As another birthday rounds the corner, I can’t help but feel reflective on all the things this past year has brought me. This has been a very transitional year for me. I can honestly say that I think this has been my biggest year of growth and I am so happy to say that! To end my final day of being 26 I thought I’d write a blog post about 10 things I learned/discovered about myself, in the past 365 days.
1. Just be yourself. This year I finally came into my own and came to a place in my life where I TRULY accepted myself and lived my truth. I stopped doubting myself and my qualities (good & bad) and just lived according to my truest self. There is something so incredibly freeing about not worrying about what other people think about you and just LIVING. My favorite quote of the year is “Other people’s opinion of you is none of your business.” Amen to that!
2. I am capable of doing hard things. This year was transitional. I moved from Costa Mesa to LA. From LA to Arizona. Then from Arizona to Seattle & back to Arizona (hello baseball life). All of these transitions came with many obstacles, but there were so many growing moments involved in them. Moving to a new state, finding an apartment in Seattle, living in 2 new cities, packing, setting up bills, making new friends and adjusting to an entirely new lifestyle are some of the few growing moments I encountered this past year. Through all of this I learned that I can do hard things and I am capable of so much more than I thought I was. It was scary & hard at times, but I feel so much more accomplished now & know that I can do it again & again!
3. Don’t wait for tomorrow to start something new. In June of this year I FINALLY followed my heart and started my blog and YouTube channel! It has brought me so much joy and ignited my passion for connecting with people & being creative. Although I’m so bummed I didn’t do this a YEAR ago, I am so happy I did it regardless. So don’t wait for tomorrow to do the things your heart desires. Go after your dreams and don’t let anyone or anything make you feel like you can’t, start today!!
4. Sometimes words aren’t necessary. This year was a huge year a growth for my relationship. Living together brings on a whole new level of awareness. I am a fixer, I always want people to be happy and content. This year I learned that it’s not always necessary to fix everything and sometimes just your physical presence is enough. Sometimes being a silent support in someone’s presence is enough, you don’t always have to make things right!
5. Friendships are so important. I think this one explains itself. After moving states (twice) and dealing with the highs and lows of an unpredictable baseball season, I was reminded of some incredible friendships I have. These people were constantly keeping up with me, checking in and not only asking how my fiancé was doing, but also how I was doing. I am thankful for you.
6. Eat alone at a restaurant & explore a city alone. I had the privilege of getting to travel with Ryon to New York when he played the Yankees this year and one day after he went to the field I strolled through Central Park alone and got lunch by myself. This is a day I enjoyed so so much. Learning to be alone and content in your thoughts is such a peaceful feeling. I can’t tell you how beautiful it was to sit on a bench in Central Park and just take in all the life happening around you. I can’t wait to do it again!
7. Not every one is like you and that’s okay. Everyone is raised differently, have lived in different cities, has been through different experiences and that’s just life! I think the sooner you accept people for their differences the sooner you can give them grace, understand them and even learn from them.
8. I have so much to be thankful for. Through the highs and lows of this year I have learned that I have so so much to be thankful for and am blessed beyond belief. My fiancé has really opened my eyes to reminding me of the beautiful things in life when things aren’t going the right way. There is so much to be thankful for and I hope that I can continue to take that mindset through my hardest and happiest days ahead.
9. Google is my best friend & favorite business tool. This year I decided to start this blog & create a youtube channel and I can’t thank my BFF, Google, enough for the support and guidance through it all (lol). BUT ACTUALLY. Yes, I have a marketing degree but honestly it just doesn’t translate when it comes to creating a website, blog template, youtube channel, creating artwork, graphics, etc. There are sooo many amazing platforms out there for people who are learning new skills or don’t have a background in digital marketing/graphic design so make sure to utilize them! I am SO proud of myself for learning new skills on my own and pushing through the frustrations of how to do it all! Google is an amazing tool, you really don’t have an excuse these days to not be able to learn a new skill that you may need to have when pursuing a new venture.
10. READ BOOKS, listen to podcasts & never stop learning! This kind of tags along with my #9. But if you want to continue to better yourself and expand your understanding of whatever topic it is that you want to know about you need to do your do diligence by reading books, listening to podcasts, reading articles & staying up to date with the current events in the sector that you’re interested in! My second favorite quote this past year is “Knowledge is POWER” – the more you know the farther you’ll go. I love learning & reading and will never stop educating myself on anything and everything that I am interested in.
Thanks for reading along to my top 10 learning points of my 26th year. I can’t wait to see what the next year brings me!
Cheers to 26 & Hello to 27!!
xoxo, Courtney