24 Lessons for 24 Years
It's my birthday! To celebrate, I thought it would be fun to talk about 24 things I've learnt in the past 24 years!
1) Get stuff done. Not everyone will like you for it, but if I've learnt anything, you want something done, just do it.
2) Manage your priorities. Don't manage your time, that will never allow for you to make changes. If you manage your priorities, you allow yourself to put into perspective what is important for you so you can see how important new changes are for you. Is exercising something you can't fit into your day? Maybe it's just not a priority?! See how you feel when you say "it's not a priority" and go from there.
3) Respect your parents. Respect your elders. Parents aren't always right, we all know that, but if you are lucky and your parents love you and want the best for you, they aren't always wrong. Weird I know, but my parents wanted me to stay at home and save my money, I wasn't always happy about this, I didn't always love it, but I needed that support system during university and I did save my money. This built character that I wouldn't have gotten if I had moved out. Maybe I would have gotten different character, but treating my parents like a doormat for my "freedom" wasn't going to happen. They deserve the ultimate respect, they taught me how to use a spoon and they taught me how to be a good person.
4) Don't buy clothes that don't fit well. If you don't feel your best in the clothes you choose, don't think it will change later in life. It won't and you will just donate it later.
5) Never stop dancing. I used to dance and I just have these flashbacks to the last dance show I was in and I really didn't want to be there. I lost my smile, I lost my will to perform. I was bullied to a point that I lost the dancer in me. When you stop dancing, there's a problem. Find your dancer and keep it near to your heart. Don't worry, I perform all the time, but it's mostly for my car and my dramatic stair case entrances to my living room.
6) Love is everything. It truly is, do things from love. Live through love.
7) Save your money. One day, you will need that money. So work a lot of jobs during the summer, don't take on as much debt, learn about budgeting your money, and refuse to do some really expensive stuff from time to time. Your older self will thank you. Savings are important.
8) Get a lot of jobs, prove your value. Do every job you have with the upmost confidence and do it like a boss. Get the work experience needed by doing extra curricular activities, get it by volunteering, take on a lot and use it to your fullest advantage. Everything can be a reference in the future, make a good impression.
9) Don't compromise. Don't do it! Not for a boy, not for your health, and not for your life.
10) Don't listen to the haters. They are haters for a reason and your soul doesn't need that.
11) Own up to your mistakes. Mistakes aren't bad they are happy accidents. Learn from them, don't make the same mistake twice, or do, just make sure you learn. Bask in the failure long enough to actually understand failure and how it is not a setback its an advantage.
12) Be grateful for your life and blessings.
13) Always be aware of what the hairdresser is doing to your hair. Ex: my roots got dyed orange because I had no idea what I was asking for and the hairdresser got confused.
14) Don't give into FOMO. What a pointless way to use your energy.
15) Allow yourself to be emotional. Crying is a totally normal way to express sadness, happiness, frustration, etc. Don't let anyone tell you to stop crying, it's a normal reaction.
16) You can't pour from an empty cup. Being there for people is great, unless you have completely forgotten about yourself. I did at one point and, slowly, I've realized that I am a way more effective leader when I am taking care of myself first. Maybe it means I have to delegate more and it means I have to do less, but that's okay.
17) Let go of what doesn't bring happiness. Declutter, make your soul happy.
18) Be kind to everyone. Seriously, be miss congeniality, what is wrong with being the nicest, coolest girl at the pageant? Nothing, so why would you not be kind and nice to people?!
19) You can't buy happiness. It's internal, no amount of shopping will bring inner peace or happiness.
20) Eat your vegetables. It benefits everything. Do it every day and find a way to love them.
21) To not take things personally. This one is a new one. I am trying really hard with it, but it's allowed to let go of things that bother me deeply.
22) Be fearless. Fear get's in the way of dreams and goals and life.
23) Change yourself as much as needed. There is nothing wrong with cutting from your life, taking new things in, and basically changing yourself to align with what you want.
24) Have goals. When you accomplish those goals, set new ones. I like to live every day like when Warner told Elle she wasn't smart enough... We all know how that ended. So set goals. Make them big and crush them. Just like Elle did.
23 was such an incredible year! Truly amazing. I started to truly take care of my health, I graduated from university, I got a job, I moved out, I dealt with a lot of sadness, but a lot of happiness. I accomplished goals and I set new ones. I finally started doing things for myself to make myself happy. It was a wonderful year. Thank you to everyone for all the support and love that I have received, I can't wait to see what 24 has in store for me.
Thanks for reading,
Samantha