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confession: i spent the last year thinking i was already 27. so when i actually turned 27 a few months ago, it felt like i got "bonus" year. *yay*
to celebrate the fact that i get to be 27 for 2 years in a row, here are 27 life lessons I have learned from navigating life for 27 years on this planet.
1. First and foremost, Be Grateful.
appreciate that everything is a gift. your life, your health, your finances, your relationships. everything is fragile and can be taken away in an instant. appreciate it. cherish it. be grateful.
2. Travel.
it will make you appreciate the world, your home, different cultures, and people.
3. Know Yourself.
it will help when people say that something is impossible or that you can't do it.
4. Learn to compete with yourself and yourself only.
see others as allies, not enemies. the only comparisons you should make are to the person you were, the person you are, and the person you want to be.
5. "Success isn't permanent. Failure isn't fatal." -- Mike Ditka
learn how to handle the bad times and cherish the good.
6. Don't feel entitled to anything.
as millennials, we all grew up being told we were the best thing to ever grace the Earth and were showered with "participation trophies" for just showing up. this was great for building our confidence but also gave us a sense of entitlement. truth: you are actually not entitled to anything. so put in the work, and find confidence in your accomplishments.
7. Laugh at yourself.
laugh because it's better than crying.
8. Embrace discomfort.
avoiding discomfort is common and an expected reaction. learn to be okay with some discomfort and ambiguity as you push yourself into the unknown. learn to be good at change, because as you know, it's the only constant in life. one of my mottos during medical school has been, "nothing ventured, nothing gained." you may not win them all, but you will definitely lose them all if you don't even try.
9. Mom is always right.
plain and simple. the song in Tangled, "Mother Knows Best" is true. she knows everything, even if you don't think so. listen to her or you'll have to listen to "I told you so."
10. Dry Shampoo is one of the greatest inventions of all time. Use it.
period.
11. Do not compare your life to the lives of others.
i was recently saying how happy I am that I didn't grow up and go through elementary and high school with instagram, etc. my friends and I did things just because they were fun and silly and never worried about "getting likes" or taking selfies because they weren't even a thing back in the day. in this era of social media, make sure to not judge your life on the "instagram life" of other people.
12. Learn the value of hard work at a young age.
my parents really hammered this one home for my siblings and I. for example, one summer I power-washed garbage cans as a job. sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. see a need and fill it. #werk
13. Being a #hater isn't cool and it doesn't make you mysterious or attractive.
it actually just makes you a "negative nancy." choosing positivity is so much better for your sanity.
14. Take care of your body, mind, and soul.
remember, inputs = outputs. nourish yourself with good food, good company, positive thoughts, and enough rest.
15. Don't choose to not pursue something because of the time it will take to get there.
one of my biggest "fears" about going to medical school was the time it would take to complete my training. but when I spoke with my father he said, "you will be 30 when you're 30. the time will pass no matter what. but will you be 30 and doing something you love or 30 and unhappy doing something you don't like?" i am so happy i decided on a career in medicine, no matter how old i will be when i *finally* finish my training.
16. Don't wear lip gloss on a windy day with your hair down.
17. Life will definitely not go as planned, but it will go on.
and guess what... so will you!
18. Dress the part.
but stay true to your style. you can feel the difference when you put in a little effort, just for you, every day.
19. Some people will bring out the worst in you. Some people will bring out the best. And others, will bring out the most.
be careful in choosing who you spend the most time with.
20. Always prioritize a good face moisturizer. AND never forget to moisturize your neck.
you don't want to have a beautiful wrinkle-free face and a wrinkly neck.
21. One of the life lessons I learned from majoring in finance is... Everything has ROI.
base what you decide to do in life on that. what would be the lessons learned? memories gained? conversations to be had? evaluate before your invest your time or money.
22. Dance breaks should be mandatory.
this is how I break up the monotony of hours upon hours of med school studying. just me, spotify, and my living room/dance floor.
23. Never make yourself smaller for anyone.
24. Never stop learning.
education doesn't have to stop when you leave school or if you are like me, just never leave school ;)
25. Prioritize your health because the best medicine is preventative.
but remember it's okay to eat the cake. sometimes.
26. Be kinder than necessary.
life can be rough and the world can be cruel. so be kind, even when it is hard.
27. 27 Is Not Old.
i remember not too long ago, I thought that 27 was old. i would meet 27 year olds with real jobs, houses, families and think, "woah, these people have it figured out." now that I'm 27, I realize the fallacy of my thoughts. no one really has it all together and that's ok.
So here is to being 27 years young!
xoxo,
m
