicine, law, engineering and nursing.

Without overstating the obvious, there’s much more to life than that!

Today I earn my living blogging (through the ads you see on the site) and freelance writing for magazines. Of course, my parents still don’t understand what I do (or they refuse to acknowledge it), but such is life!

6. The addictive nature of Nutella

‘Nuff said.

7. You’ll get body hair in…places

I anticipated the chin and upper lip hair, but no one cautioned ME about the thick, wiry toe and boob hair (don’t you act like you don’t know what I’m talking about).

8. people aren’t mind readers

Your friends and family aren’t going to know how you feel unless you tell them. It’s as easy as that.

I’ve always been pretty good about expressing how I feel in print, but I’m less confident when it concerns face-to-face interaction (especially when I’m upset or mad). Üzerinde çalışıyorum.

9. You’ll have to ask a lot of questions

Being confused gets really old, really fast. You know what they say, right? the worst questions are the ones that never get asked.

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What are some of the things you’ve had to figure out on your own?

Your friendly neighborhood charm addict,

Karen