Below is baby me who has no clue that life is crazy and I will one day have to pay bills and deal with heartbreak. I love that for me.
1.Plans change and … that’s okay
You ever heard the saying "Make plans and God laughs"? That saying couldn't be more true. Don't get me wrong you should have an ideal plan for yourself. You should have goals, aspirations, dreams, and more. However, that doesn't mean it will always look the way you think it will. The road to success doesn't always work out in a linear fashion. There might be some loops and turns that you didn't see coming but you have to remember how strong you are and adjust. It's also okay if your dreams change. You are entitled to change your mind or to change paths and no one should make you feel bad for it. It's really not their business or their life.
2.Don't make decisions out of emotions
I will admit I can be pretty irrational. I'm an Aries so what can I say? Whenever I feel anything I feel it deeply and that has led to me making some decisions that maybe weren't the best idea in the moment. It's okay to take some time to think about a decision. You don't want to look back at your life and regret something because you didn't take the time to pause.
3.It's never too late to start saving
Ignorance is bliss. I didn't know anything about saving when I was younger and I was living like I was a baller. I'm a sucker for a good dinner and I always find a reason to "treat myself". However, those financial decisions will sneak up on you and you don't want to be 30 still living off credit cards and spending money you don't have. Once again, financial health doesn't have to look the same for everyone but it should be something top of mind. Invest in your 401k, get a high yield savings account, build up your emergency savings fund, and pay off your credit cards every month. Your future self will thank you.
4.Comparison is the thief of joy
If I had a dollar for every time I spoke to someone about something and turns out they're going through the same thing if not worse i'd be a millionaire. The older you get the more you realize everybody is dealing with something and not everything is what it seems. Social media definitely doesn't help with this and anytime I start to feel overwhelmed I take a social media hiatus. You gotta stay in your lane and focus on what you have going on. If you spend your whole life worried about what the next person has you will never get anywhere in your own. Your joy in life is yours and you should protect it at all cost.
5. Peace and happiness is within you
So often we search for happiness in other people and things. We look for happiness in a relationship, in a dream job, in an activity. Although you can find joy in all these things they're nothing in comparison to the joy and happiness you have already within you. Attaching your happiness to external things can lead to you giving your happiness to someone else and it can be taken at anytime. I was listening to Oprahs podcast the other week and the speaker said "accepting all of it and what decisions did I make to get here? Once you do that you realize that the keys to your happiness are no longer in anyone's hands but yours" You are enough. You are always enough.
In life there's always going to be light and darkness. They're both inevitable. The challenge is finding the beauty in both and taking advantage of every day that you have. You owe it to yourself to enjoy this life besides you only get today once.
Don't let your mom think that making customized potato chip bags are a good idea for your graduation... especially when it's a selfie from your instagram.
