23rd Birthday

Yesterday was my 23rd birthday. I cannot believe how quickly another year has come around, it still seems like I only just turned 22! 22 was a year of huge changes for me, finishing and graduating university and going into the real world, and definitely had its highs and lows! But considering I’ve been really enjoying the past few months I’m excited to see what being 23 brings…

This birthday was a little different than normal. I usually spend weeks beforehand dreading the thought of being a whole year older, followed by celebrating for the entire weekend, if not more, with different friends and family, going for meals, cocktails and nights out. However this year I’ve been a lot more relaxed about actually turning 23, and low key on celebrations, just going out for the one evening (is that even low key or is that just normal?!) on Friday, and then watching a film and having a take away on my actual birthday. But it was just as special as every other year.

I’ve been incredibly lucky and have had some lovely cards and gifts, some of which I knew I was getting and some of which were total surprises! I even had some of my favourite pancakes for a birthday breakfast, and a delicious red velvet birthday cake, which I’m sure we’ll manage to finish today. So all in all, I’ve had a fantastic birthday!

 

I thought this would be the perfect time to do a ’23 things I’ve learned by 23′ list, which I’ve seen other bloggers do and always enjoy reading! Even though these are some of the things I’ve learned over the years, a lot of them are things I’m still working on, and can definitely be easier said than done. But I think (or at least hope) I’m heading in the direction of living my life by them! So…

1. Be your own biggest cheerleader, and go after what you want
2. It’s the quality, not quantity, of friendships in your life that matters
3. Things tend to seem better after a good nights sleep
4. It’s ok to want different things out of life than other people
5. Healthy eating, drinking water and exercising are really important
6. But life is also about balance, having a sofa/pig-out day every so often is fine
7. It’s ok to be vulnerable and to have weaknesses
8. The fact that people are different is actually really great
9. It’s ok not to have everything figured out, most people haven’t
10. Women don’t need to compete, we can lift each other up
11. Taking care of your mental health is incredibly important
12. Sometimes it’s good to push yourself out of your comfort zone
13. But it’s ok to know your limits and when you don’t want to do something
14. Kindness is one of the best traits in a person
15. It’s ok not to be the loudest person, but make your voice heard when necessary
16. Know when you need to ask for help, and do it!
17. Things often aren’t as bad as they first seem
18. There’s really no such thing as a normal person or perfect life
19. You don’t always have to be the best, as long as you try your best
20. Being passionate about something is a fantastic thing
21. Spending time with people you love should always come first
22. ‘This too shall pass’ is such an accurate quote
23. You’re good enough

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