What I Learned at 25

Looking back on 25 and what I learned at age 25!

25, you were a good, albeit challenging, year. I learned a lot from you. Each year that we live we learn more and more things. For example, I've always known that you should save money, that things don't go as planned, that you have the key to your own happiness, that you should stay close with your friends and family, etc. However, despite knowing these lessons, the meaning doesn't always hit home immediately. I learned a lot of things when I was 25. So, on the morning of 26, I want to talk about what exactly 25 taught me!

LIFE DOESN'T ALWAYS GO AS PLANNED
Now, I'd like to think I knew this before 25. Heck, I'd experienced this several times between switching jobs last minute, moving from one country to another unexpectedly, meeting my husband right when I had thought I wouldn't date for awhile - the list goes on. I certainly had enough moments when life didn't go as I planned. And then 25 hit, and it seemed to be the year that every 'plan' I had jumped right out the window. As a type A personality and a planner in general, this was - and still is - difficult for me. But hey, 25 definitely taught me that just because life doesn't go as planned, does not mean it is a bad thing!

Dancing with the random man twice your age while sailing the Caribbean is always a great idea!

EMBRACE THE SMALL MOMENTS
When life doesn't go as you planned, it is all the more important to embrace the small moments. Maybe your weekend plans got cancelled, but that just means a few extra minutes to lounge in bed and snuggle with your significant other. Perhaps you made a mistake when booking a hotel and end up paying twice what you thought it would be. I bet you'll never make that mistake again! Rather than focusing on the negative, choose to look on the bright side and find the good in every situation.

TAKE A BREAK WHEN YOU NEED TO
I have a lot going on in my life, and very rarely do I ever give myself a day off. Between work, my MBA courses, this blog, and obligations to my family and friends, I've got a lot going on. Which is why it is ever-so-important to schedule time off and shut down for awhile to just relax and live in the moment. Being busy is not always a good thing. Our bodies, minds, and souls need to have some time to recharge every once in awhile. 

Choosing to be the pilot of my life!

FOCUS ON WHATS IMPORTANT
This relates to every aspect of life, whether it is in your personal, professional, or academic life. I've learned when I feel myself getting upset over something to ask "Will this matter in one year? In five years? In ten years?" These simple questions help me to take a step back and focus on what is really important. 

IT'S OK TO NOT BE OK
None of us are superheroes all the time, and life can be difficult. The loved ones around you will be there to listen to you when you need a helping hand. If others can't help, it is 100% OK to take a hot bubble bath with a glass of wine and have a good cry. Sometimes we just need to let it all out!

IF YOU DON'T LIKE SOMETHING, CHANGE IT.
And if you can't change it, change your attitude. You have the power to make yourself happy, you just have to choose to be happy. If you don't like something, and you can't change it, find a way to change how you think about it so that you are more happy with it - or, at least, less unhappy about it. Happiness is a choice, and it is important to choose happiness EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

So there we have it with what I truly learned at 25! Of course, many of these things I knew before turning 25. However, I didn't start embracing them, and believing them, until this point in my life. Life is a learning process, and it is important to always be learning in order to continue growing. As it is (likely) clear to see, 25 was a challenging year for me. A lot of things didn't go as I had wanted them to, some were in my control and others weren't. However, despite 25 being a challenging year, there were also a TON of great things! I started out my 25th year living in Sweden with my amazing husband. We moved back to Minneapolis, to Des Moines, and back to Minneapolis again. I traveled to the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and had several great trips right here in the good ol' USA. I learned a lot about my relationships with my family and friends. All in all, 25 was a great year and I learned a lot. However, I am beyond looking forward to this new year. Cheers to 26!