Adventure.

Don’t ever be afraid of an adventure. Be wise, certainly, but don’t turn up your nose at hard work or a little bit of pain. Those are clear indicators that you are headed for an adventure. If it were all fun, laughter, and love, then books would never sell. Every story needs a few scary twists and turns that build the protagonist’s character. Without those cuts and bruises, and occasionally tears, the reader would not be brought to their knees at the ending. There would be no cheering. No outbursts of laughter. No joyful tears. It would just simply be, “The End.” But as all readers know, the end of a good story leaves you with something unforgettable. Whether it is good, bad, or ugly, you are left with a piece of an adventure you would have never had otherwise.

So don’t be afraid of what others will say when you wear your heart on your sleeve, say what you really truly mean, and fight till you can’t even stand. Those are all the signs of someone on a grand adventure. Don’t be afraid of the villains, every good story needs them. You will end your story with some wounds, scars, and plenty of broken hearts. But you’ll gain a passion, strength, and respect that you couldn’t have had without some struggle.

Leave the ones reading your story with more than “The End.” Live so adventurously that they are left with something when they turn the final page. When you encounter a challenge, face it head on. When you feel pain, keep your head held high. When you hear them whisper about you, know that that’s how people always talk about even the greatest of heroes.

Don’t ever be afraid of an adventure.