Recently, I've had some (very deep) conversations with people and have had so many epiphanies this week that I can barely keep my head straight. But that's the way life works - sometimes it feels like the universe barely knows you exist and then suddenly it all hits you like a baseball bat to the face. Although that sounds unpleasant, it's not always such a bad thing. So today I've decided to list the things I have personally discovered about myself or just lessons I've learned, and other such things that only a wisdom-filled twenty-something person would know. (And now thanks to me, you don't have to learn these lessons the hard way!! ...you're welcome...)
1. The best feeling in the world is when you surprise yourself.
No, I'm not talking about throwing yourself a 'surprise' birthday party. I'm talking about realizing that you can be way better than you ever thought. This week, I showed myself that I can be way more of a mature adult than I honestly ever thought I'd be. There were some situations that came up recently where I had to make some really big decisions, and once I decided, I stuck to those decisions, and handled everything with such poise, I could barely recognize myself in the mirror (figuratively). And that leads me to number two.
2. Making decisions and sticking with them is crazy important.
This one I learned from my aunt Susie, who is the coolest person ever. (For those who have been reading for a while, to clarify, this is NOT the crazy aunt.) She taught me that the beauty of being young is that even if you make the wrong decisions, you can learn from them, and still have plenty of time to fix things. She told me that the most important thing is that when you make a decision, know that in the end, it is your decision, and yours only. So once you choose something, stick with it, hell or high water, and your confidence in yourself will definitely go up. After the past few days of following that advice, I can tell you it is 100% true.
3. Emotion is not vulnerability.
Another gem of advice from Susie, and it totally changed my perspective. There is no right or wrong emotion, it is simply a fact of how you feel. It is what it is. Simple as that. What you feel is not weakness, but merely a part of who you are at the moment. If someone has a problem with that, then that is their problem to deal with, not yours. It's a harsh reality I think few of us really take time to think about and accept, but nonetheless, it still is the truth.
4. Impulsivity isn't always a bad thing.
You know the feeling when you want to accomplish something, or do something, but know that if you don't do it now, that it probably won't happen? Homework is probably the best example of this, but for me today, I decided to finally get my second ear piercing. I was at my favorite coffee house, Stone Creek Coffee, with my friend Katie, and realized that I really wanted to do something to remember all of the tough decisions I've had to make and that I finally started to climb out of a rough patch of life. I always wanted a second piercing, but never got around to it (mostly because I chickened out) and started perusing the internet, looking at the nearest mall and what kind of deals they offered for piercings, etc. After talking for a few minutes about it with Katie, I asked her if she'd take me to the mall right then. And just like that, we went to the mall, and low and behold, I got my second piercing. With my serious fear of needles and an incredibly low pain tolerance, I was beyond proud that I didn't even flinch, or cry, or stop breathing. To celebrate, I indulged in 17 pairs of earrings total, (They were on super sale) and although in my case, it injured my wallet, I have absolutely no regrets at all. Take a look!!
5. Do the things that scare you.
Most people don't see piercings as a scary thing, but this fifth point is what really drove me to do that. I made a promise to do things that were out of my comfort zone, so I think this was the first baby step in the right direction. Besides that though, things that scare you could be something as simple as speaking your mind, to something as horrifying as telling the brutal honest truth to someone who needs to hear it, or maybe trying to not look like a babbling idiot in front of your crush. Whatever it may be, if you take those baby steps like I did, then I promise that you will feel better about everything in the end.
So, my dear friends, in my short 23 days of being 20, I leave you with all of this life-giving wisdom. I hope it assists you in your future endeavors and helps you accomplish your hopes and dreams for the future. Whatever you have going on right now, just try and use these five handy-dandy tips and I promise the road will be a lot smoother.
Love always,
Amber <3
