On July, 1, 1994, I arrived on this earth. This year marks 22 years of living, and as I celebrate the memories I have made throughout my life, I reflect on all of the life lessons I have gathered along the way.
1. Stay young for as long as you can.
I hate to say this, but my parents were right. Being young is so pure and juvenile and exciting and innocent. It’s a time where you’re sheltered, and your mind is full of imagination and exploration and thrill. Something happens between that and the time you become an adult. Something changes. You have to remind yourself to be passionate and explore and dream. Being young is the best thing ever, so just try not to grow up too fast.
2. This moment will be gone tomorrow, so enjoy it now.
I am a creative person, but I also function well on lists and structure and knowing everything and being on time. Essentially, I have a hard time focusing my mind on just one moment. I get worried about the next thing, the thing after that and what will happen years down the line. However, I constantly utter to myself that I need to just take it one day at a time.
3. Be who you are and not a representation of someone else.
We are all unique. Even twins have distinctive characteristics that are unlike anyone. Trying to be someone else pushes you further and further away from your destiny because you are focusing on what they have or do. What good would the world be if we were all the same? We are different for a reason. We dream and wish for different things. We have different passions. You are you, and I am me, and that’s what makes us special.
4. You only have one life, so take a chance.
We cannot become complacent. We cannot be afraid to aspire to be something great. We have to dream. We have to go after what we have always hoped for. Tomorrow is not promised, so why not start today?
5. God is right every single time.
I fight with God. You fight with God. We all fight with God. You might not believe in or acknowledge Him, but when anything happens that isn’t our plan, we ask “Why?” We all do. I have seen people who say that they do not believe in Him ask “Why God?” when something goes wrong in their life. We blame Him, we say He is wrong, we push Him away. I do it time and time again, but He never leaves. He doesn’t go anywhere, which is why I am certain that His plan and path is the right one for me. We all want instant gratification because we all have that “right now” mentality. However, God isn’t like that. His timing is everything. I can’t explain it or sum it up in words, but it is. It truly is.
6. Everything happens for a reason.
I know this phrase is cliché, but it couldn’t be truer. There are things within our lives that we are unsure of and wonder why it wasn’t our time. However, it all goes back to God’s timing. Although you want something right now doesn’t mean you are ready for it or will benefit from it. If it is meant to be, it will happen.
7. If you don’t believe in yourself no one else will.
I am a doubter and worrier. However, I have learned to trust and believe in myself. If you do not believe you can do or be something, you mostly likely will not become it.
8. Those who love you will be there through the good and bad.
Don’t waste time on people who are only there when everything is good, but rather, find those who will stick by you through the bad. These people are keepers.
9. You are stronger than you think.
Push yourself. We tend to throw in the tile when things get rough, but tough times are learning situations and make us stronger. If you think you can’t, start telling yourself you can.
10. Document those special moments.
I have always been one to take countless pictures and videos during fun times or even relaxing days. I am glad I am like this because it is so nice to look back on enjoyable experiences. So take it from me, try your hardest to capture those meaningful experiences in your life. They only happen once.
11. Don’t say, but do.
Doing is much more valuable than saying. If you say that you are going to do something but never do it, it has no meaning. People can tell if you mean what you say and if your words are truthful. The worst thing you can do is lose your accountability.
12. They might be overprotective, but at least they care.
Those who care about your well-being and state of mind are going to ask questions, be interested and annoy you to no end. They care. They want to make sure that you are okay and what you are doing is the right thing for you. I am still trying to remember this myself.
13. It’ll be over before you know it.
There are things that I have dealt with within my life that seemed like it was the end of the world. Although I am able to remember some of these instances in appreciation that they are over, there are some that I have completely forgotten about or shook my head in laughter at how crazy the situation was to begin with.
14. Good trumps bad.
With so many bad things happening in the world, it’s hard to believe that anything good can come out of it. Bad situations and bad people will not triumph. One good person can outweigh a multitude of bad ones. So spread positivity wherever you can because it makes a huge difference.
15. Appreciate what you do have.
It could all be gone tomorrow. The person you love. The things you possess. The luxuries you hold. It is so easy for us to create a running list of the things we want, but what if the things you have now disappeared tomorrow?
16. Trust your gut instinct.
I tend to second guess myself, but I have learned — whether on a test or in a practical situation — that my gut instinct is there for a reason. So I should probably trust it.
17. Don’t assume.
This goes without saying, but it is the hardest thing on this list to do. It is so easy to believe something without all of the facts. However, this can get you into a lot of trouble. Trust me.
18. Slow down.
I find myself always wanting to do something, to go somewhere, but that constant movement and productivity can create burnout. I have to remind myself that slowing down and take a breather is okay. It’s a good thing.
19. Be present.
This moment right now at this very second of your life will never happen again. Try to remember that.
20. You never know what someone is going through.
No matter what you might think about someone, you have to understand that every initial interaction is surface level. There is so much more to a person than meets the eye, which is why it is imperative to be careful with how you interact with people. Be nice to every person that you meet, whether you vibe with them or not. This shows great character.
21. A title does not define you. Be humble.
This goes along with the latter. What also shows great character is how you treat those above and below you. No matter what position I gain in life, I will always treat those around me the same. A status is just a word.
22. Failures aren’t so bad.
This was hard to come to terms with. No one ever wishes to fail or mess up, but my failures have only made me stronger and work harder. If we never failed, we would be perfect, but no one is, and that is okay. I could never say that a failure hasn’t taught me something.
I am sure I will learn many more lessons throughout my time on earth, and I am excited for what the future holds.
