29 Years

Hi! I hope you guys had a great weekend! I turned 29 today, so I’ve spent a good portion of this week reflecting on 28 years of life, (that is so crazy to type out) and holy crap have I got some stories, haha. I’m going to keep it pretty simple on this dreary Wednesday, and share with you 29 things I’ve learned in this life so far!

1. Be unapologetically you (unless you’re an asshole, then pump the brakes and reflect some). I’ve spent so many chapters of my life trying desperately to fit in. Hell, I still do that sometimes. But, you reach a point where you look at all the people in your life, and I bet you’d agree that the ones you love most are the ones who dance wildly to the beat of their own drum, unashamed.
2. Be responsibly generous with your money. Don’t always play the, “She wouldn’t do it for me,” card and just spring for the gift. Donate to the cause that’s important to you. Buy the girl scout cookies from the neighbor kid. I’m not saying spend in a way that could compromise your well being, but if you’ve got it to spend on something nice for someone else, do it. 
3. Always be kind to service industry employees.
4. Don’t do shit you don’t want to do just to please other people. Aside from important events,(weddings, birthdays, etc.) if you’re well aware that your absence won’t leave anyone in a pickle, don’t go if you don’t want to!
5. Maybe don’t buy so hard into the, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” mentality. If you chill out and get some sleep while you’re alive, you might just live longer!
6. Call your mom. Your dad. Any family, or friend that’s like family, will definitely be happy to hear from you!
7. Read books because they keep your imagination agile. There are books for every interest under the sun! Even if you don’t like to read, set a yearly goal for books you’d like to read and go for it!
8. Let your friends know that you love and appreciate them. Proudly acknowledge their accomplishments. This type of mush isn’t exclusively for your family.
9. Pets are a lifetime commitment. Whether it’s your lifetime or theirs, be ready.
10. All of my favorite people in this life of mine are huge nerds. Don’t underestimate anyone you’d put into that category; they are the best.
11. Mental illness is real. When it comes to discounting that, ignorance isn’t bliss, it’s just ignorance.
12. Find a happy medium between overly-sensitive and thick-skinned. If you honestly feel like you’re being mistreated, you’re probably right.
13. To piggy back on that, stand up for yourself, when it’s right. Don’t make mountains out of molehills, but don’t make excuses for people who suck.
14. Start a savings account. Don’t touch it if you don’t have to.
15. Don’t let what you studied in school narrowly confine you to a career path you’re not crazy about.
16. But also, don’t expect to be passionately in love with your career. Work to live, don’t live to work as Kinship Goods says.
17. It’s 2018. Everyone’s life is different. We’d all be doing each other a favor to stop patronizing people who don’t want to have kids, and people who do have kids.
18. Some stuff is just way better old school. Snail mail over e-mail for life.
19. Do that one thing you’ve always wanted to do, but felt too embarrassed to do. In the nicest way possible, the world doesn’t revolve around you. People who take the time to make you feel embarrassed, should actually be embarrassed to be that type of person. Everyone else, will let you live!
20. Laughing and crying are both cathartic.
21. Invest in learning how to write and interview professionally. Those are two skills that won’t let you down.
22. Choose the comfortable shoes.
23. Invest in a good eye cream. Girl, guy, doesn’t matter, you will thank your younger self for doing this.
24. Pinpoint a movie, book, or album that will always make you feel better. For me that’s Pitch Perfect (judge away, I don’t care), Bossypants, and Heavier Things, respectively. They’re nice for a rainy day.
25. Don’t take your bad mood out on people who had nothing to do with it!
26. Of all the cakes, cheese is the best.
27. Running is an acquired taste, but is the absolute best exercise for clearing your mind. Also, running alone is not a race. Find your pace. Organize your thoughts.
28. Answer your texts. If you realize that you didn’t days later, quickly acknowledge that you somehow missed it.
29. Have happy birthdays on your own terms!

xoxo idk about you, but I’m feelin’