Life today is a lot different to when I was in my mid-teens. Whilst angst seems to be a mandatory stage in every teenagers life, I suffered from what I now recognize as serious depression. I was an outcast as school, I did a lot of stupid things, and I hated both myself and life in general.

You could say that I experienced the sour during these years, which is perhaps why life tastes so sweet today. In this sense, my experience really has made me the person I am today. I have no desire to change the past, but I do hope that some teenagers out there who are confused, angry or depressed find some value in this article. So then, here are 5 pieces of advice I would tell my younger teenage self.

Look at the image of the dancer above. Do you see her turning clockwise or anti-clockwise?

If she is turning clockwise, you use more of the right side of the brain and vice versa.