25 Life Lessons

First off, I am sorry for having been so inconsistent with my posting. Prioritizing is one of those things that I pride myself on doing well, so that's what I have been doing these last couple of weeks. But hopefully, things will slowly roll back to normal and I can maintain the regular posting schedule.

With age comes wisdom and I am not old enough to possess any significant amount of it. However, that doesn't mean I don't have any to share, now does it? So seeing as I am 25 years old, I am going to share 25 life lessons I have learned so far. It wouldn't surprise me if some were completely outdated by the time I'm 40, or even 30, but for now these are my reality. Don't worry, I've tried to make them as less cliché as possible so you are not reading the same thing you have a million times before:

1. You will waste a lot of time in your younger years. Don't waste any more by regretting it.

2. You get to know yourself much better through the difficult times. That's when you cling like crazy to those things that truly fulfill you.

3. Work towards living in a city you love. It will make all the little troubles in life seem much smaller.

4. Learning even just some basics of photography pays off: having great photos to look back to is priceless.

5. Keeping a budget is a great way to become organized with money. However, it doesn't necessarily mean that you'll be saving. Will power is what you'll need for that.

6. Travel as much as you can. Try and travel with friends at least once, too!

7. If you are going to be living in a new house for only a short while, try and still make it feel cozy and homely. You don't have to spend big bucks to achieve it!

8. You are never too old to find what it is that truly fulfills you. But start following that dream as soon as you figure it out.

9. Unless you are really wealthy, don't waste your hard-earned money buying high quality tops or pants. High quality handbags and shoes are a much more worthy investment.

10. Not all friendships will last forever. People grow up and take different paths and that's ok. Learn to forgive yourself for that, and instead make an effort to maintain those friendships that truly matter the most to you.

11. Keeping a calendar with not only to-do's but also important birthdays and anniversaries will probably avoid one or two panic attacks. (Facebook isn't always super reliable with birthdays, you know!).

12. Make sure you have good cables for recharging flat car batteries. Mine was flat once, but I thought it was something else because the car didn't jumpstart with the cables. Three hours and a lot of freaking out later, it turns out it was my cables that were broken, not the car. Felt really smart after that!  (Not!)

13. Five years ago, my advice would have been "say yes to more things". Now, I think it is important to learn to say "No" when necessary without feeling guilty about it. For me this is a sign of maturity.

14. It is ok to fake some things such as: confidence (until it becomes a habit); being cucumber fresh when you actually have a killer hangover (hopefully not very often); and elaborate hairstyles (there are many extremely easy hairstyles that look like you've just spent two hours at the salon!).

15. False modesty isn't cute. It is downright annoying.

16. There comes a time when staying in with a good movie and a glass of wine is your idea of a perfect Friday night, instead of dancing the night away with a bunch of strangers that reek of something suspicious. That is fine too. There is a time for everything, so make sure you go through every stage, at least so you don't have that annoying "I should have done more of..." feeling in the future.

17. You will do many cringe-worthy things in your life. Try and find the funny side when you look back. (kind of goes along with point 1)

18. Speaking of cringe-worthy, don't EVER ask the question "Are you pregnant?". Believe me, if she is, she will most definitely tell you at some point.

19. When you have a lot going on (and who doesn't), it can be pretty easy to fall into a rut (be it makeup, fashion, hair, dates, or general routine). That is ok, but life becomes more interesting when every once in a while you go crazy and, say, order a mocha frappuccino instead of a chai latte!

20. If Wikipedia was your best friend in High School, YouTube is your best friend now. For tutorials on everything from changing a tyre, making an iPad case from scratch, to making your own wedding bouquet, it is all there.

21. Learning to apologize is key for long-lasting relationships. Learning to forgive is key for true happiness.

22. One of the easiest things to do is also the worst thing to do: taking things for granted.

23. The more difficult it becomes to balance friend and family time, the more paramount it becomes to our sanity.

24. The silent treatment stopped being effective Many. Years. Ago. Assertiveness is the new black, you guys!

25. Learning never stops. (For example: the rumbling noise from your stomach is called "Borborygmus". Bet you didn't know that!) There is always something new to be learned, so take as many opportunities as possible!