25 Things I’ve Learned in 25 Years.

I recently joined the quarter-century club on January 17th! There will always be room for growth and I’m excited continue learning over the years to come. Here are 25 things I’ve learned in 25 years.

1. Do not pluck your eyebrows. Being a curious kid growing up, I didn’t learn that I was blessed with pretty good eyebrows until I plucked them all away. The moment you realize some of those hairs you yanked off do not grow back, is the time you keep those tweezers away from your face!
2. Accept your failures. It’s difficult to accept failure when you’re surrounded with a discussion that elevates your hopes way too high. It took me a while to learn to accept my failures from my first pageant, to the modeling and acting jobs I’ve nearly booked. Instead of letting it affect you negatively, learn from the experience and move forward.
3. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Everyone has heard of this phrase before; however, I feel many fail to remember to do this, including myself. It takes less energy to be considerate.
4. Don’t try to change someone. There is a reason behind why a person is the way they are and if his or her characteristics or personality aren’t/isn’t compatible with yours, then step away.
5. Embrace your uniqueness. It’s simple, no one else can be you.
6. Coconut oil is the best thing ever discovered. Coconut oil is my holy grail! It’s versatility is the reason why I cannot live without it. I use it to cook, I put it in my coffee, it’s the best makeup remover and moisturizer! Plus, it smells so good.
7. Letting go of items is much easier than I thought. I admit to being a hoarder, but I only keep items with sentimental value. My bedroom is TINY. It’s about 11’x10′. Although there will always be new things to buy, I’ve been working on my self control and keeping things minimal.
8. You cannot please everyone and that’s okay. It’s more important to focus on your own contentment and success. It’s impossible to make everyone happy.
9. If you have an idea, make it come to life. I’ve been slowly working on this for the past 2 years. Making an idea become concrete, even though the outcome may be different, is still a step towards succeeding.
10. You do not need a lot of friends to be happy. 🙂
11. If you can’t afford it, get over it. I always find myself wanting something right at that moment, and most of the time I end up buying it; however, many of the things I’ve purchased have gone on sale months later.
12. Doing things alone is very relaxing. I personally love doing things by myself. I often go to restaurants to eat alone and I’ve been to a concert alone. You don’t always have to be with someone to enjoy time.
13. Don’t be afraid to express yourself. One of the reasons I started this blog is to express myself. Sharing my experiences through words and photography gives me freedom.
14. The length of your hair really doesn’t matter. I learned this after finishing a few hair modeling jobs. I used to be so attached to my hair and would get angry when I would get a bad haircut. This all ended the day I got my hair colored and razored off during a show in a hair convention. At the end of the day, I figured my hair will grow back one day.
15. It’s okay if something doesn’t go your way. Not everyone will agree to what you say or suggest, but that’s fine.
16. Sleep is important. Who likes feeling tired?
17. Cooking is a great skill to have. A man on a train once told my boyfriend and I, “If technology and everything you had disappeared, the only thing you can do is create with your hands.” I recently started to teach myself how to cook some dishes that I enjoy eating. Not only does it save money from going out to eat, it’s also a plus to know what you’re putting into your body.
18. Don’t cut your credit cards, just hide them. 
19. You will always find something to wear in your closet. I know I’m not the only person who has stood in front of their closet and thought “I have nothing to wear.” YES YOU DO.
20. Don’t throw everything in the dryer! I’ve shrunk many clothes because of that machine…
21. You might just be eating because you’re bored. 
22. Being jealous is a waste of energy. What exactly does one gain from jealousy? Nothing.
23. Surround yourself with people who lifts your spirits. This one is very important to me. When you surround yourself with people who think more positively about others,
24. Explore anything and everything. 
25. Support small businesses. I am the type of person who would see something I like and say “Why would I buy that if I can make it myself?” However, if that product is unique, handmade, high quality, and created with love, why not purchase it? Being a small Etsy shop owner myself, I know it takes many hours creating that one item unique for your store; therefore, support small businesses!