27 things I've learned in 27 years
Waking up today with my boys with a very full and grateful heart. I’ve always loved my birthday and treating it as a chance to reflect and measure the growth that has occurred the year prior. When I tell people my age, they usually say “you’re ONLY __?!” I always take it as a compliment because I’ve always felt like an old soul. While I certainly don’t have it all figured out, here are 27 things (in no particular order) that I’ve learned during my short time here on earth.
Saying no is just as important than saying yes. This was a big one for me this year. I’ve tried shifting my mindset onto abundance rather than fear and that has helped me a lot.
You always have a choice. Sometimes it’s hard to feel like you do but in the grand scheme, you always have the power to make your own decisions.
You can be the juiciest, ripest peach in the world - there will always be someone who doesn’t like peaches. Not everyone is going to love you and that is quite okay.
You are your own best advocate. If you don’t believe in yourself, why should others? If you want it, go get it. The worst that can happen is that say no, but at least you can sleep at night knowing that you stood up for yourself.
You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar - still working on perfecting this one… but I’ve learned that it never hurts in the long run to be kind.
With that said… Kindness always wins. I learned this from my dear friend Nicole LeBris during an issue I was having at work and will never forget this. I often repeat it to myself in moments of frustration.
A properly fitting bra is truly life changing. You didn’t think we’d make it through this list without mentioning some sort of undergarments, did you?! Haha.. with that said, I can’t express how important this is. It has a ripple effect on your confidence, outfits and life. Everything you need to know about bras can be found right here.
A number on a clothing tag doesn’t define your self worth. Nor does a number on a scale. I’ve been a size 14 since I was in high school and it’s taken me a long time to figure this out. Wear what makes you feel good and flatters your body. Cut the tag out if it bothers you!
You’re always right where you’re supposed to be. I’ve often caught myself wondering “WHY?!?” But the world constantly has a way of showing me that everything has its way of working out.
People come into your life for a reason, season or lifetime. My mom taught me this one. Whenever I meet someone, I always wonder to myself- are you going to teach me something? Are you a going to be seasonal friend (not around for long)? Or are you my BFF for life? I’ve found sometimes people are 2/3.
With that said, it’s never too late to make lifelong friends. I know I’m still young but I always thought that you made your best friends in elementary school… This was certainly not the case for me and I’ve made the majority of my closet friends later in my life.
Change is hard but change is good. Boy, do I struggle with change. I know this about myself and yet- it’s still difficult for me to navigate sometimes. With that said…
Self awareness doesn’t necessarily stop you from making mistakes, but it allows you to learn from them. With a good amount of therapy, I’m really proud of the progress I’ve made in this department.
Therapy is good. There’s no shame in my therapy game. I’ve been going consistently for five years now and although it took me a bit to find the right person, I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to have this outlet.
Self care isn’t selfish. I always like to think of the quote - fill up your own cup before filling others. After all, how are you supposed to give when you’re on empty?
Setting boundaries is a way of caring for myself. Whether that’s your relationships between family members, what you choose to share on social media, how you allow others to speak to you, etc. Setting boundaries has been the healthiest thing that I’ve ever done for my mental health.
No one will love you better than you love yourself. I met Brian during a chaotic time in my life but quickly realized I couldn’t be a good partner until I figured out how I could make make myself happy on my own, without relying on him for my happiness.
In regards to relationships, find your equal. I had no plans of getting married as young as I did (25), but I knew it was always important to me to find a spouse who could emotionally + intellectually be on the same page as me, all while growing together - not apart.
If you’re not laughing at least once a day, what are you doing? I’ll admit, somedays are easier than others but finding something to laugh about (a meme, a TV show, some much needed girl time, etc) always keeps things in perspective. Bonus points if you can find ways to laugh at yourself.
You may hear “no” 25+ times before you hear one “yes.” There is truly no such thing as an “overnight success.” You have to keep grinding, even people who may appear as overnight successes have been working at it for a LONG time. Another thing I’ve learned? If one door closes, go through the damn window. If one approach doesn’t work, try another.
Speaking of changing your approach… FYI (or should I say TMI) stuffing your belly button with a piece of cotton ball and XL fabric bandaid will help hide a belly button indent in clothing. If you read my wedding undergarment post, you know that I had to get pretty creative with my solutions. This ultimately taught me to challenge the norms and always be open minded to creative/ nontraditional solutions.
The hustle is silent. In the world of oversharing, I’ve learned that no one needs (or really cares) to know how hard you’re working. Stay humble, stay focused, keep your head down and put in the work. Things happen when you work for them.
Ok this is random but… Inside your car, your gas pump symbol on your dashboard has an arrow, this points to which side you’re supposed to fill up. Please tell me I am not alone when I say I JUST learned this. (embarrassed face emoji)
Makeup is an art form, open to interpretation - it’s pretty crazy we get to paint our faces and then wipe them off and begin again the next day. As a model, I’ve learned that everyone has their own unique approach - there’s really no right / wrong way to wear it. It should be worn (or not) because it makes you feel good.
If you have your health, you have everything. Nothing puts life more into perspective than when something health-related happens to someone close to you. Be sure to take care of yourself, visit your doctors on a yearly basis and if you feel something isn’t right, go get it checked out.
The right attitude is always gratitude. I try to begin or end each day with three things I’m grateful for.
Lastly, we’re not competing - I hope we all make it. Community over competition. However you’d like to put it, there is PLENTY of space for us all to succeed in this lifetime to let’s be kind to one another and support each other’s journeys and visions - even if we don’t share the same perspective.
Thank you so much for reading! Looking forward to another year of growth and learning. Maybe this year will the year I learn how to fold a fitted sheet. ;) I hope you have a fabulous weekend.
All photos are by Ryan of Seek Axiom.
xx CMK
