I just turned 20 last month, giving myself a lot of time to reflect on different lessons and things I have learned over the past 20 years, or that I have been taught by the people around me.
#1 Your relationship with Jesus is the most important thing in your life. Putting Him as top priority will be the most important decision you make in your life
#2 My mom always told me its only awkward if you make it awkward, which is so true and a practice I am trying to implement still
#3 Its okay to not be okay-its okay to sit in your emotions for a time, but don’t stay in the dark
#4 Quality is always greater than quantity, choose your friends and the people you surround yourself with wisely
#5 Trying to control everything only brings more stress and dissatisfaction to your life, giving over control changes everything
#6 It is actually a joy and a blessing to serve and bless others, putting others before yourself not only blesses them but can do the same for you in return
#7 Find at least one good thing in everyday, it will change the perspective you have on your life completely
#8 Its never actually that deep, don’t overthink too much it will only cause discontentment and stress in the future
#9 Being self-aware and learning to acknowledge when you’re wrong is an important skill to have and will go a long when in relationships
#10 Finding your confidence is a process and will take time, finding true contentment in your salvation leads to more security in who God has created you to be
#11 Live in the moment, it is so important to capture your life and taking photos and videos are great but the memories you make living in the moment are often better
#12 Spend time with people who fill your cup, not ones who drain it.
#13 Be where you are…invest in the season you have been placed in, I believe everything happens for a reason
#14 Change is not a bad thing but it can be difficult and it happens so often in this season of your life, embrace the change and let yourself feel the emotions that change brings
#15 Staying active is one of the most important things-it not only helps you feel healthy and look healthy but it helps your mental health as well
#16 Journal your thoughts and feelings, it helps you process your life in the moment but is also one of the best keepsakes to look back on as you get older
#17 Spend time outside everyday, enjoy God’s creation and take a second to breath in the fresh air
#18 Compliment people wherever you go, strangers, friends, enemies…bring more kindness to your daily life
#19 Stay driven, even if you don’t know exactly what you want to do with your life put your all into every little thing. Hard work pays off and teaches you so much about yourself and how to interact with others and tackle challenges head on
#20 You never know what God has in store for your life, it is often greater than you could ever imagine. Put yourself out there in relationships, in internships/jobs. Dive into new experiences and be obedient to what the Lord has for your life even if it doesn’t seem like it should make sense.
These are lessons that I am still trying to apply to my life and that I am definitely not perfect at, but these are things that I wish I would’ve known even five years ago.
