Last updated on December 28th, 2022 at 10:30 am
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Birthday celebration posts are always fun. I once did a 25 things I learned by 25 blog post and had a lot of fun writing that.
A lot has happened between turning 25 and 26 years old so I’m back with another life lesson post. This time, it’s 26 life lessons I learned by 26.
This list is in no particular order.
1) You need people in your life to give it to you straight. They have to be sensitive to your feelings but at the same time, be honest with you even if it’s not something you want to hear sometimes. If the people closest to you can’t tell you the truth, who can?
2) Having friends and family you can lean on emotionally is one of the greatest gifts in life. Life can be really challenging (I’m sure you’ve learned this by now) and knowing that you have people to turn to is truly a blessing.
3) There will be days when you’re in a bad mood. Sometimes there’s a reason for it while other times there’s no reason. Let yourself feel those emotions. Don’t suppress it. It will only come to bite you back later on.
4) People will ask you uncomfortable questions. Be clear on your boundaries so you know how much you want to share. It might be different for each person. You might feel more comfortable sharing something personal with certain people.
5) Shop on pre-loved websites like Vestiaire Collective if you’re just starting to get into luxury goods. There are a ton of reasons why you should buy preloved but the most important one is that you get to save a lot of money!
6) Living with anyone is hard. There are a lot of compromises even if it’s your own family. Moving back with my parents certainly took a lot of time to adjust in the beginning.
7) People come and go. Some people are no longer in my life that I wish still were. Any relationship is a two-way street. You might want someone to stay in your life but if they don’t make an effort, the relationship breaks. It can be a bitter pill to swallow when there’s nothing you can do to make the other person care about you more. It’s something you’ll have to accept…eventually.
8) Squeeze in time to do what you want to do. Like many others, I had a go, go, go attitude. Quarantine forced us to slow down and gave us time to reflect on how we live our lives.
9) You can plan your life but not much goes according to plan. The pandemic was a perfect example. Not many saw it coming and we all certainly didn’t expect it to be going on for so long.
10) You might think it’s over once you accept the offer but it’s only the start. The first three months are crucial. You’re getting a feel of the job and also still on probation. If you’re nervous about your first day of work, it’s normal. Do your best to prepare for that day to help ease your nerves.
11) Don’t do things only when you’re motivated because it’s a feeling that comes and goes. Work on something consistently to see results. The results might not be obvious in the beginning but it’s something you must do if you want to see results eventually.
12) If something isn’t feeling right and you’re questioning it, dig deep down to ask yourself why you’re feeling this way. It could be paranoia or it could be because something else is there.
13) Research your skincare ingredients before buying them, especially for those who have oily skin. You don’t want to have a skincare routine that clogs your pores.
14) Don’t be so hard on yourself when it comes to your body. Your weight will fluctuate, especially when it’s over the holiday season. When you find yourself gaining unnecessary weight, cut back on unhealthy food and exercise (if you’re like me and don’t like hitting the gym, go on some walks or do some dance routines on YouTube).
15) Do not make promises when you’re happy. When you get off the high, you might regret it. I sure have learned my lesson on this.
16) We all have our definition of success. Success is going to look something different for everyone.
17) Sometimes you realize how much you take your life for granted. We’ll only ever be us so it’s easy to get caught up with our own stuff. In the grand scheme of things, does most of the stuff you worry about matter that much? Don’t get too upset over things you won’t even remember one month from now.
This is probably one of the most important lessons out of the 26 life lessons.
18) People always say to journal every day for self-care but there’s no hard and fast rule for how often you write in your diary. There’s no one checking to see whether or not you’ve written in your journal today. It’s personal and should be on your schedule.
19) Step out of your comfort zone. There are going to be things you’re scared to try but if you don’t try, you’ll never know.
20) Be open to meeting new people. You never know if it’s someone new you can add to your closest circle. But don’t be too upset if you only have a small group of friends. Real friends are hard to come by and the fact that you have a few of them already is more than enough.
21) There will be times when you will lose confidence. It can happen quickly too but don’t wallow in self-pity for too long. Not everyone will believe in you but if you don’t believe in yourself, you’re screwed.
22) You’ll never stop learning new things about people all the time, even those closest to you.
23) People will have all sorts of opinions on how they think you should live your life. Some of their advice might be helpful but only you can judge whether or not the advice is relevant.
24) Blogging is hard work. I knew going into this world wouldn’t be easy but I didn’t realize just how hard it is.
25) Facebook groups are a great way to promote your website or blog. Facebook is a platform where you can also meet other bloggers, form connections, discover new blogs, and get your questions answered. Bloggers always talk about Pinterest but Facebook groups aren’t talked about enough.
26) There will always be life lessons you’re learning. As you get older, there’s advice you wish you gave to your younger self. Even though you’ve learned a lot over the years, you’ll continue learning life lessons for the rest of your life.
Now to You – 26 Life Lessons
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Xoxo,
Nicole