I celebrated my 23rd birthday today. Throughout my early 20’s, there's been a variety of
accomplishments that I have achieved. I graduated from college, lived and worked abroad in China for
three months, landed my first job in the city, competed in Division I swimming, and on my way
to completing my MBA. There have been many lessons I learned along the way, I cannot wait
for what the age of 23 will bring going forward.
1.) Self-care is important.
- This can range from physical care and mental care. For example exercising,
eating healthy, skin-care, drinking water, reading, etc. A healthy body and mind
are good for the soul.
2.) Time will heal.
- No matter what situation anyone is going through, time is the best cure.
3.) Step out of your comfort zone.
- If you don’t try or face what scares you, you’ll always play it safe and always
have the thought of what if’s. The first time I stepped out of my comfort zone was
traveling for the first time without my family. I went with my classmates to
various countries with the business school at my university. The second time I
stepped out of my comfort zone was when I lived and worked in Chengdu, China.
- By stepping out of your comfort zone, you discover what sparks joy in your life
and discover your true passions.
4.) True friends will always be there for you, no matter what and the distance.
-There will be many groups of friends that you will encounter in your life, before
you realize who your real friends are.
5.) It’s important to give space to your friends.
- I did not understand this lesson until I got to college. When I was younger, I
thought that you had to be in constant communication with your friends, or else
you will lose them. However, that is not the case, it is important to give your
space with your friends. Everyone is focused on their journey and everyone is on
a different path than you.
- It is similar to the saying: if you love someone, set them free. If they love you
back and if they are meant to be in your life, they will come back to you.
6.) Keep some parts of your life, private.
- Not everyone has to know about what you are doing daily. Some things are meant to just keep to yourself such as finances, relationships, sex life, etc.
-Social media should not be a resource to use to describe detail by detail about
your life, some events should only be kept to close friends and family.
7.) Getting rejected is not the end of the world, it is not as bad as it seems.
- Whether it is getting into high school, college, or landing a job, getting a promotion, you are going to experience rejection at some point in your life
- It does not mean that you are not good enough, it means that this path was not for
you and you should keep trying.
-Rejection can be used as learning a lesson. It is important to live a life saying: “at
least I tried, rather than I wished I tried.”
8.) Saving money is better than spending money.
- When I was younger, I did not pay attention to how much money I had, I just
wanted to spend on the material things that I wanted to buy.
- However, if you are spending all your money, you will never be able to spend
later on; you will not be able to make more money.
- It is important to save, for an emergency. You will never know when you will
need it.
9.) Don’t be afraid to speak up to people.
- If you have an opinion on something, don’t hold back what you are feeling,
whether you are agreeing or disagreeing.
- If you don’t speak up, nobody will know what you are thinking. Be outspoken!
10.) Always be blessed, grateful, and thankful for everything in your life.
- We tend to focus on the negative and the future, but not on the present, to be in the moment and focus on the positive, no matter how big or small.
- It is important to be thankful for all of your blessings in your life and to be
focus on the little things that make us happy.
- We must appreciate the things that we already have in our lives because the next
day, they can be taken away. Many people would wish for the things that you have, do not take things for granted.
11.) Don’t pay attention to what people think about you.
- Embrace who you are, where you come from, and enjoy what you like.
- You may meet someone, with the same interests as you.
-It is like the saying: why be ordinary when you are born to stand out.
12.) Embrace your body.
- For a long time, especially in elementary school, I did not love being tall. I would always stick out like a sore
thumb. I was embarrassed about being taller than all the girls and all the boys.
- Now as I am getting older, I have learned to love the body, I was born with. I learned to appreciate my body for being tall and find all the positive aspects of being tall. You a model girl, own it!
13.) Always be kind to everyone you meet.
- You never know what everyone is going through, so it is important to be kind to
everyone.
-You can be just the person that they needed to meet, at any moment. The world
needs more kind people, who are true and genuine. There are enough
fake and mean people in society.
14.) Live like you are a kid again.
- Don’t be afraid to fail, fall, or take chances.
- Always be willing to dream and do not have a care for the world.
-Believe in the saying that nothing is impossible, it is all in your mind.
15.) Forgiveness is better than hate.
-Holding a grudge and hating someone is draining and tiring. It is also not
healthy to hate someone.
-There are two quotes that this lesson can relate to:
- “When you forgive, you in no way change the past - but you sure do
change the future.” - Bernard Meltzer.
- “There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness
without love.” - Bryant H. McGill
16.) People will either be a blessing or a lesson.
-Every person you will encounter in your life is not meant to stay in your life
forever.
-Some people will either be a blessing or they will teach you a lesson.
-Either way, each person will impact your life to make you into the person you
are becoming.
17.) Treat your pets well.
-Always play with your pets and give them your undivided attention and unconditional love.
-The only person that matters to them is you.
- Never neglect them or get angry at them. They do not mean to and they will never
stop loving you and will always be by your side.
18.) Love yourself first, before you try to love someone else.
- You need to believe and love yourself first.
- Once you love yourself first, you will be able to love someone else.
- At the end of the day, you are the person who determines how you are going to
begin each day of your life and how you would feel.
- Give yourself that self-love because you deserve to be loved.
19.) Travel as much as possible.
- It opens your eyes to see how other people live and you will be exposed to the
different cuisines and cultures.
- I am proud of myself that I began traveling at the age of 11. I have been to a total of
15 countries so far.
- I will be traveling to Peru for a service trip with my university and it will be
country #16.
- Traveling has become a passion of mine and I'm so happy that my mother exposed me to the beautify of the world around me.
20.) Hard work always pays off, no matter what.
- I have been the type of person who is determined to get her goals accomplished.
-You cannot be lazy when you are trying to aim for success.
- When you work hard, you will be awarded for your work and be recognized.
- The hard work that you put in, will always be rewarded in some form; no matter how big or small.
21.) Try drinking and partying once in your life.
- It is about making memories and having fun with your friends.
-At least try it out once, even if you are not the type of person who likes partying
and drinking. You are only in your 20’s once.
-Once you are an adult and are raising a family, it will be too late to go to the club.
The priority will be your children and other responsibilities.
22.) Time really flies.
-Never waste a day feeling sad or upset.
- Every day is a new day, cherish every moment.
- Be happy and always find the positive side to every situation.
23.) Keep an open mind and always keep learning.
-There are many more experiences and opportunities to learn and be inspired by
other people.
-There is no greater gift than knowledge.
-“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” ― Albert Einstein
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