Yesterday I turned 20 years old. It is taking me awhile to let that sink in and it probably won't until I turn 21 and then I will have to wait another year for that one to sink in too. Does anyone feel like time is going so quickly and you just cannot catch up? Yeah, same. Anyways, I am no longer a teenager and I am okay with that. However, I must say that I am pretty pleased with how much I have already accomplished before even turning 20 years old. I have been working steadily since I was 15 years old, I felt like transitioning from high school to college was no big deal (and I am one of very few that I have heard say that) and I am balancing work, full-time school schedule, volunteering, girlfriend duties, friends, family, life, all while maintaining straight A's. I also am going against the norm, as I am already living in my own apartment (now for a full year) with my boyfriend of over two years and our own living dog that we have to take care of. (Just wanted to say, some people said how much of a bad idea two teenagers moving in together and getting a dog together was and how it was such a huuuuge mistake we were making and I am here to tell you, if you are living with the right person, it is actually quite easy....very easy, really. I can honestly say our relationship has never felt like 'work' to me like I hear some people say theirs feels to them. Actually wrapping my head around that is quite difficult and if your relationship feels like work, honey you are in the wrong one. I have learned over my years that life is only as good as you make it and if you find good people to surround yourself with, people who will help you grow and people who want the same things as you do, you will be just fine!
So I thought it would be fun to share 20 things I have learned in my 20 years of living so far. These come in no particular order, just as they pop into my head I have typed them out.
1. What you are stressing about today, most likely will not matter in 5 years.
2. Do not plan your life out, it never goes as planned. That's the beauty of it!
3. Follow your heart and let the rest fall into place. Even if that means transferring schools your freshman year, moving 500 miles away from family to be with the person who makes you whole. Take chances!!
4. Don't take your loved ones for granted, they will not always be here. Treasure your time with them. Be present with them. Tell them you love them everyday.
5. You cannot fix people....I repeat, you can not fix people!! But, you can make them better, remember that.
6. Be a positive role model, always. Everyone has someone looking up to them....so make sure you are acting in a way you would want your child to be acting too.
7. Put others before yourself. You will find happiness in making other people happy. Selflessness is so beautiful.
8. Travel is the best education a child will ever have. Give children the opportunity to see how other people live, how other cultures do simple daily tasks, how life is on the other side of then fence. Always keep traveling and exploring the world around you. Life is not meant to be lived in one place.
9. When someone else's happiness is your happiness, that is love. I know this to be true because before Chris, I had never played a video game in my life, had never been interested in hockey and had never been much of a fan of Led Zeppelin, but guess what! I now enjoy watching Chris play video games, I really, really love hockey and Led Zeppelin is one of my favorites. Be with someone who is different from you, someone who exposes you to new things and makes you see things differently.
10. True confidence speaks for itself, it does not post selfies all over the internet, seeking approval from other people. Be confident in yourself and know you are beautiful without people having to tell you. Insecurity is not a pretty thing and is very obvious.
11. Natural beauty is the prettiest form.
12. Actions speak louder than words!!!!
13. Loving someone and knowing you are loved wholeheartedly in return, is the best feeling in the world.
14. I take pride in standing my ground when everybody else was giving in. To every teenager trying too hard to fit in, my advice to you, is to just not! Be different. In the long scheme of things, people like different.
15. You are not going to like everyone. Let me say this for the people in the back..... you are NOT going to like everyone!!! And that is okay, you don't have to!!! But be kind anyways.
16. Life goes on.....time helps heal all wounds.
17. LET IT GO. Holding in anger is so stupid.
18. You are very lucky if you can honestly call your sibling your best friend. So many siblings have such weird and awkward relationships. Thankfully, Michael is different!
19. My parents are my biggest supporters, the best role-models and truly two of the most sincere people I have ever known. Be thankful for your parents, they not only literally gave you life, but they created the life in which you live today, and for me, it is one I am so lucky to have.
20. And last, (but, certainly not least) don't forget the little things.... like leaving notes around the house for the person you love, spending a little extra on dog toys because your dog just loves them so much, dancing in the shower, singing in the car, being in stupid amounts of love, going on road trips and wandering around aimlessly, telling your family you love them, you know things like that, because those little things are the things you will remember the most!!
So I thought it would be fun to share 20 things I have learned in my 20 years of living so far. These come in no particular order, just as they pop into my head I have typed them out.
1. What you are stressing about today, most likely will not matter in 5 years.
2. Do not plan your life out, it never goes as planned. That's the beauty of it!
3. Follow your heart and let the rest fall into place. Even if that means transferring schools your freshman year, moving 500 miles away from family to be with the person who makes you whole. Take chances!!
4. Don't take your loved ones for granted, they will not always be here. Treasure your time with them. Be present with them. Tell them you love them everyday.
5. You cannot fix people....I repeat, you can not fix people!! But, you can make them better, remember that.
6. Be a positive role model, always. Everyone has someone looking up to them....so make sure you are acting in a way you would want your child to be acting too.
7. Put others before yourself. You will find happiness in making other people happy. Selflessness is so beautiful.
8. Travel is the best education a child will ever have. Give children the opportunity to see how other people live, how other cultures do simple daily tasks, how life is on the other side of then fence. Always keep traveling and exploring the world around you. Life is not meant to be lived in one place.
9. When someone else's happiness is your happiness, that is love. I know this to be true because before Chris, I had never played a video game in my life, had never been interested in hockey and had never been much of a fan of Led Zeppelin, but guess what! I now enjoy watching Chris play video games, I really, really love hockey and Led Zeppelin is one of my favorites. Be with someone who is different from you, someone who exposes you to new things and makes you see things differently.
10. True confidence speaks for itself, it does not post selfies all over the internet, seeking approval from other people. Be confident in yourself and know you are beautiful without people having to tell you. Insecurity is not a pretty thing and is very obvious.
11. Natural beauty is the prettiest form.
12. Actions speak louder than words!!!!
13. Loving someone and knowing you are loved wholeheartedly in return, is the best feeling in the world.
14. I take pride in standing my ground when everybody else was giving in. To every teenager trying too hard to fit in, my advice to you, is to just not! Be different. In the long scheme of things, people like different.
15. You are not going to like everyone. Let me say this for the people in the back..... you are NOT going to like everyone!!! And that is okay, you don't have to!!! But be kind anyways.
16. Life goes on.....time helps heal all wounds.
17. LET IT GO. Holding in anger is so stupid.
18. You are very lucky if you can honestly call your sibling your best friend. So many siblings have such weird and awkward relationships. Thankfully, Michael is different!
19. My parents are my biggest supporters, the best role-models and truly two of the most sincere people I have ever known. Be thankful for your parents, they not only literally gave you life, but they created the life in which you live today, and for me, it is one I am so lucky to have.
20. And last, (but, certainly not least) don't forget the little things.... like leaving notes around the house for the person you love, spending a little extra on dog toys because your dog just loves them so much, dancing in the shower, singing in the car, being in stupid amounts of love, going on road trips and wandering around aimlessly, telling your family you love them, you know things like that, because those little things are the things you will remember the most!!