22 Things I've Learned In 22 Years
As of July 11th I've been on this crazy earth 22 years. I'm only 22 and i still have so much to learn. I have so many things i want to do such as: travel, study, write a book. I'm not quite feeling 22, it seems only yesterday was 19. Some of these lessons took longer to learn than others, and some I am still grasping. And there are still so many lessons to learn. There is no rule book for life. But for now, here are 22 things I have learnt in 22 years.
Thank you for the birthday messages.
1. Stop looking back and replaying your regrets and mistakes. You can’t change the past no matter how bad you wish you could. So take those things and learn from them. Your past is what shaped you into the person you are today, the person you are becoming. Stop looking at where you’ve been, and focus on where you’ll go. Every single thing that has happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
2. Nobody has it all figured out. Life can be crazy sometimes, and there are many questions we all have that sometimes don’t have answers. Go with the flow, just wing it. That's all you can do.
3. The only person you can truly trust on this Earth is yourself. People are going to let you down. It’s a part of everyone’s DNA. We are made imperfect. All we can do is trust in ourselves, and trust our judgment that the people we let in our lives won’t completely destroy us. It is completely okay to do life at your own pace. Just because you aren’t going the same pace as the others around you, it doesn’t mean you’re failing; you’re just doing you.
4. Never, never give up. Life isn’t easy and it isn’t supposed to be. If you don’t succeed, keep trying. You are capable to accomplish anything you set your mind to. If you make a mistake, it’s okay; you’re only human. Take those mistakes and learn from them, but don’t ever let them discourage you. Keep loving, growing and learning.
5. An animal can be just as good as a best friend as a human. Sometimes, they can be even better! They listen attentively, never judge, and always love you even if you don’t deserve it.
6. Love what you love. Obsess over that tv show or that fictional character or couple to your hearts content. Be passionate. Do things that make YOU happy. Do not plan your life out according to a time table. You never know when life will throw a curve ball at you. Just love the things you love.
7. Have goals big or small. Write a bucket list, places you want to visit. You are still young, things change, goals change. So you may not have visited 50 countries in 30 days but you still can. Getting out there to see the world is a wonder not to miss out on. You have all the time in the world to do the things you want to do, don't rush it - live it when you can.
8. It is important to be a part of something bigger than yourself. Find it - whatever it is - and grow with it.
9. Loving yourself is one part understanding that you are brilliant and beautiful just the way you are and no one has the right to take that away from you. Be authentically you.
10. Never stop voicing what you believe in. Your voice is so powerful. Your voice matters.
11. It's ok to cry. Sometimes we just need to let it all out. It’s okay to fall apart for a little while. Don’t bottle up your feelings. It will only make you feel worse. Embrace your emotions and process your feelings. There's no shame is shedding tears watching a film or during a moment of fangirling. I'm known to cry at pretty much anything whether its happy crying or sad. There's no shame in crying, end of - we're human.
12. Compete only with yourself. There is always going to be someone more successful, fitter or richer than you if you constantly compare yourself to others. Comparing and obsessing over other people’s progress will not make you improve on yours. Compete with the you of yesterday and as long as you focus on bettering yourself, you'll be one step closer to your own success. We all have different skills, system of learning and lifestyle. Just because some people achieved certain things by a certain time, does not mean that you have to. And who knows maybe there’s someone who’s scrolling down your blog or Instagram and just wishes they were you. Don’t envy and compare to other people and their lifestyles. It’s ok to desire certain things but don’t lose yourself in these things. Take your time
13. You're only young once. Make it count. Take the chances that only come when you're this innocent. Do silly things and don't think about what others think. Your youth is just that, yours. One day your going to wake up and wonder how in the world time moved so fast through all the good stuff. That's also the catch isn't it, we don't ever truly realize that its all good stuff until were older and can't do things like we once were able.
14. There is no shame in not knowing. There is no shame in saying “I don’t know”. Nobody has all the answers and can possibly know everything there is to know. A little bit of vulnerability and ignorance makes you human and way more relatable than someone who is pretending to have it all figured out. We learn as we go, that’s life.
15. You’re going to get through every hard time. I’ve had times where it seemed as if my sadness was unknown, I think we all have but those times ALWAYS end. Sometimes it takes a while, but situations always get solved or you just learn to move on and be happy. Even your bad mental health days will end. You can always start afresh the next day.
16. Never lose the kid in your heart.
Being a child is just pure joy, wonder, and just enjoying that the simple things in life. Never lose that childlike wonder and joy inside of you as you grow older. Being an adult gets tough with responsibilities, but remember to de-stress yourself and enjoy the simpler things. It's ok to love Disney movies.
17. Do things that challenge you. If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you. Strength grows in the moment that we push ourselves to do the things that we once thought we couldn’t. Hard work always pays off. The secret to success is hard work, commitment and determination. You gain a sense of self-satisfaction from pushing yourself to your limits.
18. Put your happiness first. It may be hard, and you may even consider it selfish… but do it. Don’t ever second guess yourself or put someone else’s happiness before your own. You deserve to be happy. It’s your life. Live it how you see fit. You are your first priority so put yourself first and live the life you want.
19. Listen to your parents/grandparents/guardians. Though they may get on your nerves, they’re normally right about what they tell you. They won’t be around forever. Listen to their stories. Listen to their advice and heed it. They know what they’re talking about 99% of the time. Spend as much time with them as you can. Listen to their wisdom and be inspired.
20. Some things take time. Nothing happens over night, so you might not be at university yet - it's just not your time. Great things take time. You will go on to do amazing things, just hang on and work hard. you’re your own motivator. Before doing anything, make sure you believe in yourself in order to achieve greatness. As long as you believe in you, then you will become unstoppable and can achieve what you put your mind to. Because you will. NEVER EVER DOUBT YOURSELF.
21. Cut yourself some slack. I'm my worst critic. As someone who is constantly hard on myself, this has been a very difficult lesson to learn, and one that I still struggle with regularly. It is great to have a dream or a passion that you are working towards, however sometimes things do not always go as planned. But it's one to learn from: keep fighting for what you want. Remember to keep perspective and give yourself a break, because you are doing the best you can and that's all you can really do. Falling in love with yourself is a journey and it's a beautiful one.
22. Mental illness is not a prison sentence. You can live your life despite it. You can be happy. With perseverance you can accomplish what you set your mind, body and soul to. You are not defined by your mental illness, your struggle will strengthen you. You’re stronger than you would have ever imagined.
I certainly do not have all the answers, but I have found each of these lessons to play a significant role in my life. These are lessons i'm still learning now. What are some of the life lessons that have impacted you over the years?
