What I’ve Learnt In the Past Few Months

It’s been a funny sorta few months. At the beginning of September, I turned 23 and with a birthday brings a lot of promise of new starts, new adventures, goals and things to work towards now that you’re a year older and seemingly a year wiser. A realisation that now is the best time to get your act together and that life will only move onwards and upwards from here on out. This didn’t happen for me. In fact, the complete opposite did.

I’m not sure what happened really. But over the past few months, emotions have been high. High as a kite. Hormones have been running wild with bells and freaking whistles on them and I’m not ashamed to say at times, I found it extremely difficult to hold it together. But anyway, this isn’t a post to gain sympathy or make you feel sorry for me, I actually wanted to share some things I’ve learnt in the past few months. Things I’ve come to realise now looking back in hindsight.

1. More often than not, thing won’t be as bad as you think they’re going to be. If you’d stop trying to predict the future you’d realise this. You ain’t Derren freaking Brown.
2. Sometimes, it’s crucial that you take care of yourself first. It’s okay to put your needs first sometimes, it ain’t a crime. Have a bath, lock yourself away from the world for an hour, get dressed up even though you’ve got nowhere to go. Do whatever you gotta do.
3. It’s not embarrassing to admit you may need help. And people are more understanding than you might originally think. Talking to people; mum, dad, best friend, partner, counsellor may just be the best decision you make that day.
4. Time moves in mysterious ways. If you spend 3 hours watching the clock, it’s going to feel like you’ve spent 3 hours watching the clock. Be productive and get shit done.
5. Other people have emotions too. That chances are, you know nothing about. It’s not just you that has worries, doubts and fears ya’no.
6. People move at different paces. Just because you’re 23 and have no fucking idea what you’re doing doesn’t make you a lesser person.
7. Don’t lose yourself in someone else. This is so easy to do but don’t lose your voice, your passion and your hobbies because you’re so caught up in someone else’s. If they get on with their life everyday, so should you.
8. There are other things going on in the world than your trivial worries. But that doesn’t make your worries any less important to you. Never think your problems don’t matter, because they do. But always look at the bigger picture and see if there’s anything you can do to help the greater good.
9. Friends are important. So so so very important. But sometimes, it’s easy to lose sight of that fact when you have so much going on. Never ever take your friends for granted and always make time for them. Always.
10. There’s always a quote that sums up how you feel. Which proves that your thoughts, feelings and emotions are universal. Take that fact and allow it to make you feel united with the world, rather than isolated from it.
11. Life goes on. No matter how you feel now, there will come a time – maybe soon, maybe a little further in the future – where you won’t feel like this. Things will always get better. There are good bloody times to come and some of the best days of your life haven’t even happened yet. Always remember that.

This wasn’t really a ‘help’ post, but I hope you who is reading it is able to take something from what I’ve learnt over the past few months. I’d love to know some of your own little things you like to remind yourself when things are tough. Hindsight is a funny thing eh?