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21 Things I Learned In 21 Years.

My 22nd birthday is tomorrow and I have been thing about some of the things that I have learned in the past 21 years of my life.Turning 21 has been such a huge moment in my life I went from being a girl to becoming legally a woman! Which is both scary and exciting. I feel like 21 is the perfect age, the prime of life i’m not too young not to old. Though some may think of me as young in the last 21 years I have learned a thing or to that I want to share with you before I officially turn 22. So here goes…

1. Don’t hold on to friendships that only you put effort into - This was something that I learnt the hard way. Sometimes you have to do what’s best for yourself, if they were your true friends they’d would reach out. Doing this was one of the hardest but most rewarding things i’ve done I learnt a lot about myself - I really try to maintain relationships and I care a lot about others even if its not always reciprocal but I also now know the qualities of a genuine friend and if people don't measure up i'm not afraid to cut them loose. And neither should you be if they let you don't constantly and you're the only one putting any effort into the relationship its time for them to go!

2. Learn to cook - This is a life skill that everyone needs you can’t just get by on microwave burgers, fast-food and pot noodle (unfortunately) luckily for me my mum instilled this in me from a young age. I also studied "Food Technology" in school if not for those two things when I left home and went to university I probably would have starved to death or at least gotten very sick hahaha. So learn to cook a few of your favourite dishes so if your ever on your own you won't have to starve.

3. Travel - Experience the world, new cultures, (my personal favourite) new food! Become apart of the global society by going out and seeing what's out there. Its so exciting! You may even find a new favourite place you never know! You don’t even have to go too far if you don’t want or can’t afford it just go to the closet neighbouring country just to see how they differ - i’d recommend doing while you're young before you get tied down in commitments like jobs, houses, children, pets etc. Go out and find a new perspective on life.

4. It’s ok if you don’t know what you want to do with your life yet - There’s so much pressure from such a young age to do well, chose the right subjects, go to a good university and start a career but how do you known if that's for you? - The truth is you don’t and that’s why it's fine not to have a plan right now. See how life treats you, opportunities may come from anywhere! New job roles and titles are appearing everyday, the job you might end up might not even exist yet! I feel like your twenties are about understanding yourself, - what you like and don’t like its fine to start and then stop something because you don’t like it now is the time for that. So don't stress too much a lot of people have been where you are and ended up successful there's no rush.

5. Don’t compare yourself to others - The beauty of being you is that no one else is like you and you’re not like anyone else. Some people progress through life a lot faster than others but don’t spend your life wishing you were where some else is in life or you’ll miss all the beauty in your own life - things that others may admire themselves about you. Everything will come to you in its own time, remember everything worth having takes time and some hard work.

6. Push your limits - Get out of your comfort zone try something you’ve never done before — whether that be trying out for a team , learning a language or jumping out of a plane. Even if it doesn’t turn out well (which hopefully jumping out of a plane would...)or you’re not good at it, at least someday it’ll make for a funny story.

7. Find and pursue your passions - What inspires you? What do you love to do? Find those passions and don’t let them go, hold on to them, grow them and be amazing at them. As the saying goes passion is the spice of life!

8. Make mistakes- We all make mistakes no human is 100% perfect. You are not your mistakes, good people sometimes make bad decisions they mess up but that doesn’t make them bad people. It’s not how many mistakes we make, its how we correct them that defines who we are. Making mistakes don’t mean you’re a failure it means your trying and learning and one day you’ll be better. If you never fail then you'll never learn to be resilient, a skill that will come in handy throughout life.

9. You can’t always please everyone - It’s exhausting and weighs your soul down when you try and be all things to all people, sometimes you have to be selfish and do what is right for you. You have to remember that there’s a difference between helping others and pleasing them don’t get them confused.

10. Some times (more times than we care to admit) your parents are right- They only offer advice because they care about you - and you have to remember that they were young once and probably have found themselves in the situation that you've now found your self in. What's a little friendly advice you don't have to take it but you should listen you never know it might help.

11. Ask Questions - Ask many even if they’re ridiculous if you never ask you’ll never know, asking questions is the best way to learn.

12. Stand up for what you believe in- If you believe in a cause, if it means a lot to you and is something that you feel is worth fighting for, then you should even if it means standing alone. At least in the long run you’ll know that when everyone else turned a blind eye you were there, you stood your ground and if your message inspires just one person it wasn’t wasted.

13. Don’t make promises you can’t keep - It effects both the person you promised and yourself, if you know you can't promise something its better to let them know so they avoid dissapointment and you don't end up feel crappy because you let them down. Just avoid it all together.

14. Take chances - Apply for that course, that job, that internship, that scholarship that you don’t think you’ll get because you never know you could be the exact person they were looking for! If you don’t put yourself out there how will they ever find you?!

15. Never settle - If you believe you deserve better then fight for it, if you think you can do better then do it! Don’t give up, don’t let yourself look back and regret that you didn’t put your all into something always try to do you best.

16. It’s ok to ask for help -Nobody knows everything, and if we did wouldn't life be very boring! It's ok to ask for help more often than not people are willing to offer support but you can't access that if you don't ask. There's no point struggling through something that you don't understand if asking a single question could make your life that much easier. What's the worst thing that can happen?- They say no or can't help and you're in the exact same position that you started in or they say yeas and offer the information that you needed. Sounds like a no brainer to me.

17. Sing and dance often - Whether your a remarkable singe/dancer or not ,everyone should do this. Don’t pay attention to if anyone is listening/watching just sing and dance to your hearts content it’ll make you happy. Sing and dance for fun, to laugh or to feel better, just do it.

18. Make your family and friends a priority - Everyone only gets one family make sure you spend as much time with them while you have them. I’ve always said that friends are the family that you get to choose, choose well these people will be by your side through both the good and bad times you’ll learn so much from them. Let them know you love them by hanging out together and random acts of kindness they’ll really appreciate it.

19. Laugh often - Make awful jokes, silly faces, say stupid things, make fun of yourself. Never take life to seriously that you forget to laugh its one of the best feelings in the world. Don't miss out on it.

20. Be your own friend - Have your own back, look after yourself, treat yourself to that cute bag (every once in a while). Its important to have that time to yourself to just refresh and relax, paint your nails, do that face mask, look after yourself because there's only one you and your the only one who can do that.

21. Have fun - Most importantly always remember to enjoy all of the little things in life and have to have as much fun as is physically possible.

I hope that these are something things that might help some of you guys out in times of need, or remind you of things you should be putting into your own lives.

Till next time,

Courtney xxx

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