Hello welcome to my page, Cheeks! This is a page of random blurbs and posts and I hope you enjoy! Since I am turning 22 next week , I thought I would share 21 things I've learned at 21! These learning curves have all played such a huge role into how I've approached life, myself and others and adulthood.~ These advice have played such a crucial part in my early 20's and I hope you can relate!
#1. Speak Up
I have always been very introverted (INTJ) and have always been anxious to just speak up. This could be from asking a question about a math problem I don't understand while the teacher is teaching to even letting the associates at a restaurant know that they have made my order wrong. I've learned that at the end of the day, when you don't speak up you will never know, and no one will know what you want. Don't be afraid to speak up and speak out, it'll not only make you stand out, but you will have less of a hard time asking yourself "if".
#2. DO NOT Let Anyone Make You Feel Any Less
Oh boy, If I had a penny for every time I was offended by something someone said to me, about me or even insulted me I would be a millionaire. OK, maybe not a millionaire, BUT I did learn that when I did get offended, I gave anyone the power for me to feel this way. Say for example if someone called me ugly or fat, I would only so much feel less because I gave them the power of their words for me to feel fat and ugly. When I started ignoring negative comments that did not offer positive feedback, I realized I felt less self conscious and undefeated.
#3. Nourish Your Body!
I learned how to cook and teach myself how to properly nourish my body with the right ingredients! Never restrictive dieting or eating. Though I was not too fond of frozen and easy microwave meals, going out to drink and eat definitely took a toll on my body. By the age of 20 I was already diagnosed with high cholesterol, pre-diabetes and was on my way to being overweight. Learning the perfect balance of keeping my body properly nourished and indulging has made the biggest difference in my health and how I feel. Might I add, the doctor agrees too.
#4. Exercise!!!!
I may have those days where I would go tomorrow, but at one point tomorrow became next month. Exercise has not only played a huge part on my confidence and my outer appearance, but has also made me feel so much better physically and mentally! There is truly nothing better than the feeling after a great run or workout *go endorphins*. After routine it has played a part in my daily grind and I am no longer making "tomorrow" and excuse.
#5. It's OK To Not Be OK!
Ahhh all the revelations post college *crawls in ball and cries*. What will I do? How do I continue to date? What is LIFE? Sometimes it is ok to not be ok. I have learned this the hard way, but putting myself out there by exploring AND doing my research I have become one step closer to learning not only more about myself, but also what I did not know about myself.
#7 You Have The Same 24 Hours As Oprah
Make it count! I've heard so many relentlessly stupid excuses that I have made and my friends have made stating "I don't have time". Yes you do. Imagine if Oprah said she didn't have enough time. Where would she be now? Though this does not hold true always (because some of us really do not have time and if we added something extra it would be wayy too overwhelming), most of the time this excuse is just an excuse. If you really want something, you will work for it. This realization has really helped me begin and achieve my short term goals.
#8 F**ckbois = F*ck Boys
Look, in this dating age dating is as simple as a left and right swipe. Dating became hanging out and commitment is rare. Don't depend on someone to make you feel worthy of love. At the end of the day you are still young and even if it did not work out, take it as a sign that something else better is coming. It is easier to let go that hold on to hate, so to all the boys who broke your heart, say thank you because you've learned something new about what you don't want and that's something new about yourself (vice versa). Also, you can not just expect a boyfriend to fall out of the sky if you just sit in your room all day (a little exaggerated, but you get what I mean). Go out! Explore! Mingle!
#9 Do Things On Your Own
Shopping, eating, working out, running errands. Don't ever feel afraid to do things on your own because somethings just need to be done now. If you depended on someone for every task of your life you will be afraid to do anything.
#10 Go On Mini Adventures and Adventures
Go out and see what the world has to offer! Whether it is a night out of the city to a random restaurant, a road trip or even a plane trip, go explore! I love travelling because I've learned that with every trip, I learn something new. Whether it be about a new culture or dish, you're open to new opportunities and insight.
#11 Call Or Speak To Your Parents/Guardians More
Honestly, these lifetime opportunities are all thanks to these amazing people. They have given me everything and beyond. They had very little growing up and their grind throughout the years was to make sure I had everything. As I grow older I forget that they are getting old too. Now it is my turn to provide for them and for them to understand how much I appreciate them.
#12. Stop Comparing Yourself...
To that girl on Instagram, to your friend who got that amazing job, to your friends etc. I've learned that comparing myself have only made me become a jealous person and jealous me focuses less on ... well me. When I focus on how I can achieve my own set term of goals and stop comparing, I realize that I have my own path to live. Also, no one has the same head start.
#13 School Is Not Your Only Chance To Learn
I greatly value education and am extremely blessed to be given the opportunity to study and learn because not everyone gets the opportunity to learn. It is quite a privilege in some areas. The day I stop learning will be the saddest day ever. Take everyday, advice and wrongness as a chance to learn.
#14 Keep Logs
One of the best ideas I have had is logging my short term goals on a piece of paper and just updating where you are in life. In a sense, it is kind of like a diary. I realized every since doing this I sort of become accountable because when I revisit the logs it really does show whether you have achieved your goal or not. Trust me when I say, the ecstatic feeling of knowing your reached your goals makes it all the more worth.
#15 Don't Take It Personal
Look, sometimes people are going to say thing that aren't exactly the nicest and that is okay! Sometimes, there may be even a little bit of truth in it, take everything as a grain of salt. So what if someone criticized your appearance, it is fine, at least you're being your genuine self. So what if that boy ghosted you, who cares that is not your problem.
#16 Take Initiative
Anywhere. Like work, friend, family etc. Sometimes, you should be the one to hit up your friends or people you have not spoken to in a long time. It is always a great feeling to hear from someone after a while, especially if they have been thinking about you. Take initiative in the workplace. This is honestly easier said than done and I for sure understand. However, when your employers invest in you, you want to prove a worth investment.
#17 STOP Thinking About "What If" or "If"
Sometimes you just can not expect much out of life. Life takes different roads and turns and if you looked back 5 years from now you probably did not expect to see where you are now. Try spending more time in the future at the very least to work towards your goals. Also, if you know you're going to regret something, just try and go for it. Least you do is get a no or fail, but if you did not get back up from every failure there would be in no opportunity to look back 5 years from now.
#18 Stop Using Your Tribulations As a Crutch
Oh man, if I had to utter every failure I had just to reassure myself, I would have the hardest time moving forward. We fail for a reason. Learn from it, don't hang around on it.
#19 Get to Know Other People
Put down your phone. Talk to someone you don't often, believe or not my best conversations have been with people I barely know. We've talked about wholesome topics that have opened a whole new world of thinking for me.
#20 Open Up More
Not going to lie, this is a factor of all sorts, but I realized when I open up more, people find you more warm and inviting. Even if that is just a smile. This is something I'm definitely working on still, but I hope to always open up.
#21 Que Sera, Sera
Whatever will be, will be. The future is not ours to see. Que Sera, Sera. The wise words of Doris Day and advice my mother always told me. Whatever happens, happens. Hope for the best, and expect the least. Life happens in mysterious ways and would be less of a "life" if we knew every step.
