This October I will no longer be a teenager. I feel like I've been a teenager for forever and a day. However, I've come up with a list of 20 life lessons that have helped me make it this far.
1. There are some things you can only learn during a storm.
Life isn't always going to be easy. Some days will feel like a hurricane, while others are a sunny day. The lessons during the storm are always most beneficial.
2. You should never regret who you loved at one point.
Most of us have had our fair share of awful relationships. I know I have. However, those people were in our lives for a reason. Those heartbreaks happened for a reason. It made us better and stronger in the long run.
3. Don't fret the small things.
Honestly, who cares if your best friend texted her dumb ex back after you telling her not to for the 9,000th time? Is it really worth losing her over? I don't think so. If the situation won't be important in five years, don't waste more than five minutes on it.
4. The only person holding you back is yourself.
We've all heard this over, and over, and over again. I still don't think most of us believe it though. With one decision, you can make your life go in a TOTALLY different direction. Heck, I have a friend who saw an Instagram post about being vegetarian and she stopped eating meat that day. It's up to us who we want to be.
5. Let your fear fuel your fire.
This one is easier said than done. Fear is one of the best motivators. Like the old saying goes "if your dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough". Let your fear push you to be the best you can be. Nothing in this life will be handed to you on a silver platter. You must chase after it.
6. Those hurtful words will never hold up to the truth.
The way that dumb boy hurt you with those mean things seems like the end of the world right now. Spoiler alert: it's not. Whatever a dumb boy/girl has to say about you, doesn't hold up to the truth at all. You're made in God's image and He adores you so much that He died on the cross for you. If that doesn't scream that you're amazing, I'm not sure what does.
7. It's okay to not "go with the flow".
In life, we're forced to come up with our own opinions. However, most of the time we're shut down whenever our opinion varies from the person we're talking to. It's okay to stand up for your own beliefs/ideas. You weren't meant to be the same as everyone else and think the same as them. Go against the current.
8. If you get the chance you've been waiting for, don't psych yourself out.
I can speak from experience, psyching yourself out will be your biggest regret. You're your own worst enemy, especially when it comes to branching out of your comfort zone and taking a chance. Take risks, chase your dreams, fail, and then do it all again.
9. Don't throw away people who have the best intentions for you.
Sometimes, we get blinded by toxic relationships/friendships, and we throw away people who have been by our side all along. Don't let that happen. Throwing away a best friend because your new boy doesn't like her is never a good idea, because odds are, the boy will be gone in a week and you'd be left with no one. The people who have the best intentions for you aren't who has been around the longest, they're the ones who came into your life and stayed.
10. Life is not a race.
It's not a competition. I don't care if Sally is two years older than you and already has her Doctorate. Congrats to her! She's not living your life. Life is not a race. Everyone will get to where they're supposed to be, whenever they're supposed to be there. Enjoy the ride.
11. It's okay to not be okay.
I cannot stress this enough. Don't be afraid to feel. If you're sad and upset over a breakup, loss of a loved one, or just having a really bad day, don't pretend you're okay. You're allowed to be upset and cry or scream until you feel better. Just promise me you won't let those feelings control you? You're a boss babe and need to act like it.
12. Don't settle for anything less than you deserve.
We all know in the back of our minds whenever we're settling. Whether it's a significant other, a job, etc., we seem to know. You're all amazing and I pray you know that. In life, we do this silly thing where we accept the love we think we deserve. Just because we screw up and make mistakes, doesn't mean our worth goes down.
13. Sometimes it's okay to just let loose and relax.
After a long week of classes/work, it's nice to come home, curl up in your favorite blanket, and watch five episodes of The Office. There's nothing wrong with relaxing and giving your mind and body a break. Don't get lazy and do this all the time though!!! I know how addicting that stinking Netflix can be.
14. Be the person you'd want to be best friends with.
I've always been drawn to loud, sweet, fun souls. They're the type of people I aspire to be. Just someone who lights up a room as soon as they walk in it. Be the person you'd want to be that light in your life. Side note: be the girl you'd want your son to date, or your daughter to be. (Extra little life lesson for ya.)
15. Enjoy the little things in life.
Sunday naps. My nieces running around laughing. Grandma's Chicken and Dumplings. Sunsets. A good book. It's the little things in life that make life worth living.
16. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
This is my fatal flaw. It's hard whenever you're so strong willed. I've recently realized that asking for help has been so beneficial to me in so many ways. Someone will always be smarter than you and know how to do something better than you do. Don't get upset. Ask for help. Learn. Better yourself. There's nothing wrong with not always being the smartest person in the room.
17. Laugh at yourself.
Lord knows I do this enough. When I was younger, I'd get embarrassed so easily. Now, it's pretty hard to embarrass me. I laugh at myself constantly. I laugh at my own jokes (mainly because I'm hilarious), and I laugh at my own mistakes. It's okay to laugh at yourself. If you can't, then you're taking this life thing a little too seriously.
18. It's okay to fail.
Failure is the best experience. You will learn from it, and you will grow. Failing to do something always is upsetting at first, but then you realize what went wrong and can fix the situation. Not everything is going to work out in your favor in life, and that's okay. Fail time and time and time again. You can fail 4,999 times, but that 5,000th time might just be your lucky break.
19. Don't let anyone rain on your parade.
There are going to be rude people in life. There are going to be jerks, snobs, brats, etc. They will always try to ruin you if they think you're doing better than them. They're party poopers and like Cooper in "Trolls" said, "You really gonna let this party pooper come in and poop all over your party?" Don't let them.
20. It's okay to not know what you're doing with your life.
I'm almost 20 and have no idea what I'm doing with my life. My parents have been married 37 years and still don't know what they're doing with their lives. My grandma was 88 years old and didn't know what she was supposed to do with her life. I don't think we ever really know, so don't be scared if you're unsure.
Life has a funny way of knocking us off our feet. That's the perfect time to stand up and show life exactly what we're made of.
