welcome to my blog!

HEY EVERYONE! Long time no blog!! Life has truly been crazy lately but now that its summer I am so excited to start writing again and sharing what God has been teaching me in my life!!

That being said, today is my 22nd birthday! To swifties, it my Taylor Year, which is very very exciting! To people who don’t listen to Taylor Swift, I guess I am just 22. LOL! Regardless, I am really looking forward to this year and all that is in store. Things haven’t been the easiest in this last year but with every year comes it’s ups and downs. With that said, I love reflecting and thinking about all that I have learned throughout my year, so I usually write a list of things I’ve learned thar year that coordinate with how old I am! Hence, here is 22 things I have learned this year, and I hope you enjoy reading!!

22 Lessons This Year

1. Putting your relationship with God first will change your entire life!
2. Rest is vital to thrive. We are human beings, not human to do lists.
3. Give love to others without expecting anything in return, but also don’t live in one-sided friendships.
4. Taking care of your health is more than just a “trend”. It’s so important! Find the habits, workouts, schedules, and foods that work for you and stick to it!
5. PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN! Put it down at dinner, in elevators, when walking outside, and before bed. Your phone can wait but the people and moments in front of you won’t be around forever.
6. On that note, constant scrolling and social media addiction sucks the life right out of you. Make your life as scroll free as possible! Live in the moment!
7. Create over consume.
8. Not every opportunity is a good one for you in this season of life. It’s okay to say no!
9. Pursue your dreams daily.
10. Listen before speaking. Pray before judging. Ask before assuming.
11. Stop striving for perfection. You will make mistakes! They are apart of the process!
12. Your opinion on any given topic may change one, two, or three times in any given year. THATS OKAY!
13. Lean into your childhood dreams, goals, aspirations, personality, and style. It was much easier to be authentic as a kid, so bring it back!
14. Watch movies and read books and listen to long podcast episodes. Learning about new things through long form content is so much better for our brains and attention spans!
15. Never compare your life and journey to someone else’s. You never know what someone is going through and you probably don’t know what they are going through either.
16. Have grace and love for people exactly where they are. Don’t control or change people!
17. Community is so important. Ask people to hang out, answer invitations, and say yes when you can. We all need friends and want to be a friend.
18. The only perception of yourself that matters is God’s and yourself. Everyone is going to have an opinion, good or bad! Be your authentic self and walk with God in that.
19. You don’t have to do what “everyone else” is doing to be “cool”. Having convictions and living confidently in your life is cool!
20. Nature is healing and going outside will give you so much peace!
21. Your interests may change or you may not be into what you used to be. That’s okay! Allow yourself to explore new hobbies or ideas, it’s okay!
22. Finally, just be who God created YOU to be. Stop trying to look or be like other people. There is only one YOU!!!

Anyways, I love making these type of lists because it puts into perspective the things I did well this year and some hardships as well. I felt like this year I really learned how to not let other people’s opinions or perception of me bother me anymore, which is quite the learning process. It doesn’t mean I don’t care what anyone thinks, that’s not true! I am just more confident in me. I no longer feel scared to post something on social media that others might not find cool, or wear a silly Hannah Montana t-shirt out in public that is most definitely not in style anymore. BUT THATS THE POINT! Being confident in yourself is not always about how you look or what you wear. It’s being okay with people disagreeing with your beliefs or not necessarily liking your same interests. It’s allowing people to be who they are while you become yourself. This is not always easy or a perfect process, but it’s one worth trying if you struggle with self confidence and people pleasing.

Among many other struggles this year, I also felt so many blessings in unexpected places. Finishing my senior year among some of my best friends is something I am so grateful for. Being able to experience true community during my senior year and also rest after I was done was something I really needed. Never forget that even in the hardships of life, there are so many things to be grateful for!

If you have read this far, thank you! I hope you take some of these reminders for yourself, or even make your own list of things you are learning. There is always something to improve upon, and something to feel grateful and accomplished about!!!

HAVE AN AMAZING DAY!