22 Things I've Learned In 22 Years: A Listed Recollection

  well, i'll be twenty-two in less than a month. i've been thinking a lot more about life, lately, and the things i've learned within the years that i've roamed this earth. here's a well-thought-out list of twenty-two (important-to-me) things I've learned in my twenty-two years of life:

  (p.s. this is pretty much one, long note-to-self)




  1. you really don't need anything but the essentials-- no, really. like, i cannot stress this enough. all of that shit that you're about to pack into your car to move into your freshman dorm in college, is shit that will physically haunt you in your future living spaces and the clarity that your mind has for the entire time that you own it. i promise. the less objects you have, the better. however you perceive this tip is up to you, but for me, it means to stop hoarding, lol.
   

  2. no matter what anyone tells you, there's really not a "true" alternative to the caffeine that sustains you the same way that coffee coffee. yeah, yeah, yeah.. whatever. I don't believe this whole "green tea", "black tea" mess. i think it's bull. tea is good! i always love a good cup of black tea or herbal tea. but it cannot replace coffee, and that's just a fact. *sips tea* lmao.
  

  3. take. your. multivitamins.
  

  4. i cannot imagine my life without having at least one pet. i love my dogs. i wish i owned a rabbit, but joey's dog, woody, would probably eat him. :(
  

  5. those notifications that facebook gives you everyday are so hilariously embarrassing. i cannot believe my parent's allowed me to have access to my own social media account when i was eleven. it's quite humbling to remember myself from over ten years ago.
  

  6. there is no excuse, (unless you literally have no access to it), to not drink water. water is what 70% of your body is made up of. why are you not helping your body??? that's ridiculous to me???
  

  7. having at least one hobby is so important. it gives you such a sense of purpose and excitement.
  

  8. it's important to feel what you feel. if you want to cry, cry. cry your eyes out. don't let anyone shame you for expressing yourself. it's healthy-- you're a human being, not a robot. if you feel like laughing, then laugh! (unless you're at a funeral, then perhaps wait a minute).
  

  9. do at least one thing a day that scares you. it builds character.
  

  10. say "no" more, instead of forcing yourself to say "yes" when you truly don't want to.
  

  11. be super kind to people. literally everyone is going through their own shit. live by the 'golden rule': "do unto others as you'd have done unto yourself". besides, why would you want to go out of your way to make someone else feel bad, when you could go out of your way to at least try and make someone's day just a little bit brighter?
  

  12. go and spend more time in the sun. don't be such a hermit. the sun is good for you. fresh air is good for you. go on walks, runs, bike rides, swimming.. whatever. just get outside.
  

  13. the feeling you get after reading a really good book is one of the best, yet still most mystifyingly empty feelings in the world, and there is nothing like it. read more.
  

  14. take more pictures. print more pictures. having a physical copy of a memory is so special.
  

  15. work hard, save your money, stop spending it on clothes and random items. (re-read tip #1).
  

  16. i will never dye my hair near-black ever again. #blondeforlife
  

  17. essential oils really do work for some things, but i still feel like there's a lot of stuff that people overdramatize about them.. believe me, i was, at one point, essential oils biggest fan. i feel like i have some room to be questioning the validity of some of the statements made about these oils.
  

  18. nothing is better than a clean space, (see tip #1 and #15). it keeps your mind clear-- and therefore, keeps your natural creativity flowing. at least, i know this works for me.
  

  19. true friends are important. family is important. they should be valued and checked-in on. those are your circle of people that you are blessed enough to have in your life, take care of them. you never know when the last time is that you'll see them.
  

  20. having a routine is so incredibly underrated. get up in the morning at the same time, have your morning coffee, your shower, put on clothes that make you feel good. do all of this even if you have no plans for the day, i guarantee that you'll have such an insane amount of momentum for the rest of your day. helllloooo productive person, (aka not me, lol).

  

  21. it's so freeing to not feel like you need to take life so seriously.
  

  22. quote vines and memes as much as you can, because that's something that our generation has that our grandkids won't and it's hilarious.

kati