This has been such an amazing decade. I have built so many relationships that bring me joy and have grown into a person my younger self would be proud of. I still have lots of room to continue growing in the decades yet to come but at this current moment, I am proud of my progress. Here are the 10 lessons I’ve learned this decade.
1. Take care of your body
This is talking to my college self. I used to be so focused on getting an A in my classes that I would put my overall wellness on the backburner. I would eat one meal a day and barely drink any water. It was super unhealthy and definitely took a toll on my body.
2. It’s important to build and maintain positive relationships
I have met the most amazing people throughout my life but more recently I realized the importance of nurturing those relationships. I am grateful to have these amazing people in my life and I want them to stay in my life. It might be the Taurus in me, but I am very loyal and committed to my friends. More importantly, I realized it is important to keep watering work relationships too. It amazes me how many opportunities can come from networking. That word used to always make me cringe until I realized that networking doesn’t have to be something that is forced. It can be a genuine thing that occurs naturally if you don’t overthink it.
3. Thrift shopping is better than shopping at the mall
You all know by now that thrifting is my jam. My goal is to always try to shop secondhand first. Thrifting is good for the environment and it is good for my wallet. Shopping at the thrift store has given me the opportunity to try out trends and really develop my overall style without spending a ton of money. I have also connected with so many amazing thrift lovers online. The thrifting community is really special to my heart.
4. Speak up for yourself
This is something I am still learning to do. There have been many times in my life where I have gotten the short end of the stick or was put in uncomfortable situations because I did not know how to speak up for myself. I was so afraid of confrontation that I would stay quiet about things that bothered me. I still regret not speaking up in certain situations. In those moments I let myself down and that breaks my heart, but I am learning and working on this every single day.
5. It’s okay to let others see you cry
I cry at the smallest things, like cute children movies or when I get nostalgic. In the past, I would hide my tears because I thought it was super weird to cry at things that weren’t necessarily sad, but I learned that it is totally okay. This is me and I need to be okay with sharing that with the world. There is nothing wrong with crying happy or sad tears. There also isn’t anything wrong with being vulnerable around people.
6. Less is more
This applies to so many things… to design, to style, to food, and to life in general. I specifically took this approach when it came to moving into my tiny LA studio apartment. Moving into my 600 sq ft. apartment helped me realize I do not need to own a lot of stuff to be happy.
7. Go back to the basics
Learning to go back to the basics when it comes to products has been game-changing for me. I always thought I needed the newest beauty and skincare products. But it turns out, the simple, natural products people used hundreds of years ago are more than enough (and often better than the trendy products sold at the stores). Going back to the basics has saved me money and has been better for my overall health.
8. Fast Fashion is not worth the cheap price
I used to love shopping at Forever 21 and H&M because the prices were super affordable. Little did I know that the cheap price came at a larger hidden cost; that cost being people’s lives and the people’s overall well-being. After learning the truths about the fashion industry and how garment workers are being exploited, I vowed to stop shopping fast-fashion.
9. Prioritize visiting family
My grandma passed away in 2019. When I went back to Chicago for the funeral I realized that it was my first time back in about 5 years. I got so caught up in living my life I forgot all about visiting my extended family. Spending time with family is so important and being around loved ones always warms my heart. I told myself I will make a trip to Chicago at least once a year to see my family.
10. Moderation is key
I have gone extremely overboard with some of my passions to the point where they were becoming unhealthy (yes, I’m talking about you thrift shopping). A few years ago, when I drove past a thrift store I HAD to stop the car and check it out. Now I realize that those behaviors were super unhealthy. Thankfully, I learned how to thrift shop in moderation. I used to go thrifting 3-4 times a week, now I go about once or twice a month.
What are some lessons you learned this decade?
