The 22 most important lessons I’ve learned as a 22 year old: Part 2

12) TREAT YOUR INNER CHILD, FEED INTO THE NOSTALGIA

There is nothing like doing things your younger self always wanted to do. Don’t be afraid to indulge in things that bring back the ever-present feeling of nostalgia. I have been able to accomplish and do things I have always wanted to see myself do. Doing that has not only served my present self, but it heals my inner child, bringing a next level of peace. 

13) NOT EVERYTHING IS GOING TO WORK OUT, COME TO PEACE WITH THAT

This goes along with the previous bullet of not trying to control everything. Accepting that everything isn’t going to work out, and you can’t control that, allows for you to go with the flow and learn what you need to from whatever situation. It allows for less stress, less anxiety, and a more positive look on life. 

14) "IT AINT ABOUT HOW HARD YOU'RE HIT, IT'S ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES YOU CAN GET HIT AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD" ROCKY BALBOA

While not everything is going to work out, the punches are still going to hurt when they come. And as much as you keep the positive attitude, some of the things that will come will just knock the wind out of you. Discourage you. Make you lose hope. But if you are able to take all of these hits with grace and KEEP GOING, that is where success is going to come for you. 

15) AMBITION IS HARD TO FIND

I’ve always been a person that has had extremely high goals for myself. I remember being 16 and looking for internships at Nike corporate. It is something I have always admired about myself, and it has carried me to places I never thought that I would see for myself. As I get to know different people, I have found that ambition and drive is really hard to find. And in the workforce, it is a really great quality to have. But I was only able to find that through finding what I was passionate about. Find what you are passionate about, put your blinders on and channel your ambition to become who you want to be. 

16) IT'S OKAY TO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING

Wanting to be perfect at everything immediately and always knowing everything is denying you your humanity. If everyone knew everything, we would all be the same, and that just takes away everything society is. Accepting that knowing all is something beautiful that makes us human will bring curiosity into the things we know instead of anxiety. 

17) COME TO KNOW YOURSELF

Really finding who I was is an ongoing process, which is normal. There have been so many different versions of me throughout the years, even multiple versions in a year, which has been hard on my self esteem. As I focused on really finding what is important to me, what my strengths are, what my weaknesses are, what my goals are, etc, it has given me a certain sense of confidence. Knowing who I am without input from anyone else has allowed for me to become less sensitive, more aware of where I can apply myself, and so much more, that have really helped me find success. As you continue that process with yourself, you will really be able to see real growth. 

18) HARRY POTTER AND MARVEL ARE TIED FOR THE BEST MOVIE FRANCHISE

I have always appreciated a great story, and the way that these two franchises have tied their stories together was just a work of art. Harry Potter’s sequels always built on each other in a great way, had a great story but also played a crucial role in the ending conflict. It also helped that the British accents were amazing. Marvel has the similar feel to it, but on an even more complex level. How can you tie together so many different stories of separate superheroes with their own villains to come together to resolve the great issue. And the way that Marvel was really able to tie all those stories together and work through every single detail just created a story that captivated me. In the best ways. 

19) COOKIE DOUGH WILL FOREVER AND ALWAYS BE MY FAVORITE FLAVOR OF ICE CREAM

It has never changed, and there is just no argument here. The blend of ice cream with smooth cookie dough just brings a certain flavor and texture that has become a constant in my life. 

20) IT'S OKAY TO CRY

CRY! CRY ALL THE TIME! Crying is such a great way to feel your feelings. It allows you to process what is happening. Surround yourself with people who help you feel safe with crying and feeling your feelings. Crying is a source of strength of recognizing your humanity and moving forward with the punches. 

21) LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND INSTEAD OF RESPOND

One of my greatest values, listen to understand instead of respond. Trying to understand someone instead of jumping to conclusions has helped me to see so many different people in different lights. It has allowed me to love deeper and understand how to help others. It has helped me work with people more effectively. If you are a person that helps people feel safe and understood, you will be able to create more connections and loyalty than you ever thought before. And people will pay you that same respect. 

22) DON'T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF

With all of the other things in mind, realize that it’s all of our first time here on earth. We’re all learning and growing, and it’s okay to allow yourself to learn and grow too. Give yourself a little grace, take a breather and realize that you are doing better than you think that you are. 

With that, that concludes the most major life lessons that I have learned in my short time here on earth. Make sure to check out my last blog post for the first of the 22 lessons I learned. I hope that reading through this helps those who are my age or beyond understand that life can be changed and improved constantly.