Every year, people get older and they learn new things as each year passes. This past week I have been blessed to see a new year and turn 19 years old. That’s crazy, I’ve been on this planet for nineteen years – in my time here I’ve loved, laughed, and learned. I know in the grand scheme of life, I have only lived a small fraction, but I would like to believe I have grown significantly as a person and learned many valuable life lessons, such as:
1. Always take your mascara off before you go to sleep. It does not matter how tired you are, take it off. You’ll thank yourself tomorrow.
2. Pillows are the best. Buy them all. Put them everywhere. This way, if you’ve had a long day, you’ll have multiple, soft, cozy places to choose from to have your meltdown.
3. Speaking of, meltdowns are beautiful, cathartic, and sometimes just need to happen. Don’t fight it, girl, cry those tears in the library! Or Target, or the movies, or with your friends – wherever you need it, I’m not judging you. Let it out, dry your eyes, reapply that mascara you’ll take off before you go to sleep, and then carry on with your day in a better mood now that you’ve gotten your meltdown out of the way.
4. They can’t fix it if they don’t know. You need to tell people how you’re feeling, don’t bottle it up – that’s the worst thing you could do for yourself, for them, and for the relationship you have with that person.
5. Ice cream fixes anything and everything.
6. Be kind to people…it’s that simple.
7. Listen to the music that makes you happy, even if it is old and from the Lizzie McGuire movie. Turn it up, roll down the windows, and scream the lyrics until your heart could burst from all of the joy running through your body because that’s what dreams are made of, friend.
8. Keeping fresh flowers and plants in the house makes everything more cheerful and is a really good pick-me-up.
9. Don’t bash what others love, just because you dislike it. Don’t be that person that makes others feel bad about something that makes them smile.
10. Find something that you know will relieve your stress – whether that be taking a bath, face masks, reading, crocheting, whatever it may be: find it and do it whenever you need it.
11. Cut out the toxic people in your life, no matter how long you’ve known them. I’ve found that “quality over quantity” is the best reason to push yourself to rid yourself of people who make you feel bad about yourself.
12. Recognize your strengths and weakness and use them to better yourself. No one is perfect, but you can always try to be the best version of yourself possible.
13. If you wouldn’t say it to your closest friend, why would you say it to yourself? Being mean to others isn’t acceptable, and neither is being mean to yourself. But also remember, it’s okay to have down days. Just be especially kind to yourself on those days.
14. Take lots of pictures and videos of moments and your people because someday that might be all you’ll have of that person; however, remember to also hang up and hang out every now and then – live in the moment, too.
15. Being an adult is tough, but also you get to pick out your own detergent, toilet paper, and all of that other stuff so it isn’t that bad.
16. Be steadfast in the pursuit of what consumes you with joy. That can be engineering or writing – everyone’s passion is different, so find yours and chase after it.
17. Invest your time and energy in what makes you feel good: soft blankets, good books, experiences, people, whatever it may be: invest, invest, invest.
18. Hug as many people as you can. Smile at as many people as you can. Make as many people as you can know that there is someone out there that loves and cares for them.
19. Life is chaotic and messy and sometimes you may feel as though you’re drowning, but always remember this: God put you on this earth for a reason. God loves you with all that He has. God forgives you. So love the life that God gave you, live it unapologetically authentic, and show His love to His people.
I hope that in my next year of life, I learn so many new things that my list is too long to write. I hope that my heart is so shaped by the new experiences I have and the new people I meet that I am unrecognizable in spirit. I hope I only glorify God and learn new ways in which to love His people. Here's to year 19 and here's to reaching 20 a better person.
