With the risk of aging myself, back in 2012 I found a quote that quietly shaped how I survived—and eventually lived—my life:
“Life’s an adventure…
So for now, smile through the tears,
laugh at the confusion, and
keep reminding yourself everything happens for a reason.”
I’ve had this quote in my Instagram bio since the day I opened my account. Over the years, I’ve thought about changing it more times than I can count. But every time I go to update it, I stop, read it, and smile.
It’s a reminder of where I’ve been—and proof that life is an adventure, even when you’re lost inside it.
This quote takes me back to a time when I was struggling far more than I am now. Back to being a young adult still learning who I was, where I belonged, and how to exist in a world full of expectations.
If you’re feeling lost in life right now, unsure of your place, or quietly searching for advice on how to find yourself in adulthood, you’re not alone.
Smile Through the Tears, Laugh at the Confusion
High school wasn’t easy. Between raging hormones, academic pressure, athletics, friendships, popularity, relationships, and the constant need to “keep up,” it felt like expectations were coming from every direction.
What I didn’t realize then was that the most pressure wasn’t coming from everyone else—it was coming from me.
I believed life was a race. A game that had to be won. And the only way to win was to level up faster than everyone else.
That’s why this quote resonated so deeply with me. Smile through the tears and laugh at the confusion weren’t just words—they were survival tools. At that stage of my life, everything felt like tears and confusion. And believing that everything happens for a reason became my anchor, even before I fully understood what belief really meant.
Life Is an Adventure (Even When It Doesn’t Feel Like It)
I carried this mantra with me into college, convinced it would be a fresh start. In my naïve mind, adulthood meant clarity. No more confusion. No more tears.
Right?
Instead, college introduced a whole new level of uncertainty—with a side of emotions I had never experienced before. It was during this time that the idea that life is an adventure began to feel less comforting and more confronting.
For the first time, I was on my own. No parents. No teachers. No rigid boundaries. I was responsible for what came next.
And that’s when I realized something important:
Adventures aren’t easy. They’re unpredictable, messy, and often uncomfortable—but they’re real.
Still Smiling, Laughing, Believing, and Living the Adventure
Today, this quote holds a very different meaning.
I still smile through tears—but they’re different tears now.
I still laugh at confusion—but it’s a deeper, quieter kind of laughter.
And I truly believe everything happens for a reason—because I’ve seen it unfold.
This isn’t just about being older or wiser. It’s about lived experience.
I laugh through moments when I don’t know which way is forward, backward, up, or down. I smile instead of cry more often these days, saving my tears for the people and things that truly deserve them.
Instead of wondering if life is an adventure, I live it.
I don’t have a map—and that used to terrify me. Now, I understand that building the map as I go is the adventure.
Stop Living on Everyone Else’s Map
One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned on my personal growth journey is this:
I was living my life based on maps created by everyone else—
my parents, siblings, friends, partners, teachers, employers, and even the media.
No wonder I felt lost.
No wonder I cried so much.
I wasn’t failing at life—I was standing on the wrong map.
When I finally claimed my life as my adventure, everything shifted. Navigating friendships and expectations became easier. The confusion felt lighter. I could laugh at it instead of fearing it.
So let me say this clearly, as both an author and a friend:
Your life is your adventure.
Smile. Laugh. Cry. Scream.
But do it on your map—when your adventure calls for it, not because you’re “supposed to.”
Mental Health, Chronic Illness, and Finding Yourself
I want to be honest here.
I live with depression, anxiety, OCD, and Multiple Sclerosis. Mental health has been part of my story, and MS brings its own layers of uncertainty, grief, and fear.
This mindset didn’t cure any of that.
But it helped me survive it.
During moments of spiraling anxiety, deep depression, and overwhelming uncertainty, this quote reminded me to pause, breathe, and keep moving forward—one step at a time.
Sometimes, finding yourself in adulthood isn’t about clarity.
Sometimes, it’s about compassion for who you are while you’re still becoming.
My Book: Sweet Lies & Burnt Grounds
In my book, Sweet Lies & Burnt Grounds, you’ll read about some of the adventures I took as a college student and young adult—filled with friendship, confusion, heartbreak, and moments that didn’t make sense at the time.
What I didn’t know then was that those moments were shaping me for a reason.
By the end of the book, you’ll begin to see how those experiences connect. And even now—more than 13 years after the story ends—those reasons continue to reveal themselves in ways I never expected.
If you haven’t read it yet, Sweet Lies & Burnt Grounds is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle.
🎧 The audiobook version is coming soon.
Final Thoughts
Life isn’t meant to be figured out all at once.
It’s meant to be lived—messy, emotional, confusing, and deeply human.
Smile through the tears.
Laugh at the confusion.
And trust that life is an adventure, even when you don’t know where the path leads.
You’re not behind.
You’re not broken.
You’re just finding your way.
