DO the research
I cannot stress this enough. The amount you get out of your spirituality vastly depends on the amount of work you put into it. Read the books; not just the history books, read the myths, the poems, the lore. Look into the science and philosophies. Go to the library. Take detailed notes that are good enough you can look back to them later on. Break out those highlighters! Write down any questions you may have, and give yourself room to write answers as you find them.
DON'T feel required to fit into a witchy label
Part of the beauty of the craft is that it can be individualized and unique to each practitioner. You don't have to fit into a category if you don't want to. You can pull from multiple areas to shape your craft into what works for you. If you don't feel called to worship specific deities, then don't. If you don't have a connection, there is no need to incorporate into your practice. Don't force something that doesn't belong.
DO start a journal
If you want to call it a "Book of Shadows," you can. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, a generic spiral notebook or a binder of loose leaf paper work just fine. Write down what you find interesting and what you are interested in learning more about. You can put your research and notes in here if you want.
DON'T do anything that puts you and others in danger, or makes you feel uncomfortable
It can be easy to lose track of things when you're first starting out. Use your best judgment with what you read and what you're told. If something gives you a bad vibe or your gut is telling you to steer clear, then do just that. Don't join a coven if their practices/beliefs make you uncomfortable, don't perform a spell without researching all the ingredients and ensuring they are safe to use/digest. Back your studies with scientific research and common sense. Don't take anything for word without the research. Never let others make you feel uneasy or out of control in your craft. If something contradicts your own personal ethics, keep away from it. There's no cut-and-dry white or black magic, as magic's only restrictions are what you give it. You don't have to believe one way or another. Don't allow others to talk you into a craft that makes you uncomfortable.
DO stay organized
Keep your workspace workable. That includes your mind. Your mind is your best tool. and just as an athame needs cleaned so it does not rust, your mind needs cleaned as well. Meditation is your friend and it will help you find yourself. Discipline yourself into daily entries in your journal. It will help your concentration, and build a ritual of a daily connection to your craft that will only strengthen your bonds to your spirituality.
DON'T fret over mistakes
Try that new spell. Don't freak out if it doesn't work or doesn't go as planned. It happens to the best of us. Don't get discouraged. It's hard to start on your spiritual journey. It's hard to go at it when you feel alone (I'm looking at you Solitary Witches and Broom Closet babies). Mistakes are part of the growing process. This is a learning curve for you. You are always a student of the craft, and only sometimes a teacher. Age does not always reflect knowledgeability and wisdom. There is always something to learn and improve. Part of the learning process of anything is making mistakes. It happens. Learn from your mistakes and learn to forgive yourself for making them.
DO look at nature
Pagan paths are very nature based. Bring home sticks and rocks and leaves and other artifacts of nature that attract your attention. Why did it attract your attention? Use these as topics for research. Spend time outside and don't be afraid to let nature call you into action. Talk to the wind, hug the trees and feel their energy, bathe in moonlight, hold a conversation with the birds. Don't worry about looking silly to others. You are deepening your connection to your spirituality, and it is awe-inspiring.
DON'T appropriate
Many modern pagan paths are notorious for stealing - sometimes unintentionally - from closed cultures and religions. This is where your research will help guide you. Don't participate in rituals and acts that are sacred to their root cultures. Many of these cultures require only initiated or hereditary practitioners perform these sacred acts. They are off-limit to outsiders. Be respectful of this; if a culture does not want to share these things, you don't have a right to take them.
DO ask for guidance
It's ok to need help. It's ok to ask for guidance. Make friends, join discussions, initiate into a coven if you feel called to do so. Just keep in mind that the craft varies from practitioner to practitioner, and everyone will have different views and beliefs. Don't be afraid to read a "Wiccan book" even if you don't practice Wicca. There is still a lot of good information in those books. Learn how to navigate through your research, and use a critical mind. It can be very easy to be drawn to wrong sources, so always cross reference. Learn to ask specific questions when you need help, and ask yourself questions as well. How does this information impact my beliefs and path? What of this information has meaning to me? Is this what I believe?
DON'T jump into anything head first
Slow and steady. Give yourself plenty of time to figure out who you are and what you want in your spirituality. Don't hinder your development by rushing into spellwork because it's what Sabrina Spellman and Piper Halliwell do. Start with your basics and build a solid foundation that you can grow upon. A city built on sand will only slide into the sea. A city build on concrete will hold fast against the waves. Research covens before joining. Do their beliefs align with your own? Do they have credible references? Are you even in a position to be joining a coven?
DO be honest
It is very easy to tell when someone is "full of it" and talking out of their backside. Be honest with what you know and don't know. Others will respect you more for being honest, than for you pretending to be someone you're not. You are always a student of the craft, and only sometimes a teacher. Be open to learn from others.
DON'T default to spellwork to fix practical problems
Spells aren't always the answer. In fact, spells should be the last possible solution. Or it shouldn't be the solution at all. If you can fix the problem without spellwork - and 99% of the time you can - then you should. Don't be lazy and default to casting a spell because you don't want to put in the effort and responsibility of fixing it yourself. Understand how spells work. They don't magically give you a solution, they help enhance the solution you are actively working towards. Casting a spell to get a job isn't going to land you the job. You have to actively work towards it. You have to put in the application. Casting a spell to make you healthier isn't going to work unless actively see a doctor to help you. Ask yourself: what should I do to obtain the outcome I want? Only then should you ask: will spellwork help enhance the possibility of achieving this outcome? Spells will never give you the outcome, they will only enhance the possibility of achieving the outcome.
DO be open to change
Ten years from now, your craft will look vastly different. As it should be. As you grow and evolve, so will your spirituality. Change can be healthy, so be open to it. Just because you don't follow a specific path right now, doesn't mean you should avoid it. If you feel drawn to a deity of another path, don't ignore it because it's not part of that set path. Let your craft be fluid, and take shape to whatever you are in that moment.
DON'T let your craft overtake your life
We all want to have purpose; to be a part of something great. We know there is more to this world than we can see and comprehend. But that does not mean the life we live at the present moment, is less important. Your craft should help you with your present life; the here and now. It is not a fantasy world for you to escape to and hide from the present day. Granted, sometimes it is a nice distraction from daily life, you shouldn't spend all your time wrapped up in it. It's not worth losing friends because you're too busy with your craft to hang out with them. It's not worth calling off work to craft so often that you lose your job. It isn't worth spending money you don't have on supplies that you cannot pay your bills and take care of your family. Your craft does not have to cost you anything. You don't need all the fancy tools. You don't need every tool. Supplies and tools can cost a fortune and they add up quick. Give yourself time to figure out what you'll need daily, and invest in those items. You'd be surprised how much just sits and collects dust. Crafting on a budget is possible, and a lot of things can be found in your own backyard. There's no need to spend an arm and a leg for something you can find in the yard, or laying around your house.
DO revisit your spiritual stance
Make time to come back to yourself. Make time to reevaluate your decision to follow your spiritual path. Do I still want to walk this journey? Do I still find joy in my craft and peace in my spirituality? Does my spirituality still align with my ethics and morals? If the answer to any of these is "no," then it's time to start over and go back to the research. Don't be afraid of starting over, it is part of the growth process. Reevaluate what you are doing in your practice that is no longer necessary or fulfilling. How can you bring that joy and peace back into your practice?
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