24 LESSONS I'VE LEARNED IN MY 24 YEARS
Photography by the talented Deeply Rooted Photography
I can’t believe I’m almost a quarter of a century old! Thank you all for the sweet birthday wishes today… you guys are the best. :) I had the most exciting weekend with friends and family. We explored Indy, ate way too much, drank a little too much and rang in turning 24 with a bang. I thought I would do something different today and share a fun little birthday post. I came up with 24 things I’ve learned about myself over my 24 years. PS- don’t judge me for #17.
1. Save your skin — I used to think “oh I’m young, my skin is invincible” and that couldn’t be more far from the truth. ALWAYS wear sunscreen no matter if you’re in the sun or not. (There are plenty of face lotions that have SPF in them, I recommend Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer. Instead of going to a tanning bed, use self tanner. Try out St. Tropez, it looks so natural, it’s quick and easy!
2. Bronzer is my best friend — Not only does bronzer give your face shape and help me out when I am pale AF but it is the best eyeshadow too! When I’m in a hurry or I want a natural look, just apply your bronzer to your eyelid and it takes you from 0-100 in 1 second. My favorite bronzer is by Becca in the shade Bronzed Bondi.
3. I’m obsessed with crime shows — I’ve seen every single episode of Dateline NBC and Discovery ID is my favorite channel, ever. There’s just something about a good mystery show…
4. It’s never too late to have a relationship with God —I grew up going to church and I even went to private school. Whenever I went off to college I rarely focused on my faith and definitely drifted away from it. Recently, I found a church I love and it's really jumpstarted my relationship with Him again!
5. Treat yoself — Give yourself a pampering day every now and then. Go get a pedicure, facial, or even buy your favorite coffee. The littlest things can boost your mood and give you newfound energy you never knew you needed.
6. Be a good listener — It’s CRAZY what the power of listening can do for you and for the relationships around you. If your friend is going through a rough patch, sometimes you don’t even need to say anything, just listen. Or maybe you’ve been working out a lot and your body is exhausted. Listen to what your muscles are telling you! Maybe you need to take a few days off.
7. I am a blend of my parents —My mom is always late (sorry mom) to everything and I definitely get that from her. My dad is super laid back and takes each moment one day at a time.
8. I’m a terrible cook — I can’t make a whole lot but I can make a mean grilled cheese.
9. One bad meal won’t kill you— If you’ve been working out and trying to eat healthy, one cheeseburger won’t make you fat. Just like eating one salad won’t make you thin. ENJOY a cheeseburger or your favorite pizza!! Life is too short not to.
10. Don’t underestimate drug store makeup — I use a wide variety of brands in my makeup routine but there’s one thing that always stays the same, my obsession for drug store brands. Their formulas are VERY similar to designer brands and the prices never disappoint. My all time favorite mascara is the Lash Paradise by L’Oreal.
11. Chicken nuggets never go out of style – Seriously I could go to a nice steak house and if they have good chicken nuggets, I’d order them. No shame here!
12. Smiling is powerful — You never know when someone is having a bad day and how a simple gesture of smiling can impact them. Put down your phone when you’re walking into work and say hello to someone! You never know how impactful that may be.
13. I’m a night owl — Ever since I was little I’ve never liked waking up in mornings. I’ll stay up all hours of the night on my phone, watching TV, etc. Like Drake says, I come alive in the nighttime.
14. Take a chance — Apply for the job you’ve been eyeballing for months. Buy the pair of pants that are outside of your comfort zone. Go out for dinner with the guy you’ve been “just friends” with forever. I did and we’ve been dating for over a year and a half now 🙂
15. Relax — This year especially has made me learn to simply relax. I work a full time job and run a blog on the side, or as I like to call it, my side hustle. I still go out with friends and family and love to watch the latest episode of Scandal. Take time to detach and relax!!
16. Be proud of where you come from — It makes you who you are! I’m from a tiny little town outside Indianapolis and growing up I used to hate it. Everyone knew your business and we only had a total of 3 stop lights. Now that I’m older. I appreciate it so much more!
17. My dog IS a human — Am I the only one who firmly believes their dog is a real human? He has so much personality and he’s just the coolest.
18. Live in the moment — In an age where we grew up with cell phones in our face, we are constantly living through that small screen. Put the phone down and enjoy the moment!
19. Invest in a good foundation — THIS HAS CHANGED MY LIFE THIS YEAR. I never knew what a GOOD foundation could do for me until I met the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation. Complete game changer!!
20. Try something new — Year 23 was a year I was really proud of. I was sick of my current workout routine and really wanted to switch it up. I tried @kayla_itsines BBG program and fell in love with working out again!! It was so convenient, challenging and most importantly generated the results I wanted!!
21. I still hate seafood — I know I know, crazy right?! 24 years and I can’t staaaaaand the taste. Don’t get my started on the smell!!
22. Celebrate the wins — I believe in acknowledging the wins in life. Anything from birthdays to a raise at work or even FINALLY getting over a bad break up! Celebrate the good days, big or small.
23. Learn from the losses — This goes hand in hand with #22. Not everyday will be a win and that’s completely okay. Learn from the struggles and hard times to better yourself for the future.
24. Be yourself — Starting Five Foot Something was truly a dream of mine!! I was SO incredibly scared of peoples reactions and how they would perceive me. Am I pretty enough? Are people going to think I’m only doing this to get attention? Do people really care what I have to say? And my honest answer is WHO CARES — I’m being 100% myself and for that, I couldn’t ask for anything more.
SHOP THE LOOK
ROSE THE DAY AWAY T-SHIRT (SIZE UP) | DARK DENIM JEANS
Do you guys have any big lessons you've learned over the years? Share one below because I'm SURE it will be beneficial for all of us. :)
Thanks again for ALL the sweet birthday wishes. Love you all so much!!
