“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.
It matters that you don’t just give up.”
Because it is my birthday month and I am turning 24, I can officially say that 23 has been one of the best and worst years of my life. It included accomplishing huge goals, such as graduating with my Master’s degree and accepting my first real job, and heartbreak over someone I thought I had already let go, which I can confirm hurts worse the second time. For me, 23 was this huge year of trying to figure out who I am, what I stand for, and what I expect in the people around me. Although I still have a lot more to figure out, I am not the same person I was at this time last year and that in itself is a victory. So here it goes..
- Procrastination really isn’t the way to go.- Even though it seems better to do everything you want to do before your responsibilities, the task gets worse to accomplish the longer you wait until deadline to do it and the more stressed you become.
2. You can get your heart-broken more than once by the same person, and the second time tends to hurt a little worse.– Maybe it’s my pride saying this, but I let someone back into my life who I probably shouldn’t have, and the disappointment that they caused me was worse than the first time because I felt like I knew better than to let my guard down with them again.
3. It’s okay to let go.– Like really okay. You tried, it didn’t work, but that doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Pick up the pieces, learn from it, and try again with someone else.
4. You deserve the love and respect you think your best friend deserves.– This one is hard for me because I am such a fighter for the people I love. I think they deserve the world to them on a silver platter, yet I put up with things I would be angry at them for putting up with.
5. Have really big dreams, no matter your age, and never give up hope that they can come true.– It’s good to have a dream or a goal no matter what age you are. Fight for it, work towards it, and never give up the hope that one day it may happen for you.
6. Surround yourself with like-minded people.– The saying that “you become who you surround yourself with” is scary true. Find people that share your drive, your outlook on life, and want to accomplish the same things as you do. Then use their motivation to help you achieve yours.
7. Just because they are a lifetime friend doesn’t mean that they are a forever friend.– This realization has been one of the hardest things to swallow this past year. But just because someone has been your friend your entire life, or 22 years in my circumstance, doesn’t mean they get a special pass to treat you disrespectfully or in a way that you would not tolerate from another friend.
8. Hangovers get worse as you get older.- Yes, I had always heard this and I just chose to ignore it. Unfortunately, I can confirm it is true.
9. It’s okay to have no idea what you are doing or who you want to be.– I felt extra insecure during my 23rd year because I felt like I should have a handle on everything yet actually had no idea what I was doing. In reality, I realized that I was not alone and everyone is just really good at pretending like they have it together.
10. Who you are/what you have been is not permanent, for the past or future.– You can always change, for the better or for the worst. Keep that in mind as you are making decisions about your life.
11. It’s okay to be independent and not have to depend on anybody.– It’s nice to have some good friends and a great support system, but you don’t actually need them. You can do anything you set your mind to on your own.
12. It’s okay to cry and show emotion.– Ah, this one will always be difficult for me. But 23 is the year I have tried to tell people how I feel, ask for help when I need it, and allow myself to cry rather than bottle up my feelings.
13. You get one day to grieve it, then move on.– You get one full day to be sad about it, but then you gotta wake up the next day with a plan and put it to work.
14. Adventures are what life is about.– I am a person that hates change and loves structure. So this year, I have been challenging myself to push past my comfort zone and do things out of the ordinary. It is some of the best memories I have being 23.
15. Sometimes you just have to have faith and take a blind leap.– It is scary, overwhelming, exhausting, and you are guaranteed to get burned from time to time. Do it anyways.
16. Asking for help doesn’t make you weak.– We are human and everybody needs some help sometimes. Be brave enough to ask for it and don’t suffer alone.
17. Running away from your problems makes them worse when you finally have to confront them.– Everything eventually catches up to you, and the higher the wall you build up the more time it takes to break it down and move on.
18. Tell the people that you love that you love them as much as possible.– Tell them you love them too much rather than not enough. Scary things happen, and you never want to wonder if they know how much you love and appreciated them.
19. Your parents/grandparents are getting older. And as much as you don’t want to accept it, it is still happening.– Make quality time to interact and hang out with them. You won’t regret it.
20. Having a “no technology” dinner with your friends is absolutely wonderful. -Before dinner starts, make everyone put their phone in the middle of the table. You get to spend real quality time together and get to live in the moment.
21. Travel as much as possible and embrace the sacrifices that need to be made to accomplish that.– When we are young is the best time to travel because we tend to have less responsibilities than we will have in the years down the road. So eat Ramen noodles for a month to travel someplace amazing because the memories and stories you will have will last forever.
22. You don’t have to attend plans/go somewhere just because all your friends are going.– Do things for you and not out of obligation. If you don’t want to go, don’t. And do not feel sorry about it.
23. “Me time” can actually change your life.– The best thing I ever did was recognize when I need time to “recharge” by myself and not feel guilty for taking it. In that alone time, I am able to reflect on who I am, what I want to be, and give myself some well needed pampering. I am a better friend, sister, and daughter because of this.
–BrilliantlyAverage
Brilliantly Average 