What Would You Say
To 16 Year Old You?
With Kendra Mase
Introduce yourself! Who are you?
Hello there! I am Kendra, an avid reader, hopeless wanderer, and most of all, a writer who hopes to one day be a novelist. When not stressing out about being a full time student studying English Publishing and Editing, I also run a blog at kendramase.blogspot.com where one can find musings about the next great book you must read, and recently, my adventures as I travel abroad.
What do you love most about yourself?
Honestly, if someone had asked me that question a few years ago, I wouldn’t know what to answer. Um…my sometimes decent creativity? Now, I have to say, what I love about myself the most is that I am almost always up for anything. Going on a random road trip tomorrow that is going to be the adventure of a lifetime? Count me in.
What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is that I will never get to be the person I imagine myself as.
What do you do on a daily basis to grow and move forward?
Sometimes growing is simply finding comfort within myself. I do this by trying to read and do something I enjoy on my own each day whether that be writing, yoga, or just taking a walk. It is a small thing for myself that keeps me motivated to push forward throughout the day.
What would you say to 16 year old you?
A lot. But most of all I would say to my 16 year old self something I have to remind myself of once and a while. No one really cares what you are doing, so might as well have fun and be yourself. I would also tell my 16 year old self that they are pretty fantastic. I definitely needed the extra confidence boost.
What is your favorite meal?
Coffee with a good friend.
Have you ever had anyone doubt you? How did that make you feel?
I am pretty sure that everyone in a creative track has had someone doubt them, but more accurately, the biggest person to ever doubt me has been myself. It is a both sobering and numbing experience. Questions run through my mind in moments where I doubt myself, especially when it comes to my writing. Is this what I am meant to do? Am I making the right decision with what I am studying? Self-doubt is an ongoing thing that I am leaning to both live with an conquer, because in the end there is only one question out of them all that must be answered. Do I keep doing what I love? Or do I let the doubt and fear stop me?
So far I chose to keep doing what I love.
Where do you find inspiration?
Stories. They are everywhere. They are in my favorite novels that are being squished on my too full bookshelves. They are in the crooked half smile that cashier gives me as she hands me my receipt at the grocery store. There is always another story to tell, always another adventure to take, and that gives me the hope and a good feeling that if I open my mind and look hard enough, the inspiration will never completely run out.
What are three books everyone should read right now?
The Glass Eye by Jeannie Vanasco, My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, and anything by Tiffany Reisz.
What are your biggest passions?
Writing, reading, and creating my own story.
More About Kendra
Kendra Mase is an avid reader, hopeless wanderer, and most of all, a writer who hopes to one day be a novelist. When not stressing out about being a full time student studying English Publishing and Editing, she also runs a blog at kendramase.blogspot.com where one can find musings about the next great book you must read, and recently, her adventures as she travels abroad.