Should I be taking time away from studying to draft a blog post? Nope. Am I going to do it anyway? You bet. Today is my 24th birthday, and I wanted to share what I’ve learned in the past year, in hopes that it’ll help someone out there. Anyone.
1. Know when to keep going, and when to call it quits. Pick your battles wisely.
2. Dream big. It’s 2017 and anything is possible.
3. Step out of your comfort zone every once in a while. You’ll be surprised where it will take you.
4. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. The worst people will say is “no”.
5. Keep your mind and your heart open. To new experiences and new people.
6. Hold on tight to the ones you love. Constantly remind them how much they mean to you. Especially the people who make you laugh until you cry.
7. Take a break. You work hard and you deserve it.
8. Your mental health is important. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
9. Unplug every now and then. Being connected 24/7 is overwhelming.
10. Explore your city. Orlando really isn’t as bad as I thought it was when I was a teenager, but I only discovered that through a series of adventures over the past year.
11. Music is the best therapy. It will get you through the bad times, the good times, and help you stay up until 5 AM when you need to get things done.
12. Call your mom. She will know exactly what to say.
13. You’re allowed to feel how you want to feel. All humans are entitled to this.
14. Shop local. Support your community! (By the way, my awesome statement piece is from Gypset Collective. This is not sponsored in any way, shape, or form; I just thought this would be the perfect spot to mention one of my favorite local businesses)
15. It costs absolutely nothing to be kind.
16. Work hard, stay humble.
17. If you want the new purse, get it. Life is too short for the “what ifs?”
18. Take fashion risks. Don’t knock trends until you try them; you never know who you’ll inspire along the way.
19. Make healthy choices. Treat yo’self from the inside out.
20. Everything in moderation. And I mean everything. Indulgence, procrastination, etc. 😉
21. Just because something isn’t happening for you right this second doesn’t mean you won’t ever achieve it.
22. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. We’re all trying to get through this thing called life, one step at a time. We’re just on different paths.
23. You’re beautiful and I love you. Seriously. If you’ve ever read a full post of mine, you mean so much to me and you probably don’t even realize it. Sure, I love fashion, beauty, food, and travel, but if I can inspire just one person from one of my blog or Instagram posts, my job here is done.
The past year has had its ups and downs, but I have learned some of my most important life lessons as a 23 year old. What a lot of people don’t know is that I spent a good portion of the year battling my anxiety and depression. It definitely wasn’t easy, and I still have my bad days, but I’m really proud of myself for putting my pride aside and getting help. If anyone wants me to do a post or even a video on anxiety/depression + blogging + school + maintaining a social life, or even if anyone just wants to talk – feel free to reach out!
Here’s to 24!
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