Happy Birthday To Me! 24 Things I've Learned + Giveaway

Tomorrow is my birthday! I'm turning 24 in case you were wondering. And I wanted to share with you 24 things I've learned about life and also do a giveaway because I love you all so much! *squishes*

1. You won't get anything you want in life if you don't ask for it. That includes raises/promotions at work. I've learned this this year and as scary as it is to ask sometimes, that's what you need to do. 

2. You can't worry what other people think of you. You are who you were and you were made that way for a reason. Stop caring so much what other people think of you and just live your life the way you want to.

3. You can be healthy even if french fries/pizza/pasta are your favorite foods. I've gotten a lot healthier this year and I never thought I would be able to do it. I am really good during the week and then I cheat all weekend. You don't have to be super regimented about what you eat. And you can still eat the things you love. You just can't eat those things six days a week. 

4. Don't be afraid to spend your money. What is the point of working so hard for your money if you never spend any of it??? You're going to be the idiot who dies with loads of money that they never got to enjoy. 

5. You need to save your money. Yes, I know. I'm completely contradicting myself here. But there's a fine balance here. Spend, but don't overspend. Save for your future. For emergencies. For your future children's college funds. But make sure you're still enjoying life. 

6. Just because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean you have to. I've learned this recently and specifically when it comes to babies. Everyone I know is having a freaking baby. And I was starting to feel like maybe I should. But you know what? I'm not ready for kids. And that's okay. I don't know when or if I'll ever be ready for kids. But just because everybody else is doing it doesn't mean I have to. 

7. Having just a couple of good friends is better than having ten friends you can't trust. Friends are important. I don't have a lot of them. But the ones that I do have I trust with my life. I know that no matter what they would be there for me. And that's important. 

8. Take the time to nurture your relationship. Spend time with your spouse/significant other. Do new things with them! Do old things with them! Talk to them. Go out to eat with them. Play video games with them. Go to museums with them. Whatever you do, spend time with them. I think it's easy when you've been with someone for a long time to fall into a routine, but getting out and doing stuff together can do wonders for your relationship!

9. Get a hobby. This blog is one of the best things I've ever started. I LOVE doing this and as of this day, I never want to stop. It's so rewarding to have a hobby that I enjoy. I get to read good books and discuss said books with good people, people that I can now call my friends. 

10. Make breakfast on the weekends. Stop laughing. I'm serious. Every Sunday morning, Phil and I take the time to make breakfast. Pancakes, hashbrowns, waffles, french toast, whatever. Then we sit down at the table and eat breakfast together. These are some of my favorite moments with my husband. 

11. Don't overwork yourself. I have been putting in a lot of overtime at work lately. Which is great moneywise, but it makes it hard to do the other things I want to do. It's okay to work hard at your job, but don't overdo it. You'll burn out and start hating work and that's the last thing I want. So some days I force myself to leave the unfinished work on my desk, go home, and know that it will still be there tomorrow. 

12. Follow your dreams. Yes, that sounds very cliche. But I'm serious. No matter what your dreams are, no matter how unattainable they may seem, don't give up. My dream is to one day be a published author. Pretty hard dream. But I'm not going to give up because it's something that I want more than anything. 

13. Make time for family. Family is extremely important to me. And sometimes it's hard to keep up with them when I have some that live in Chicago, some in California and I live in Northern Virginia. But I make the time to call and check in regularly. Because my family will always be there for me and I vow to always be there for them. 

14. Travel. There are so many places I want to see in this world. Traveling is hard. It's expensive and time consuming. But it's worth it. I think I'm going to make a vow to travel more this year and in the coming years. 

15. Disconnect. Sometimes it's important to turn the phones off, to unplug and just get away from it all. Make it a day outdoors where you don't use your cell phone. Or sit around and play board games with your significant other or family. Just don't pick up the phone for a while. It's truly freeing and I need to do this more often. 

16. Life isn't fair, but it is what you make of it. Life will never be fair, but you get what you're given and you have to learn to work with it or be miserable. I'd prefer to just work with what I've been given, fair or not. 

17. Drink coffee and tea. I'm a coffee (Starbucks) fiend, but I've been trying to cut back because of the whole healthy thing. So I've started drinking tea. Both are amazing and you should definitely take time out of your day to drink one or both. :) 

18. Read as much as you can. Obviously. Books make you smarter. They exercise your brain. Read, read, read! 

19. Eat the cake. I know I talked earlier about eating healthy, but that doesn't mean you can't indulge. Don't be the person who yells about someone bringing cake to work. Either eat the cake or don't. I recommend eating the cake. 

20. Your sisters, if you have any, are your best friends. My sisters are my best friends in the whole world. I love them both dearly and I know that we will remain close forever. 

21. If it scares you, you should probably do it. Unless it's drugs. Don't do drugs. BEA scared me. But I did it and I don't regret it one bit. Asking for a raise scared me. But I did it. Making new friends scares me, but sometimes you have to put yourself out there. It's these decisions that are normally the most worthwhile and the most life-altering. 

22. Laugh as much as you can. Don't hold back. I laugh so much throughout the day. It makes me happier and gives me energy. 

23. Get a pet. While I don't have any right now, I've always been an animal lover. My family's dog Hannah is such an important part of my life, as was my horse Dudley. Animals give you something humans can't, unconditional love. If I'm ever sad, all I need to do is pet a puppy and I'm instantly happier. 

24. Be kind. Go out of your way to do something nice for someone. Whether it's someone you know or a complete stranger. Smile at a random person. Hold the door for someone. Tell someone they're pretty. Be kind. This world is too dark and filled with too many mean, bitter people. Bring sunshine to someone's day. It will make your own day better, I guarantee it. 

There you go! 24 things I've learned in my 24 years of life. Hope you got something out of this post. 

And now it's time for the giveaway! I'm giving away a paperback copy of Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, a SIGNED ARC of The Walled City by Ryan Graudin and an ARC of The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black! This giveaway is U.S. only. Sorry international peeps! I can't afford to ship to you this time! I still love you all very much! 

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