Life lessons I’ve learned in my (almost) 30 years

The big 3-0 is quickly approaching. Might not sound very daunting to most people but it does to this 29 year old…maybe it’s that it’s such a milestone age? I don’t know, but I do still get ID’d wherever I go – bless you kind souls who think I’m significantly younger than I am – I’ll take it! And I will admit, I have found life hasn’t always worked out the way I may have anticipated when I was younger. When I was a little too naive to know what my future could really hold, and you know what? That’s ok, because I wouldn’t change a thing. I know that life really is all about timing. My 20s have been years to educate myself, to discover my true passions, to grow up and find my independence. I really consider this decade of my life to be a decade of learning and making mistakes that I would one day learn were crucial to shaping me into the person I am today – a person who continues to grow and make mistakes, but maybe also a person who understands and accepts them a little more so now than I did before.

I had my first dog, my first true heartbreak which wouldn’t be the last, I bought my very own car and apartment on my own, and I also found love – the kind of love that I didn’t think I’d ever find and am lucky enough to have. So many firsts, so many experiences which were so foreign to me at the time. I remember wondering if life could get any better at times. If only I could tell my younger self that it would and to hang in there; that I would one day understand why some things didn’t always work out, and the reasons for the struggles.

Soon I’ll be bidding adieu to my 20s. I might check the rear view a couple of times on my way out, but I know that I am ready for this next decade of my life because it’s bound to be even better than the last. So now without further ado, 30 lessons I’ve learned in (almost) 😉 30 years:

1. Do not under any circumstance change who you are to conform to society

2. Never lose yourself in another individual

3. Be true to yourself even if it means removing toxic people from your life

4. Always listen to your gut. It’s usually the keeper of your truest feelings

5. Dance in your kitchen every once in a while, it’s good for the soul. This is especially effective if you have the song Green Light by Lorde playing in the background

6. Sing it loud and sing it proud

7. People aren’t always meant to stay in your life, but they were there when they needed to be

8. Even if life gets hectic, make time for those you love

9. Be present

10. Be you and be a little wild sometimes if necessary

11. Taylor swift really can get you through many of life’s tough situations. Don’t let anyone tell you different!

12. Create a life you will love

13. Get a dog

14. Find your passion and don’t forget to make time for it

15. Decluttering your space will help declutter your mind

16. Don’t sweat the small stuff

17. Be yourself unapologetically

18. Remember you are human

19. It’s ok to admit you are wrong and have a little humility

20. Don’t take yourself too seriously

21. Make moves that will scare you, because they will enrich your life

22. Be fearless

23. Realize how beautiful life is and cherish it in whatever way you can

24. Keep your faith in humanity. Even when we disappoint ourselves and others, we can pull through for each other in tough times

25. Sometimes the best moments in life don’t involve technology – unplug yourself from it or you might miss them

26. Don’t leave anything unsaid, it’s better to say how you feel than live with regret

27. Cherish your family and friends and tell them you love them

28. If you feel alone, remember you aren’t. There are people who care about you even if you are so consumed in your thoughts that you don’t realize it at the time

29. Live and learn and understand that things will get better, your heart will heal, you will be ok

30. Don’t regret anything you do or say because in that moment you did the best you could for yourself

Have a great weekend all! 🙂

-Amy

We’re Going To Disneyland!

It’s booked! September 30th to October 5th to be exact, and I am no less excited than I was 17 years ago when I went with my family for the first time. When they say Disneyland is the happiest place on earth, they surely weren’t kidding. I never met a Disney movie that I didn’t like, and if you haven’t either, then perhaps a trip there should be in your near future as well!

For as long as I can remember, I have been a Disney fiend. Being a 90s kid I was fortunate enough to be raised on all things Disney, and I think that’s what has attributed to the wild imagination that I have always had. This will be my 4th trip, and I have to say the most memorable was the one I was lucky enough to take with my niece and nephew a few years ago. Honestly, when you can witness the innocence and unfiltered excitement from a kid, it is quite simply the BEST! We went in the height of the Frozen craze, and my nephew Cohen who was 4 years old at the time, fell in love with Elsa. Prior to meeting her he broke down into tears because he was afraid she wouldn’t like him…this kid ❤ as if that could even be possible! He waited in line for over an hour to meet her and here’s the magical moment I was able to capture when he saw her for the first time 🙂

I meaaaaaan..❤️

The first trip I took however, was many moons ago and was pretty epic… AND worth sharing! It was comparable to a National Lampoon Griswold movie including loads of bad luck and shenanigans but a happy ending nonetheless. I was 12 years old then, and rather than travelling by plane, my parents decided to drive our brand new 25 foot motor home down the coast to California – and to give you a visual, this included all SEVEN of us – myself, my two older sisters, their s/o’s and my parents. My dad was perhaps the most excited of all and upon being questioned where we were off to by the Border Guard, he quickly responded in THE most animated voice “We’re going to DISNEYLAND!!” I truly don’t think I can ever forget the tone of his voice in that moment, it was hysterical and still makes me laugh to imagine it.

Disneyland circa 2000. Including a creepy brother-in-law lurking in the back 😉

The road trip was one for the books, stopping at sand dunes, seeing the Oregon Coast for the first time and having my dad teach me all about “sneaker waves”. It was running fairly smoothly until we discovered the faulty transmission and became stranded on the side of the highway in the middle of nowhere…but by some stroke of luck there was a gas station not much further down the road from where we were and we had a tow truck take us to the local repair shop. This hiccup slowed down our adventure a little but as always, we made the best of it. After 3 days of travel we finally made it to our destination at an RV park, where we would later discover was infested with ants..and wound up with an entire colony inside our motor home. I still cringe remembering the feeling of ants crawling on me in the night..granted the ant traps did end up working – thank the lord!

I can’t wait to make more memories on this next Disney adventure with some of my family and one of the most special parts of all, is that I finally get to experience this magic with my kid-at-heart boyfriend, whom I know will have just as much fun as me! Let the September 30th countdown begin 😀

-Amy

“In this timeless land of enchantment, the age of chivalry, magic and make-believe are reborn and fairy tales come true.” – Walt Disney