27 Years of Advice
At Home | August 2020
My birthday has always been a bittersweet symbol of the “end of summer”. Often falling only a week or two before school started up again, I looked forward to my day because it signaled the ending of one chapter and start of another. I was one of the older kids in my grade and reveled in perks like getting my driver’s license first, turning 18 first, and (of course) being able to legally drink first. This sense of newfound freedom and excitement has never been as true as it is this year.
As 2019 wrapped, I couldn’t wait for the upcoming year to provide a fresh start -- one that would include me graduating from school, finding a different job, and focusing more on ME. Well, we all know how that went… With that being said, I have decided to view my birthday this year as a do-over from the New Year! My dad likes to make my sisters and me count the number of years we are old (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ...27!) in order to emphasize how much we have accomplished and how much more living we have ahead of us. It’s a great tradition that forces us to slow down for a minute and appreciate the life we have. In this spirit, I wrote down a list of life lessons and advice from the past 27 years. I hope to keep adding to it as every New (Sarah) Year passes - enjoy!
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You can never underestimate the compounding effect of consistency. Be disciplined and consistent and success in achieving your goals is not far away.
You will become way less concerned with what other people think of you when you realize how seldom they do (think of you).
No one is going to tell you all the things you want to hear all the time. You have to know them yourself.
You have to be smart enough to know you can be wrong.
It’s okay to be scared, vulnerable, or make mistakes - these things will open doors for you.
Don’t let the small stuff matter.
Accept thoughtful criticism.
You are not the work you do, you are the person you are.
It’s up to you.
Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean “me, first”, it means “me, too”.
Welcome discomfort and change - they are clear indications that you are growing.
Only surround yourself with people who support you and your goals...seriously!
Ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away.
A closed mouth doesn’t get fed. Advocate for yourself. You can’t have what you don’t ask for.
One day someone will look at you the same way you look at the moon.
Say YES to everything!
Don’t be afraid to say NO.
Honesty is the best policy.
No matter where you are, you are only one plane ride away from home.
Embrace the natural world.
Reach out.
Allow yourself to have a multitude of feelings without labeling any of them as bad, negative, or wrong.
You don’t have to be stressed or busy to be important.
The sexiest thing in the entire world is being really thoughtful and really generous. Everything else is crap.
In order to show up in a relationship, you have to be able to make yourself happy. Stop focusing on what they are or are not doing and start thinking about how to carve out the life you want. The more you succeed in defining yourself for yourself, the better you will be in your relationship.
In order to move forward, you have to look forward.
Success is a series of small things, but it’s also a lot of hard work.
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This year I worked really hard to put myself first. I am welcoming 27 with open arms knowing that I am powerful, I am radiant, and I am enough! Cheers!
