I am another year older, and instead of celebrating lavishly with grandeur, I am choosing to celebrate where I am.

Because for the first time in forever, I feel like I know what I’m doing.

Getting here was anything but easy. Two years ago I restarted my life from scratch. The plane ride from San Francisco to Seattle in the September of 2016 was riddled with self-doubt, fear, and anxiety. I didn’t know what my new life was going to be like. I didn’t think I had what it took to be successful, and I was scared that I would have to go through everything alone.

However, the moment I landed in Seattle, I felt a feeling of fresh excitement. I realized that maybe this city holds something I could love and succeed at, that maybe I could be worth something. Two years later, as I enter this new decade, I realized I learned a lot of skills about surviving this roller coaster called life. I’ve grown, and I was only able to do so once I mastered each of the following ideas I know that you can master as well.

Here are the most important lessons I’ve learned, straight from the mind of a newly-minted 20-year-old.

1. Be fierce

There are so many moments in life where your success is contingent upon how fiercely you’ll fight for your dreams. Opportunities will arise that seem unfamiliar and scary to you, but you need to take them. Being fierce and venturing out of your comfort zone is going to teach you invaluable lessons about yourself and the world. You will discover so many new things about yourself that will probably streamline your journey to finding and succeeding in the perfect career. Having this unwavering fearlessness is what separates success from failure.

2. Dance to your own beat

Staying true to ourselves and being an original in a world full of copies is something I know we all struggle with. However, the older we get the more familiar we are with ourselves and what we want. It may sound hard to believe, but you have to trust it. With time, you are going to come to know yourself better than your best friends, parents, and significant other; it’s part of the self-growth process, don’t fear it. Be creative, cultivate routines, and take care of yourself. Go at your own pace, it’s the only one that matters.

3. Say "yes"

This is a less intimidating way for me to say to take risks. Saying "yes" is what this whole decade is about. You’re young and fearless now; take on every opportunity that presents itself to you. Looking back on the past few years, there are so many things I’ve grown to love simply because I was courageous enough to say yes. Who knows? If I were too scared to say yes, I might have missed out on some of the most formative experiences of my life.

4. Madly and unapologetically believe in yourself

You must believe in the beauty of your dreams and your abilities to achieve them. You have to know that you deserve opportunities, and you deserve to succeed in them. Be thankful, but be confident. Stay humble, and know your beginnings. Your confidence towards your career and relationships will translate into your attitude towards them. People will notice you and be drawn towards you and what you have to offer - it’s up to you to make the next move.