20 Things I've Learned by 20

Hello friends! My 20th birthday is coming up, and I've learned quite a bit over the last two decades, so I thought I'd share 20 things I've learned in 20 years.

• Life rarely goes as planned, so take everything in stride and keep moving forward.
• It's okay to put yourself first; don't set yourself on fire to keep others warm.

• If someone has a negative impact on you, you are completely justified in letting them go, and you don't owe them a reason.
• Doing something you love, regardless of what anyone says, is not a waste of time.
• There is no one right way to do things, and that goes for everything from tying a shoe to deciding what to do with your life.
• Enjoy spending time with yourself - you're awesome, and you should really get to know yourself better.
• Do more meaningful things with your spare time; it's much more satisfying reading a book or baking a cake than it is stalking social media.

• Don't ever think you're too good to learn something from anyone - everyone you meet can be a teacher, you just have to be humble enough to listen to them.
• Embrace your struggles but don't let them define you - you are so much more than that.

• Stop comparing yourself to others; just because someone else is at a certain point in their life doesn't mean you're supposed to be there, too.
• There is definitely a way to make your dreams reality, it just might take some time to make it happen.

• Learn to do basic tasks - laundry, cooking, cleaning, quick home fixes - because eventually you're going to have to do them yourself.
• Take every chance you get to go explore someplace new; every place you go has incredible adventures you couldn't ever imagine.

• Don't live in a bubble; it's great to have dreams and stories in your head, but it's crucial to know what's happening in the world, and people will take you much more seriously if you can have an intellectual conversation about it.
• Be passionate about something - anything, whether it's a book series or a sports team or a hobby - for no reason other than that you love it.

• It's okay to have days where you don't get out of your pajamas or go one step up and put on leggings and a sweatshirt, but know how to dress for a variety of occasions - interviews, weddings, and fun days out all have different requirements, but you can put your own spin on anything.
• Spend as much time with your family as possible; someday things will change and you'll treasure the time you spent together.
• Stop caring what other people think; if you want to wear that Harry Potter sweater or dance like an idiot or take an alternate career path, just do it, and do it proudly.

• Take care of yourself - your mental health is just as important as your physical health, so exercise and eat right for your body, but watch mindless TV and eat that ice cream for your mind.
• Stay true to who you are, because when it comes down to it, you are the only you there has ever been and ever will be, and it's a shame if you spend that time being you trying to be someone else.

Cheers to 20 years!

*Note: all images saved from Pinterest.

I wish you all the best,
Erin