Birthdays are always a good time for reflection. It’s nice to recognize your accomplishments and think about everything you’ve learned as you enter a new year. The last year alone has taught me so much, and I’ve made so many discoveries about myself and what I want out of life. So this list was pretty hard to compile! 

As I prepare to celebrate my birthday tomorrow, I want to share with you the 24 lessons i’ve learned in 24 years:

1) Prioritize happiness. Life is precious – don’t spend it unhappy. 

2) Go, live, explore. There’s a big wide world out there. Go see it! Travel to new places, embrace new cultures, learn about the world. 

3) Build the right relationships. Surround yourself with good people who will love and lift you. You can do anything with the right support network. 

4) NOTHING is impossible. My motto as a kid was always, “Believe and you will achieve.” I stand by that to this day.  Follow your dreams. Live your passions. If you really want something, be proactive, work for it, and go get it.

5) Health is wealth. Break a sweat a few times a week, feed yourself well and get enough sleep. We only get one body, so we’ve gotta look after it.

6) Love, laugh, and have fun! Life is for LIVING. It’s easy to get wrapped up in work and chores and everyday stuff, but remember what life’s all about. 

7) A good cuppa tea makes everything better. Always. 

8) Challenge yourself. Set goals and work towards them. Put yourself out there and don’t be afraid of failure. But if you do fail,  pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start over. Failure only makes you stronger. 

9) Just eat the god damn chocolate bar. Or ice cream. Or donut. Or whatever it is you want. Don’t deprive yourself of the things (read: food) that make you happy. Just do it in moderation.

10) Sunsets are simply beautiful. No two sunsets are ever the same. There’s a certain level of calm and peace that comes with watching the sun go down.

11) Take photos. Lots of photos. It’s always nice to look through old photographs and relive the memories.

12) You’ll never get anywhere by being negative. Seriously, a negative attitude will never do you any favours. Find the good in a situation and don’t be the person who puts a downer on things.

13) No one is perfect (not even the people you see on Social Media). Don’t compare yourself to others. Let others inspire you rather than spark envy or jealousy. 

14) Don’t give up on love! Love is a beautiful thing. The perfect person will walk into your life when you least expect it. And when they do, cherish them. Tell them you love them every day. 

15) Regret nothing. You don’t want to be lying on your deathbed wishing you’d done the things you never gave yourself the chance to do. It’s morbid, I know. But also true.

16) You’re in charge of creating your happiness. Don’t hold anyone else responsible. 

17) Never say never. You don’t know whether you’ll like something until you try it.

18) Be genuinely interested in other people’s lives. Be happy for them and support their goals. They’ll appreciate it so much. 

19) You can’t please everyone. No matter how much you put yourself out there and are kind and help others, not everyone will like you. And that’s okay. 

20) Hangovers just get worse with age. And there’s nothing we can do about it (it’s a sad reality).

21) Accept that things don’t always go your way. Unexpected things happen, and you can’t plan for that. All you can do is be flexible and deal with it. Learn from your experiences.

22) Don’t allow other people’s fears stop you from doing what you want to do. If you want to try something new, different or challenging, be smart about it, and do it. 

23) Your voice matters. Your opinion is valid. Stand up for what you believe in and don’t let anyone make you feel inferior.

24) Be yourself. Just be you, and people will love you for it!