I am a list maker. I'm also a know it all.
I am also a lot of other really great things. I know this to be true, but I do believe that so often we are much harder on ourselves than we have to be. One thing I value about Frankie is her ability to not only see the bad in hard situations, but also the really good. Let's face it, when you're a twenty something you are faced with life altering world burning down situations every single day. Or at least that's what you make it in your mind. So with that in mind, for the next couple weeks I am going to be doing a series of small pieces of life advice from a twenty-something-know-it-all. Life is only as hard as we make it and only as good as we allow it to be. So enjoy, criticize, make fun of any of my pieces of wisdom. These are things I try and live by and stuff I've picked up along the way.
1. set your alarm ten minutes before you have to, to spend some time in bed counting all the things you are thankful for.
This is something that I have been trying to do for the last couple years of my life. Not only do I try and start every morning in prayer, but also in a place of gratitude and humility. We are so blessed. If you're reading this, I can personally count at least five things that you are blessed by and I don't even know you! If this is really hard for you, just start out by being thankful that you're waking up breathing.
2. name the people you are thankful for. now go tell them.
I am beyond thankful for the people that I have in my life. My roommates, my friends, my family, my church. Humans need to know that they are loved and appreciated. Seriously, we do. It's not something I do enough, but it's something I'm trying to do more.
3. find someone you look up to.
Diana Vreeland changed my life. She is the most creative, powerful, eccentric dreamer I have ever heard of. Find someone of whom you can ask the question, "What would Diana do?"
4. stop asking friends how their day is going. if you really care about them, ask them more intentional questions.
If you have a second with your friends tomorrow, I challenge you, don't ask them how their day is going. Ask them if anything made them laugh yet today, if anything crappy happened. Hell, ask them to tell you a story. But stop just finishing a conversation at "How was your day?" Your relationships are only as deep or as superficial as you make them.
5. say yes. no's just hold you back from experience.
The only thing you should be saying no to is your couch...
and drugs and scary people.
Fiercely Yours,
