As my 22nd birthday has come, I wanted to share just a few of the lessons I have learned in my short 22 years of life.
1. When in doubt, drink more coffee.
2. Never underestimate the importance of a smile. For both you and the people around you, smiling can make all the difference.
3. Trust the good in people. See it, encourage it, and show it to others.
4. Be kind, even if you don’t want to. Even when it’s really hard.
5. Forgive generously and forgive quickly. Holding on to the anger truly just hurts you at the end of the day.
6. Surround yourself with people who inspire you. Seek them out, make them your mentors, invest in those relationships. These are the people who will make you want to challenge yourself, and they are also the people who will encourage you along the way.
7. Fight for the one’s you love. Relationships are hard. They get complicated and challenging, but if you love someone, they are always worth the fight.
8. Do good for others. Trust me, it’s so worth the effort.
9. You won’t learn until later why certain things happen.
10. Accept who you are in this moment and realize that there is more. We will always grow, mature and change over time. However, it is important to recognize that the place you are in is a place that you grew and matured into. Celebrate that.
11. Tell your story with pride. God had given you a story with a plan to use it for His glory. Who you are and where you have been matters.
12. Mental health days are a thing! This is the best lesson my grandma ever taught me. It’s ok to have days where you turn off your phone, stay in your pajamas, and just focus on what you are needing. It’s not selfish, it’s self care.
13. There is no such thing as being perfect. Trust me, i’ve tried.
14. Doing something you truly love everyday will make you happy. For me, recently, that’s drinking my coffee in bed and praying over my conversations and activities for the day.
15. Forgiveness is a gift that you need to give to yourself. Normally that is the hardest person to give it to.
16. The more we express our gratitude, the more we will have to be grateful for.
17. Courage is not the absence of fear.
18. Patience is a virtue. God’s still working on that one with me.
19. Being present with the one you are with is a beautiful thing. I am not always good at this one, but I sure am trying.
20. We’re really good at going fast, but need to work on going slow.
21. God’s got you. Always. Seriously. He is always right there in the middle of whatever is going on.
22. Life isn’t always beautiful, but it is certainly a beautiful ride.
