When I was 16, I left college after two days. My legs were failing to walk up the stairs and my body exhausted after only a few hours.

I am writing this because I feel it is important to pass on the information and things I have learnt as my body began to fail and the plans I had made for my future disappeared.

Because I am not alone.

There are hundreds of thousands of young teenagers who are sick and feel as though their life is over. I know this because for a very long time I was one of them.

After I left college, I still hadn't given up on the future I wanted, so I decided to study from home.

For many young teenagers, ill or not, home-schooling is a very real concept.

What I wish I had known then- not to push myself.

Just because my college told me I had to do 3 A levels, did not mean that I had to do 3 at home. I wish I had taken my time, done 2 and then another if I felt like it. When you are no longer in the system, time doesn't matter! An extra year or two studying at your own pace, not getting stressed and therefore more ill- it's not the end of the world.

What I wish I had known then- Choose subjects that you actually find fascinating.

Just because my college was more academic, didn't mean that I had to be the same in my home. I love astronomy, cooking, crafts, history and writing and biology all of which are the subject courses that you can take online. Study the things you love. Why not?

But I didn't get this. After one year, the stress of studying Law, Philosophy and English Language pulled me under and my illness flared, leaving me bed bound for many months.

Looking back now, I am saddened by what happened next- For over two years I gave up. I was exhausted, mentally and physically.  Studying for a future I could no longer have didn't become a priority. I fell out of love with reading and didn't pick up a pen to write anymore. My life revolved around hospitals, tests, more tests, gentle exercise, physio and resting. I couldn't- and still can't- leave the house without help.

What I wish I had known- there is a future out there for everyone. Yes it sucks that it isn't what you had originally dreamed of but there are other things that can make you happy.

I originally wanted to study Disaster Management and work with the Army alongside charities, managing aid after a big disaster. Being flown all around the world into dangerous and stressful situations just isn't an option for me anymore.

I don't know what I want to do with my life now and that's ok. Writer? Perhaps, though I don't think its for me. Charity manager? Publisher? Editor? There aren't many career choices for people who can't commit to being able to arrive at certain times and who can't stand or sit in the same place for more than 10 minutes without passing out either. But I know that one day, something will just click and that will be that.

What I wish I had known- That it is ok to be afraid and to grieve for the future that will never happen.

If you don't, it will eat you. I spent many days and nights being angry that this was all happening to me and that the career and life I had dreamed of would only just be that- a dream. Once I realised that it was normal and ok to be feeling like that, I could begin to move on.

What I wish I had known- the internet is more than cat videos and weird trivia- I know right, I was surprised too! 

Utilise it. This is the stage I reached when I turned 18. I started writing again but I needed motivation. Not having a deadline I knew I would never finish what I had started. When I found Wattpad, I knew I had found my writing home. The motivation, human interaction and surrounding myself with people who wanted to reach the same goal was what I needed. So I began to write on an evening, when my mind is most awake. One chapter a week was all I could manage, my mind and body just too tired to let me do any more.

I finished my first novel 'The Six' three nights before my 20th birthday. 80,000 words. There was an overwhelming desire to fist pump the air when I wrote 'The End.' (Though I refrained because it would have resulted in a dislocated shoulder.)

Advice to writers out there in the same situation as me, set goals for yourself but make them achievable. Most importantly, give yourself permission to not punish yourself if you don't meet them. Though I planned on writing one chapter a week, in reality I had to miss quite a few due to not being well enough. To make sure this didn't affect my posting schedule, I built up a bank of around 10 chapters before I started posting in the beginning.

I am still not well enough to study a full time or even part time course. Though I have my eyes on a biology degree with the Open University in the future. I work my mind through writing my stories and I get satisfaction and joy from seeing readers relate and from all of you who are supporting this campaign.

What I wish I had known then-

People pay thousands of pounds for other people who dress weirdly to tell them to live each day as it comes.

I now have the courage to say 'why not?'

Why not do the #justwriteit challenge? If I fail, there is always next month. (In fact, I ended up writing 35,000. Though note this month I'm hardly writing anything!)

Why not sign up for that 7 week long, 3 hours a week course by edx all about alien life, space, galaxies and how you look for them all. If I fail, there will be another equally as interesting course in the future. (I have now completed this course with an 80% pass rate, and I am getting a certificate so I can have it as a memento.)  Seriously, if you are looking for something worthwhile to spend time on, edx is an amazing online 'school' with a wide variety of courses by some of the world's top universities- some of them even with credits!

Why not look into the things your community has to offer? There is a biking place near me that on a Sunday lets you ride adapted bikes and a leisure centre with a climbing wall that holds classes with extra equipment and help for people who are disabled. There is also a hydro pool that has water warm enough for me to exercise in without making my muscles all seize up.

Why not plan a weekend in London on my own? (a 2 hour train ride away for me) Watt pad's LonCon is happening this December and it would be a great opportunity for me to step out of my comfort zone and be independent for a few days. It will take a lot of planning, saving and self-confidence (no subways for me- there are many that don't have lifts and disabled access!!!) EDIT- this totally happened. I stayed with a friend for the weekend who came into London with me for the day, you can see pictures if you follow me on Instagram! It was such a great weekend, and I really enjoyed myself. Pushing my comfort zone limits has given me a huge boost in confidence.

Why not set up my own publishing house, so I can show case the amazing stories that are being produced by this campaign? (Coming soon!)

I wish I had known when I was told there was no cure for my condition-

That there would be many doctors who would never understand it and dismiss it.

That there would be people who would judge me and look down on me, thinking I was making everything up so I could stay in bed- and that their uneducated opinions didn't matter.

That people would constantly tell me the way their cousins best friends aunties sister was cured of the same things I had by a juice cleanse/ exercising more/ not eating meat/ these pills/ an exotic pink tea leaf only found on the hidden mountains of matchu matchu... totally made that last one up, but the rest I have heard over and over and over again.

Who wants to play by societies rules anyway?!

If you are bed bound with idle hands- learn to code computers! Study your absolute favourite subject and only a little bit of English, maths and science ( I have to say that really...) Read every book you can get your hands on, and if you aren't loving it three chapters in then stop- life is to short.

If you are house bound, learn French patisserie recipes until you can recite them backwards, design and sew dresses, blankets, curtains. Write apps, music, draw. Paint canvas's, walls, glass, rocks- whatever!

If society has left you behind then tell it to screw itself before becoming the best version of you that you can be.

Find something that makes you happy. Because in the end, that is all that matters.

If you could give a piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?