Haaayy! It's my birthday! My 25th birthday if you could't guess by the title of this post & that pic up there. I feel like 25 definitely calls for a celebration. It's kind of weird because I feel like it's a pretty big milestone, but in a lot of ways I don't really feel any different. I'm going to consider that a good thing though ;)
When debating what I wanted to write about for this post, I didn't want to do the typical 25 facts about me, because let's face it, no one likes that ice breaker game in college when your professor asks you to share three interesting facts about yourself with the class on the first day. Awkward? Yes. I could never even think of one fact to share. So instead, I'm going to list 25 life lessons that I've learned over the years. Big, small, cliche or not, they're all so true. I also figured you would be able to get more out of this than me telling you my favorite color is blush & I love sweet wine #basic. Ready? Good, me too.
- Stay true to yourself. This is number one for a reason babes. No matter what, follow your heart and be yourself.
- You never know if you don't try. Not sure if you can pull off that red lipstick? Try it. Not sure if you should say hi to the cute guy you see at the coffee shop every morning? Try it. Whatever it may be, try it. It could end up being the best decision you've ever made.
- Always be kind. It's good karma.
- You can't please everyone. Once you accept this, you'll be way less stressed.
- Always take your make up off before bed. Avoid breakouts at all costs.
- Skin care first. Make up second. A clean, clear face leads to less make up and better results when using it.
- If you have long hair (& love it), never cut it short. Seriously. You'll cry for days. I speak from personal experience.
- Drink your water and do your squats. Taking care of your body & putting your health first is the best thing you can do for yourself.
- Step outside of your comfort zone. This is when you really challenge yourself. Nine times out of 10 you'll be pleasantly surprised.
- The best things happen when you're least expecting it. Perfect example: me & Rob.
- Don't be afraid to wear your heart on your sleeve. You never know if you'll get another chance to tell someone how you really feel.
- Celebrate the little things. Not peeling your nail polish off between appointments, having your professor choose your paper as an example of how to do right, running that 5k in less time than the last, etc.
- And the big things. Birthday's. Graduations. Engagements. Weddings. Babies. Promotions.
- Work hardest in the beginning. This was advice I got during high school pertaining to college. Work hard the first three years, get your GPA up, and you won't feel as bad (or see a negative effect), when you feel like slacking a little bit as a senior.
- Be confident. You know what they say. Fake it till you make it. So true. Even if you don't know what you're talking about, being confident will make it sound like you do.
- Choose your battles. Seriously. Not everything is worth picking a fight over.
- Let it go. Whatever it is. Let it go.
- Treat yourself. I mean who doesn't love a good spa day or splurging on that designer bag you've been eyeing? You deserve it.
- Learn to say no. Saying yes to everyone all the time is only going to exhaust you. It's okay to say no and take time out for yourself. That's the only way you can be your best self.
- Trust your gut. It's always right.
- And trust your mom. She's usually right too.
- Don't be afraid to take a risk. No risk, no reward.
- Set goals. Big, small, short term, long term. Write them down, make a plan, and work toward achieving them.
- Dream big. You can do anything you can imagine.
- Love yourself. At the end of the day it's so important to love the skin you're in!
