It's been 27 years of living this life and I've come across some valuable lessons along the way. A lot of these come from the adult-ish part of my life and they have mostly been learned the hard way. Since it's still my birthday month, I decided I'd create a post about the 27 Lessons I've learned so far in life to share and maybe inspire or help a fellow millennial out.
- Give flowers to those who can still smell them
- Tell your parents, your grandparents, your person, your aunt or uncle or your best friend that you love them or that you're grateful for them. Hug them! Kiss them! Time is so short and what other time to tell them you appreciate them than now.
- Love yourself
- I went through some phases when loving me wasn't an option. As a woman in today's society it's hard to not want to look like someone else who's perfect and who has it made. But I've come to learn there's nobody stronger or more beautiful than me when I love myself. I don't care if you don't like me, I love me.
- Be you and nobody else
- Dr. Seuss once said, "Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who can be YOUER than YOU." I fully endorse this mentality -- who's gonna do you better than you? DO IT. OWN IT. BE WHO YOU ARE UNAPOLOGETICALLY.
- Don't give up on trying to create your magic
- It's taken me quite a bit to really figure out who I am as a creative person, as an artist in a way, and it has evolved over time, but if it's something I've learned is don't stop. Never stop creating or working on what makes you tick.
- Protect your magic
- And once you figure out what that is and you keep it going, make sure you protect it. What I do is mine, from my brain and my heart, and nobody can steer me in another direction.
- Do what you want to do
- If you can do it, what's stopping you? You are an independent human being on borrowed time. Do what you want to do if it makes you happy.
- Be open
- This one took me some time; being open to others has been hard considering I've had to always be protective of my feelings and of myself. Being open to new people and situations and ideas isn't bad, even if they go against what I've been taught before.
- Be self-aware
- Know your audience. Know your place.
- Make lists
- Keep your life together, fam. Use a list.
- Take time out for yourself
- You're valuable. You work hard. You deserve "me time." In the words of Donna Meagle and Tom Haverford, "Treat YO'Self!"
- Don't give up so easy
- If it's worth it, giving up isn't an option. I moved myself all the way to NY from FL and I knew giving up and moving back home was never an option. So I made it work and boy, is it working! Stay positive and keep focused on your end goals.
- Dedicate yourself to what you're passionate about
- I'm passionate about a couple of things, small granted, but I make sure I continue to always keep my eyes on the prize. Every time I feel like I'm slipping or not staying focused, I get back to the basics.
- If you can afford to, travel
- I've been a couple places on my own and have been really fortunate to have gone. Even if it's been Guadalajara, Puerto Rico or D.R., or even the small places, like Las Vegas, Boston or Boone, N.C., it's somewhere new and meeting new people and seeing new sights -- & y'all those are the real juicy memories that last a lifetime.
- Eat good
- YOLO. Fuck all that fat-talk! Eat what you want and do your happy dance. I sure 'nuff do and can't anybody stop me!
- Read often
- I grew up always reading and I'm #blessed to have bibliophiles for friends who continue to pass on the good words of suggesting more books or comic books for me to add to my what seems like never-ending list to keep reading now into my days.
- Do more puzzles
- Puzzles keep the mind strong, b. Dementia runs deep in my family and puzzles help strengthen the old noggin so I do crosswords, word searches, matching pictures, etc. so your girl doesn't have to lose her shit even more later on.
- Be patient
- I will not lie to you, I struggle with this so often. Almost everyday, to be really honest. But I try to make an effort to be patient with my friends and family and an EXTRA effort with my coworkers. It's not even about them -- it's for me. Sometimes you have to even be patient with others for your own betterment.
- Be genuine when saying "thank you" and say it often
- You want someone to respect you? Remember your manners. Be polite and say thank you. Say it and mean it. Trust me when I say it goes a long way.
- Take genuine interest in those you work with and get to know them, even if it's a few small facts
- I make it a point to say good morning to the cleaning folks at my job and to strike up conversation with them because they work damn hard. The guys I get my buttered roll from in the mornings at the truck near 55th and 5th? ALWAYS ask about the cook's dog and the truck owner's daughter who has her own dessert business. It makes my mornings to make them laugh and sometimes I get lucky and get a free roll! But more importantly you show them you remember them and everyone loves to feel special.
- Being weird isn't bad -- it's fun
- Weird is great. Really great. Whatever it is that makes you different from the rest of the pop (unless you're some cannibal or like a homicidal maniac), own it.
- Color more, it's therapeutic
- This is REAL. Shoutout's my friends that support the vision. I have an app on my iPad that I can tap and color or my Bob's Burgers Coloring Book where I can do all the old school coloring and be quiet and concentrate.
- Clean out your closet every 3 months
- irl, lose that shirt you wore once last year and left at the bottom of your last drawer. Trust me, if you haven't worn it in a year, you ain't gonna wear it now. Donate it. Resell it. Downsize. (and then you have space for new stuff -- yay!)
- No expectations, no disappointments
- This is actually a lesson I learned young thanks to my stepdad in regards to my actual father. There were times, more often times than not, that they're would be promises and they'd be empty and I'd be disappointed. But without expectations, there are no disappointments, so I stopped expecting things to change and life got a little easier.
- Wear what makes your body happy
- Wear what makes you feel good. Your confidence is the best accessory.
- Laugh from your gut
- Laughing from your gut is crucial. Get your endorphin game up, son! Make it a hearty one. Laughing is infectious and you never know who could use one.
- Be there for those who have been there for you
- Lending a shoulder for those who have given theres for you is just the nice thing to do. Don't be an asshole. Humble yourself. Be compassionate.
- Have fun
- self explanatory. life is too short not to have fun so just do it.