At the end of every year we come up with a laundry list of resolutions that never really end up going according to plan. Instead, I have decided to compile a list of lessons I've learned in 2015 in order to remember those really important light bulb moments, those type of lessons that should be carried into a new year.
1. You can't win them all.
You're going to fail, simple as that. If there was such thing as a perfect track record in life what good would that really be? Those bumps and bruises along the way have made you who you are today. Also, you don't really know what you want 100 percent of the time; those moments that have led you astray have been the most rewarding. In 2016, let the chips fall where they may.
2. Comparison will literally kill you.
Your friends can post as many perfectly lit and positioned pictures as they want. There is nothing about a picture that tells you what is really going on. Stop comparing yourself to others and become more aware of your blessings.
3. Put your phone down.
Is a picture really worth a thousand words? Why can't a thousand words be worth a thousand words? Put your phone down, and enjoy the moment enough to be able to retell it without the use of pictures. Make memories for more reasons than the amount of likes it could potentially get later on.
4. Take risks.
Life is so short (ignore how cliche that was). You should save your money, but don't forget to treat yourself from time to time; go on adventures.
5. Appreciate everything.
Your life is swiftly changing, and big milestones are ahead (no, I didn't get that from a fortune cookie). The people in your life, the relationships, the environment all change as you grow. Take some time to really appreciate your life how it is right now. Not how it will be in two weeks, six months, or a year. Don't take anything for granted.
6. You make the decisions in your life.
Advice from friends is always appreciated and more than likely extremely helpful, but ultimately you control your own life. Take some time to figure out what makes you happy, not what will please the ones around you.
7. Don't carry around your regrets.
I'm most guilty of this. I tend to hold on to the moments I wished never happened the most. Since 2015 was filled with more regrets than I would like to admit, this is a lesson I will have to remind myself of daily. I cannot go back and change a single thing; harping on a situation only makes my life harder, and how fair is that? It's time to pull those rocks out of my shoes.
8. Don't go into this year with unrealistic expectations.
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a perfect year. This is not to say that you should roll into 2016 a pessimist; you should certainly expect a year filled with happiness, but there will be a fair share of hard times too. This only means you have a year of more lessons, more experiences, and most importantly, more laughs to look forward to.
