22 Things I've Learned by 22

Hey y'all! As my birthday is quickly approaching I thought it would be fun to write about some things I have learned over the years. It really hasn't hit me yet that it's almost my birthday. Normally I'm talking about it for weeks before it happens, but this time everyone else is reminding me it's almost my birthday.

I'm really excited about this year because it's my "Taylor Swift year" aka I'm turning 22. Taylor Swift is my absolute favorite so I am thrilled to have a song to jam to for a whole year. Recently she did a piece with Elle Magazine about the 30 things she learned before her 30th birthday. I guess you could say she inspired me to write about the 22 things I have learned by 22.

1. Say what you mean. There is no need to complicate things with lies and miscommunication. "Say what you mean and mean what you say" -Dr. Seuss 
2. Hang out with your family. Your family brought you into this world and nurtured you into the person you are today. You never know when something could change, so don't waste the time you still have with your family. 
3. Talk to the friend you've been thinking about. Reach out to people you've been thinking about and missing. Chances are they have been thinking about you too! Take the initiative and reach out. The worst that happens is they don't reply, and if that's the case it's probably someone you shouldn't be missing anyway. 
4. Let go of the past. You can never move forward and grow if you're hanging on to what's already gone. Take it in, learn from it, and let it go. You don't need it anymore. 
5. Don't take yourself too seriously. They say laughing adds years to your life and I believe it. Everything is so serious these days but we gotta lighten up. I laugh at myself constantly. I am such a mess, but that's okay!
6. Go outside and take a break. Get that fresh air. Relaxing outside is one of the best refreshers we can do for ourselves. Leave the distractions inside, go outside, and enjoy. 
7. If they don't treat you right let it go. Set your standards and stick to them. Don't bend the rules just because someone is cute or they make you feel good in the moment. People don't really change, so pick the friends and significant others that treat you the way you deserve to be treated. 
8. Take the high road. At this point in our lives I'm sure we've all been faced with a situation where somebody treated us wrongfully. As tempting as it can be to retaliate, just don't. Most of the time it won't make you won't feel any better anyways.
9. Read a few books here and there. I get that reading isn't everybody's thing, but everyone should try to read a couple books now and then. There are so many books out there I'm sure there is at least one or two that you would enjoy. 
10. Don't waste too much time watching Netflix. I love a weekend to do nothing but watch Netflix here and there, but how much is too much? We waste so much time when we sit around and binge shows constantly. In college I hardly ever watched Netflix to prevent myself from developing the habit of binge watching, and I was able to get much more stuff done that way!
11. Try to cook and bake stuff. A lot of the time we eat out so often because we think we can't cook. Just try it!! I used to mess up pasta but now I can make a ton of stuff. Sometimes it doesn't work out but that's okay! Practice makes perfect!
12. Eat the desserts you wanna eat. I promise you that one cupcake or cookie is not going to make you gain five pounds OR prevent you from losing the weight you're trying to lose. Everything is okay in moderation. 
13. Don't let others shape your opinion of yourself. People are mean and they will say hurtful things no matter who you are or what you're doing. Their opinions don't matter. It's your job to form your opinions about yourself, not anybody else's job.
14. Be there for people when they need someone. If someone comes to you for support be there for them. If they trust you enough to come to you with their problems, hear them out. It is by no means your job to fix their problems, but everyone needs a listening ear or a shoulder to lean on sometimes. 
15. Take care of your skin while it's still in good shape. I used to never wash my face or take my makeup off, but recently I have finally realized how important it is to take care of your skin. It took 21 years but I realized maybe I wouldn't always feel the need to wear makeup and cover up my skin if I actually took care of it and it looked good. I get that washing your face is a pain, I make the biggest mess every time, but it really doesn't take that long and it's so good for you. 
16. Get the iced coffee. Sometimes you only have $10 in your checking account and know you probably shouldn't get it, but it'll be okay. You will never regret getting an iced coffee (unless it's horrible, then maybe a little).
17. It's nobody's responsibility to make you happy. You're in charge of your life, that includes your happiness. You don't need anyone else to make you happy. Love yourself enough to be happy, just you!
18. It doesn't matter how many people like your Instagram picture. I used to care so much about how many people liked my instagram pictures. I would even delete them if they "didn't get enough likes." What does that even mean though? I'm going to post the pictures I like because once again, it doesn't matter what other people think. 
19. Pick a career that you want to do. Today's society is all about getting the high paying, fancy jobs. I get it, it's expensive to live and we all need money, but we shouldn't spend the next 40 years of out lives doing a job we don't even like just because it pays well.  
20. Have fun but don't neglect your responsibilities. Getting wine drunk is fun until you have to work the next day. I'm all about going out with your friends and having a good time but don't overdo it if you have stuff to do the next day. I promise not having those last two drinks and being able to function the next day is worth it.  
21. Be nice. Posts get shared all the time about how you never know what someone else is going through and we should be kind to everyone. It's true! Be nice, people!! 
22. Go for it. Ya ever heard the saying "doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will?" There are so many things that we avoid or don't do because we're scared that it's not going to work out. I am one of those people. I hate trying new things because I don't like being bad at stuff. Sometimes you just gotta get past it and go for it! You never know what you're fully capable of until you try!

Honestly,

H