Turning 21 was such a milestone, at least for me. It's only been two months since my birthday, but since that time, I feel like I have learned a lot of lessons. My parents have given me advice since I was a kid, but I don't think I have appreciated it as much as I do now. Life feels long, but it is short, make the best out of this one. Like so many wise, drunk college kids have said, "YOLO. You only live once". Learn from love and celebrate life; we only have one life, unless your a cat. Here are 21 things I've learned in 21 years.
1. Don't take yourself too seriously.
Life is too short to be serious all the time.
2. I can call mom and dad for anything.
And I think I always will.
3. Avoid gossip and drama.
Both are just a waste of time.
4. Watch out for the fake people of the world.
They don't care about other people's happiness or success, just theirs.
5. Money doesn't equal happiness.
Money doesn't buy happiness, money buys things, things put you into debt which equals you not happy.
6. Don't be afraid to meet people.
Branching out and socializing are less scary after you do it a few times.
7. Focus on friendships and relationships equally.
I've realized how important it is to not ditch friends for a relationship and vice versa. Everything in moderation, having balance is so important.
8. Sometimes you have to let go.
Letting go of things is tough for me, but it's a part of life. If you grasp too tightly to one thing, but it doesn't seem to work out, that's usually a sign it's time to let go.
9. Don't compare your insides, to someones outsides.
Don't compare how you feel about yourself, to how someone else portrays their life, they will always win.
10. Do your makeup at the beginning of the night.
Don't try to redo it during the middle of the night... disaster will strike.
11. Sometimes nights in are the best nights.
Going out is fun, but staying in can be just as great.
12. If all else fails, follow your gut.
What my parents tell me all the time.
13. Judgement is inevitable.
There will always be someone who has something bad to say. Their blind judgement can hurt; the best thing to do is ignore it. Haters always gonna hate.
14. Acceptance.
Acceptance of others and yourself is powerful.
15. Yoga is amazing.
One hour and I will be a zen yogi who has reached enlightenment.
16. It's ok to fail/mess up.
That's sometimes how the greatest lessons are learned.
17. Accepting being wrong shows strength.
The people who can't admit their mistakes are the weak ones.
18. Take advice from people older than you.
They have gone through what we are experiencing right now. In the past, my parents would try to give me advice, but I would just ignore it. My reason would always be, "You don't know how I feel. You haven't experienced this", chances are, they did, long before I did.
19. Life is beautiful, and precious.
Even the sh*tty parts. If things are going wrong now, just remember: It will get better, maybe not as soon as we want, but eventually things will get better.
20. I don't know everything.
I still have so much left to learn, but that's what I'm excited for,
21. Expect nothing, be ready for everything.
Sometimes the best things that can happen are unexpected.
I hope you all enjoyed the 21 Things I've Learned in 21 Years. I wish these were the only lessons I had to learn, but life isn't supposed to be easy. There will be many more lessons and things to learn down the road. But hopefully some of my experiences have helped you!
