18 Things I've Learned in 18 Years

Hello friends,

The time has come to say goodbye to being a child and to say hello to adulthood. I mean, all I've done since turning 18 is eat like crap, make a mess of my room, and sleep in too late, so nothing has really changed, but now I can check I'm an adult on forums and elope, so that's something to be excited about. But really guys, I've been reflecting a lot on how life is changing and thinking about what I've learned. It's been 18 years, so I sure hope I've learned a few things. Over the past couple of weeks, I've been writing a few some stuff down and came up with a list (Whoa, a list of 18 things on your 18th birthday, what a coincidence!). I was hoping to have this up on my birthday last Friday, but life happens so you're getting this a bit late. But without anymore filler words, here's a list of 18 things I've learned in 18 years, and why they're kind of important.

1. Stop using "adulting" as an excuse. Adults have been "adulting" since the beginning of time and when you use that excuse for making mistakes and being too lazy, it makes more mature adults want to strangle you. Seriously, yeah life is hard, but stop making it sound like your generation of adults has it so much harder. You don't, you really really don't.

2. Yes, you do have time. There's never enough time to read your bible, catch up with friends, do your homework, and clean your room, but wow look at all the time there is to watch Netflix, eat cake, and binge read! Funny how that works,

3. It's okay to say no. Saying no is hard, I get it, but sometimes it just needs to happen. You can't do everything, you can't carry everyone's burdens. Learn to say no to more things so you can say yes to the things that really matter.

4. No person can fix you. Stop looking to significant others, friends, and family to fix you. No one can make you feel beautiful and loved forever. You need to accept yourself first and realize your worth comes from Christ, not the people around you.

5. Sleep is actually really important. Stop waiting till Midnight to write you midterm paper, stop watching Friends until 2am, stop reading until your eyes can't make out the words. Sleep is so so important for your health! Get things done before the wee hours of the night and give yourself some well deserved rest.

6. You're going to mess up a lot. You're not perfect, but guess what? No one is! Don't be proud, but don't carry around guilt either. Know when you're wrong, forgive yourself, apologize to those who deserve it, and confess you wrongdoings to God. You're not a failure, you're not a terrible person, you're just flawed like everyone else.

7. Take time to explore. Don't stay camped up in your room, go explore the world around you. Go for road trips, take that long hike, check out the tiny new bookstore. You're young, go explore while you still have the time. Breath in the fresh air, take lots of pictures, and pick the wild flowers.

8. God's way > your way. Sometimes God's way is a lot harder than your way, but it's so much better. Sometimes we think we know best, but we're always wrong. Spend time in prayer and listen for God's voice. Read the word and recognize how it applies to your life. Even when it's tough, stick to his commandments. Abiding in Him is so much greater than going your own way.

9. Don't do life alone. Look for close friends you can trust. Seek guidance from those who are older and wiser. Know you aren't alone, and ask for help when you need it. Don't deal with anxiety and depression alone, seek help and be honest about your feelings. Don't lock yourself away, talk to others and build healthy relationships.

10. Stop stressing over the little things. Stressing out is one of the easiest things to do in the world, but how often do we get so stressed out over little things and forget it the next day? Learn to let things go and realize that life doesn't always go your way. Remember that God always has a plan and purpose for the things that happen. Stop stressing, give your worries to God and relax.

11. Never be ashamed of your smile or laugh. If someone ever tells you that you laugh or smile too much, take that as a compliment. Smile often, laugh even more. Be joyful and give that joy to others. Laugh at the funny moments and the stressful ones. Smile to those who need it, and smile when you don't think you can.

12. Spend time with your family. Make time for you parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents, or any family members you have to call your own. Don't take them for granted, grow those relationships and be thankful for them. Ask them questions, give them hugs, and tell them you love them before it's too late.

13. Make the little things count. Dance to your music without shame, pick flowers and put them on your desk to be admired, share hugs often, treasures handwritten notes and cards, and take pictures of moments, even if they don't seem significant. Make the most of every day.

14. Write stuff down. Life is busy and we forget so much stuff. Take time to write things down, small or big. Record what's happening in your life, talk about your feelings and interesting events. Keep the words you wrote down and look back at them often. Move on from your past, but don't forget it. Learn from it and take joy away from it.

15. Say yes to things that scare you. Never say no to things just because you're afraid you might fail. Take risks and try new things that challenge you. Learn from your failures, and try again. Fear is only in your mind, don't let it stop you from achieving your dreams.

16. Do hard things. Take care of your body and be mindful of what you put into it. Break away from harmful relationships. Be thankful in all seasons of life. Learn to do things yourself and not rely on others to do it for you. Step out of your comfort zone. Work hard on things instead of doing the minimum. Sit with the friendless. Do the things that are hard instead of what feels easiest.

17. Don't take insults to heart. People are going to say some mean things, treat you like a child, and completely ignore you. Don't take it to heart. Realize that you can't please everyone and others will look down on you. Don't fight hate with hate, but instead treat everyone with love and respect, even if you don't receive the same treatment.

18. Keep your relationship with Christ as your top priority. This is by far the most important lesson I've learned over the years, and it's something I continue to learn daily. Your relationship with Christ is the most important relationship you'll ever have. Make time for Him, pray often, reflect on His word, praise Him daily. Don't sacrifice this relationship for worldly wants.

Although these are lessons I believe to be important, I'm am continuously trying to apply them to my life, and am always learning new things outside of this list. Life is full of so many lessons to learn from and I can't wait to see what my future holds for me. So what lessons have you learned over the years? Why are they important? Let's chat down below, I always love hearing from you and discussing life. :)

Hoping you all have a wonderful week,

Elizabeth