It’s my birthday! I might be freaking out a little! But…honestly not as much as I thought I would be. 🙂

Ok, this is something I’ve actually given a lot of thought to the past month or so. I turn 29 today….I think back to when I was 20 and what I thought life would be like in 9 years and this isn’t it. In fact, it’s not even close.

That’s not a complaint. I love my life! My family, Draz, my dogs, my home, this blog and all of the awesomeness related to that and so much more! Instead, it’s more of a realization that life takes some crazy and unexpected turns. Twists and turns that put me in a wonderful place in life that I could never have imagined at 20!

I’ve learned a lot along the way and still have so much left to learn! But here are 29 things that I have learned so far! So serious, so not quite so, and in no particular order, but I hope you enjoy all of them 🙂

29 Life Lessons I’ve Learned So Far

1. I don’t know what it means to actually feel like an adult. I’m still waiting for that one.
2. Parents are people too and pretty awesome to hang out with!
3. No one actually has life all figured out.
4. Not everyone will like you or needs to…and you don’t have to understand why.
5. Be present for the moments of everyday life. It’s amazing.
6. Reach out to those that you care about, even if you’ve lost touch.
7. Drive slower!
8. Taking time for yourself isn’t selfish, it’s necessary.
9. You can like who you are while still trying to improve yourself.
10. Push your comfort zone!
11. Don’t expect life to follow your plan.
12. Be unapologetically you – be honest about who you are and what you enjoy in life.
13. Try to put a positive “spin” on things when you are having a bad day/interaction/moment/whatever.
14. Be silly!
15. Take care of your body – it’s worth the time.
16. Take care of your mental health too – it’s just as important as your physical health.
17. Don’t be too proud to ask for help.
18. Find things you truly enjoy instead of things that just fill time.
19. The best dates and/or moments don’t have to cost much, if anything.
20. Quality over quantity – applies to much of life!
21. Don’t procrastinate – it NEVER helps.
22. Be spontaneous (at least occasionally).
23. Smile often.
24. Be kind to others, even when you don’t feel like it.
25. Make sure you sleep enough.
26. Try new things often!
27. Give yourself a break – you can’t do everything.
28. Always make goals and strive towards meeting them.
29. Cut the negative thoughts and self-talk.

So that’s some of the things I’ve learned over the years. So aren’t surprising and a few took me a long time to learn. Some I still have to remind myself of. But either way, I am so excited to see how this year goes! I think that 29 is going to be an amazing and transformative year for me! (And I am so excited to share it with all of you!)

What are some of the things that you have learned over the years that have surprised you or been harder to learn? I would love to hear your thoughts!

And don’t forget that the Jewelry Giveaway ends today at 8 pm CT, so if you haven’t entered yet, hop over and get your entry in!