22 things by 22

Last Sunday I turned 22 years old – yes, I played ’22’ by Taylor Swift all day (even had a custom tee made – is that too much?) – and ate delicious cake and felt very loved. Its a tradition of mine to take time to reflect on my birthdays and think about the year that has passed. I try write down a few things I have learnt through the year and this year, it inspired me to do a post about it. So I scrounged up all my old birthday notes (some are inspired by quotes I have found on Pinterest that resonated with me), took the most meaningful ones and made a list.

I still struggle to remember these things on a daily basis. While I have learnt, I sometimes forget. But that’s life right? You never really get the lesson perfectly the first time, it usually takes a couple times before it really sinks in. I hope some of these can aid you in learning something new about life, and if you already know some, I hope they can be a fresh reminder.

22 things i have learnt by the age of 22

1. Be gentle but aggressive when it comes to your beliefs and morals. Stand for something or you will fall for anything. No one will hear your voice if you don’t speak up.
2. Wearing black clothing will always make you feel better about yourself.
3. The only thing consistent in life is change – embrace it and let yourself move with it. Get a new haircut, buy a new duvet for your bed, try a new coffee order – let yourself become better.
4. Smile more. Smile at the strangers you walk past in the street, smile at the grocery store clerk, smile at yourself in the mirror – smile until your cheeks hurt.
5. Love your body for what it does, not for what it looks like. Love your body for the way it protects you and functions to keep you alive. Don’t hate it just because your thighs jiggle a bit or your stomach folds when you sit. “Your body is the least interesting thing about you” – @sugarfreesundays (on Instagram).
6. Spend time with your parents. Stay in contact with them. Cherish them. Watch a movie with them, take them out to dinner, get an old photo album out and reminisce. Sometimes we forget they are getting older too.
7. Drink more orange juice. It’s good for you and super tasty – so why not?
8. Sing. Sing off key, sing in the shower, sing in the car, sing with friends, sing with a silly voice or whatever. Just sing. “Singing is breathing for the soul” – I saw that on Pinterest and thought it was really beautiful.
9. Always leave a good tip. As someone who worked in the service industry, it made my day when someone left me a good tip. You never know what it could mean to someone. It may not seem like much to you, but it could be everything to someone else.
10. Genuinely care when you ask someone how their day is going. The answer to that question can often tell how a person is dealing with life. Listen carefully.
11. Take photos. Do not be ashamed to be that person taking hundreds of photos on your holiday or taking photos of your brunch. Photos are the best way to capture a moment that meant something to you. Take photos of yourself, your pets, your grandparents or your favourite lunch spot.
12. Overuse “I love yous”. Don’t let life go by without telling the people you love that you love them, often. Do not leave people wondering how you feel about them.
13. Give out lots of compliments. Tell the person serving you coffee that they have a nice smile. Tell the girl that you see in the bathroom that you like her shirt. Guaranteed it will make their day and it costs you nothing.
14. Laugh. Laugh a lot. People have told me that I laugh too much, and personally I don’t see how that is possible. A laugh is an exploding smile – it is when you cannot contain your happiness. Do not hold that back.
15. Cry. Do not hold your tears in. It is okay to be sad, it is okay to want to cry. Tears are best let out. Allow yourself to feel what you are feeling. Cry when you are sad, cry when you are happy, cry when you are angry – do not hold those feelings in.
16. Be open to new experiences. Do not let your comfort zone or your fears stop you from trying new things. Life has so much to offer, why not try something new? Go to that concert, ride that crazy rollercoaster ride, try that weird flavour of ice cream. Some things may not be for you, but at least you can say you tried.
17. Your mental health > school/varsity/work. Take time to look after your mind. Respect your mental health enough to make it a priority. Our minds are precious – treat them as such. Not giving your mind time or space to recharge is unproductive. Taking a break does not make you a failure.
18. Listen to new music. Go onto random artists or playlists and broaden your music taste. I have found some of my favourite songs by doing this.
19. Be your own best friend. Go to a café and have cake and coffee by yourself. Go walk on the beach by yourself. Go watch a sunset by yourself. Learn to be happy with being by yourself.
20. Bake lots of sweet goodies and eat the leftover batter. I’m serious, lick that bowl clean. Life is too short not to enjoy the sweet things.
21. Say NO and don’t feel guilty about it. You do not have to have a reason for saying ‘no’ to something/someone. It is your life – you do not owe anyone an explanation for your choices.
22. Try watch as many sunsets as you can. You will never regret watching a sunset. Appreciate nature and all its intricacies. Really take time to admire the beauty of it all.

I hope these helped you see life in a different way. I try to remember these things but being human, I often forget. Its nice to be reminded of them every now and then. This thing called life can get a little messy sometimes. Just remember to breathe, appreciate the little things and do not take anything for granted. Feel your feelings and live a life for yourself. It will all be okay.

All the love, Jay.

Do you have any life lessons that have helped you along the way? Share them in the comments!