28 Things I’ve Learned by 28

Well, I made it past the 27 club! And here I am a day into 28 and feeling very reflective, ready to plan my year ahead, and a bit hungover. I always tend to send more goals around my birthday than the average yearly markers like New Years, and this year in the midst of goal setting I found myself feeling like looking back on the things I’ve learned over the years. I still have lots to learn, but I wanted to share some of the things I learned and grown from over the years, and hope that I can help you grow too!

1. Pay attention to what makes you happy. And do it as much as you can! If there’s one thing I’ve learned in these 28 years it’s that there’s not enough time in your life to not give yourself all of the time to do the things that you love.

2. Be kind. To everyone: the stranger at the grocery store, the person who cut you off while driving, and even the people who have done bad to you. Everyone is going through something, and being more gentle to those around you can make a big impact.

3. Learn about yourself. Take all of the quizzes (Enneagram, Myers-Briggs), pay attention to how you react to things like confrontation and relationship struggles, study your responses. The better you get to know yourself and how you react, the more you’ll be able to make conscious decisions in your life and take control of your life.

4. Be positive. A little positivity can go a long way, but negativity can bring you and everyone around you down. Looking at things positively will not only make you able to move past them quicker, but it will make you happier.

5. Accept change. Life is a series of adjustments. Change is the one thing that is guaranteed. Be open to change and embrace it. Mostly every major change that I was afraid of turned out to be for the better.

6. Be gentle to yourself. Treat yourself like you want others to treat you! It seems ridiculous to say, but we are all our own worst critics, and if someone actually told you some of the things you say to yourself you would NOT allow them to.

7. It’s okay to feel down every now and then. Sometimes I get super bummed with no rhyme or reason behind it, and that’s totally fine. No one is happy all of the time. It’s part of the balance of life to feel ebbs and flows. Just remember: you’ve got this!

8. Invest in yourself. Your relationship with yourself is the most important one you will have in your life. Invest in yourself in any and every way you see fit. Read, learn a new skill, develop your personality, give yourself time to work on your creativity. Whatever it is–give yourself that time.

9. Save money. Don’t spend all of the money you earn. Set aside money for retirement and save money for emergencies. You’ll appreciate the nights you didn’t go out when you really need the money for something important.

10. Focus on giving yourself happiness. After years of being disappointed in how other’s treated me I learned that I could only rely on myself to make myself happy. The only person that can make you happy is YOU.

11. Accept yourself as you are. The older I get the more I wish I wouldn’t have wasted so much time focusing on my “imperfections”. Girls are told they have imperfections at a young age. Accept your so-called imperfections, and find a way to embrace them! The things you hate about your appearance are probably the things that most people are intrigued by anyways.

12. Find your style. Positive self-image and your style are intrinsically connected. That’s why I LOVE fashion. Over the years I’ve found ways to make my body look flattering, show my personality, and I embraced myself that way. Personal style is the best tool to finding confidence, positivity, and loving yourself. Invest in finding clothes that make you feel like not just yourself, but your best self.

13. Accept your situation, change your outlook. I never would have chosen to take certain paths in life, but you know what? I couldn’t choose the things that happened to me. The only thing you can control is how you respond to any situation. Learn to accept the situations you’re in so that you can look ahead and improve it. Learn to go with the flow.

14. Exercise. You body gives you the ability to do everything you do on a daily basis. Treat it well. Go to the gym, go on a hike, swim in the ocean, dance in your bedroom. I’m so thankful I started making exercise a habit at a young age, because it only gets harder the older you get. Use your body while it’s still working well!

15. Go outside. Enjoy the wonderful world we live in. Breathe in the fresh air of nature. Go on walks. Don’t spend your life cooped up behind a computer desk.

16. Slow down. There is no honor in burning the candle at both ends. I’ve spent so much time canceling plans to build my business, or working every day of the week and the weekend because I “had to”. It left me exhausted and even less motivated. Working hard and finding your own version of success is important, but honestly things you think you have to do can wait if you’re putting off your own self care to do them. You deserve to prioritize yourself.

17. Tell people how you feel. I’ve always had an issue with confrontation. And I learned the hard way that people have no idea what’s really going on if you don’t tell them. If you feel wronged by a friend, tell them in an honest, empathetic way how you feel. They will probably be refreshed with how open you were about it, and you might just learn that they had no idea how you really felt. Don’t hold in your feeling because they will blow up at one point.

18. Let that shit go. All of the things that people have done to upset you, all of the toxic people you let take over your emotions. You’ve got to let it all go, and focus on yourself.

19. Travel. Don’t put off the trips you dream of. There are plenty of affordable trips that you can make happen if you plan, save, and are willing to compromise. There’s no need to live your whole life wishing you went somewhere. You can make anything happen if you want to.

20. Listen to others opinions! And be open-minded. People will have different perspectives than you and that’s a good thing! Those types of conversations can make you see things through a new set of eyes, and sometimes you realize how blind you were to the realities of others, and gain a whole new respect for them. You never need to force your opinion onto to anyone else.

21. Set aside time for your friends. It’s all too easy to get caught up in work and responsibilities. Make the time to see your friends and show them you appreciate them.

22. Indulge sometimes. Being on a diet your entire life will make you miserable. Sometimes you’ve just go to indulge because that’s how balance works. Eat the bread and spring for the dessert every now and then.

23. Give your body good nutrients, too! Your body is so important. Treat it well. Eat vegetables, eat well-balanced meals. The older you get the harder it is to stay fit, for invest in your health now.

24. Expect nothing, appreciate everything. You are not entitled to anything from anyone. Life will go a lot smoother when you stop expecting anyone to do things for you. No one owes you anything, but when they do help you or give you something as simple as their time APPRECIATE THEM for it because they never had to.

25. Invest in your skin! Don’t skip out on your skincare routine. You skin is so important, and it’s going to be with you your entire life. Take care of your skin. Drink water. Moisturize. Wear sunscreen!

26. Don’t value your worth in your salary. Everyone seems to be “not where they wanted to be at fill in the blank age“. This is such a slippery slope. Your value is not placed in how much money you make. Goals are good, but you don’t need to make a certain amount of money to be happy.

27. Make mistakes. I’ve learned everything I know from my mistakes. If you don’t make mistakes, you probably never took a leap. Having the guts to make mistakes will make help you grow and get better!

28. Do you! At the end of the day you know what is best for you. Follow your gut. Don’t listen to other peoples opinions. Do what you feel is best for you, don’t worry about what anyone else thinks, and you will find peace with yourself.

I would LOVE to know what you’ve learned in your life! Let me know in the comments! xoxo Erika