21 Things I Have Learned in 21 Years

Hello, everyone! I celebrated my 21st birthday in the beginning of April and while it was really exciting, I felt old. When you’re 15 you can get your driver’s permit, at 16 you can get your license, at 18 you can buy lottery tickets, and 21 you can drink, but what happens after? Nothing. You just get old and wrinkly. Can’t wait. So while I was at home drinking some wine LEGALLY, I came up with 21 things I have learned in 21 years. Let me share my wisdom with you, since I now look in the mirror and my reflection is a grandmother. But, a really WISE grandmother.

1. You can’t control everything. This has been a tough one for me to get over since I am a control-freak. But, the universe has its way of working, and there are some things out of your control. So, take a deep breath and trust in the universe.
2. Trust your gut. Don’t listen to your head, don’t listen to your heart, listen to your gut. If you feel like something is off and your gut is telling you to run, RUN.
3. Everyone has a story. Be nice to everyone because you never know what is happening in their life.
4. Smile, you don’t own all of the problems in the world. It’s true.
5. All you can do is try your best.
6. When you get hurt, you have to let yourself love, don’t cut off feelings or pretend like you have none. You’re human, you’re allowed to hurt, and you’re allowed to love again.
7. Always remember self-love. You are just as important as all of the people you’re trying to save.
8. One day of eating bad, or a week of not working out won’t ruin everything you’ve worked towards.
9. Get out of your comfort zone. My comfort zone is my apartment with my cat, but this year I have already pushed myself to get out of my comfort zone and try things I normally wouldn’t and IT WAS ACTUALLY FUN.
10. What you think of yourself is more important than what anyone else thinks of you.
11. You don’t always have to defend yourself.
12. Some people will never change, no matter how hard you want them to.
13. If it won’t matter in five years, don’t spend more than five minutes thinking about it.
14. Replace your bad thought with good ones. It’s so good for self-love, I promise.
15. Some people are only meant to be in one chapter of your life, not the whole book.
16. Mistakes are okay, otherwise you would never know what it is like to fall.
17. Live passionately. If you don’t have a passion and a fire beneath you, what are you living for?
18. Work for your dreams, they won’t happen overnight.
19. “Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage.” This is from We Bought a Zoo, and I have never been able to get it out of my mind.
20. You are never too much, and you are always enough.
21. Take a deep breath and look at the world around you. There is so much that you’re missing by rushing through life.

I hope you guys have enjoyed my list of things I have learned in the past 21 years. Cheers to the next 21!