21 Profound Life Lessons I Learned This Year
In honor of turning 21 today, here are 21 of my favorite things that I have learned this year. 🪬✨🎱🦦❤️🔥🧿🧚♂️
It's okay to take a different path than the people around you. Sometimes you need to do extraordinary things in order to live an extraordinary life.
When you're anxious, nervous, or overwhelmed, drop your jaw. This stimulates the vagus nerve and helps you feel more relaxed.
Just because someone is succeeding before you doesn't mean they're succeeding in replacement of you. There will always be a place for you.
Sometimes life isn't fair, and all you can say is, "no one deserves to be going through what you're going through right now." There's no need to put a spin on it or talk about the lessons, resilience, etc. You'll get to that later.
It's better to be the one that smiled than the one who didn't smile back. When in doubt, choose to be kind.
If you're not clear about what you want, there's no way for you to actually make it happen.
It is not worth missing out on 95% of life to weigh 5% less.
It's normal to miss the comfort of being sad. When you're feeling this way, be extra careful because if you indulge the feeling, you'll go down a self-destructive spiral.
You are not responsible for other people’s moods or emotional states. It is not your job to lift others' spirits at the cost of your own mental health. Remember that when you say 'yes' to others, make sure you aren't saying 'no' to yourself.
Discomfort is a completely natural and almost automatic response to new changes, even good changes. You are not weak or lesser-than for feeling these very normal feelings.
Learning to stop saying "sorry" allows you to increase self-respect and take up the space you are worthy of. Try replacing "sorry" with "thank you" instead. (i.e., "I’m sorry to ask you for another favor." → "Thank you for being someone I can depend on.")
Social media is designed to make you think: "maybe I should be somewhere else, doing something else, with someone else." But if you always think your happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are.
Be smart enough to ask for advice, but be wise enough to know who to seek it from. Don't seek advice from someone you wouldn't want to emulate in that area. Don't let someone whose style you dislike help you choose a shirt to buy. Dont let someone whose relationship you don't like give you relationship advice.
Just as it's okay not to be okay, it's also okay to be okay during not okay times.
Clothes are meant to fit you; you are not meant to fit clothes. Different brands and styles will fit your body differently, and they aren't always an accurate representation of the size. Your body is not a measuring stick.
Burnout is not a badge of honor. Rest is productive, too. Your worth as a human being is not determined by how overwhelmed, overbooked, and burnt out you are. It's not natural to produce 24/7.
Embrace your curiosity and ask more questions. The best conversations begin with genuine questions.
Simplify your circle of friends. Surround yourself with those who support you and make you feel good; move on from those who don't. Less is always more when your less means more. And remember: not every relationship is meant to last forever.
If you miss someone, tell them.
Look back at pictures from 5 or 10 years ago that you hated, and you'll immediately be like, "why didn't I appreciate it when I looked like that?" so appreciate today's pictures now. If you can't love yourself for your present self, love it so your future self won't have regrets.
Sensitivity is a strength. It allows you to connect deeply with others and see what's right and wrong. Never let weak people convince you otherwise.
