August 23rd marked my twenty-fifth birthday. I have never been more excited for a birthday, marking the beginning of a new chapter. I feel as though twenty-five is marking the birth of a new era of life for me. A sort of death and rebirth has happened. I have laid to rest the version of myself who fought so hard to arrive here, and I am rising into the next chapter of my life with courage, faith, and ambition. With the beginning of this next chapter, I’d like to share twenty-five life lessons I’ve learned in my twenty-five years.

Last year for my twenty-fourth birthday, I wrote a very similar blog post. And as I enter into this new, more enlightened chapter, I think it will be interesting to compare the two blogs and see which lessons I felt stood out then versus now. Which will resonate? And which will feel out of touch as I enter this rebirth? I encourage you to read the post following this and see what resonates for you. As for now, here are my twenty-five life lessons uninterrupted by the twenty-four from the previous year.

One | You are Never Behind

Birthdays can often bring about this feeling of being “behind.” We like to look at other people our age, see where they are, and compare our timelines. But the truth is, we are always where we’re meant to be. Your timeline would have looked different if you were meant to be on their path. Trust that you are always where you should be and your path is always leading you forward in the direction of your dreams.

TWO | You should feel at home in ALL of your emotions

Your emotions are a form of communication. It’s how the conscious and subconscious mind creates cohesion between thought and action. Your emotions are never something to be embarrassed about. Becoming familiar with emotions that feel uncomfortable, like anger, resentment, grief, guilt, hatred, etc., is a strength and never a weakness. Your emotions are your superpower to connect you to your higher self, seeing where there is room for growth and change.

Three | Having Gratitude for Your Past is the strongest way to manifest

Who you were in the past—your actions and your thoughts—has shaped who you are now. The strongest way to manifest is to replace any shame or embarrassment for those actions with thoughts of gratitude and love. You are always doing the best you can with what you have.

Four | Nothing Productive comes from Harboring Resentment

When we harbor “negative” emotions for another person, we only give them more power over us. When you can release those feelings of anger, you open yourself up to far greater manifesting potential because you no longer offer space to whatever uncomfortable feelings you previously held.

Five | take the leap

Moments will come in our lives where an opportunity may arise that feels terrifying. But the feeling of fear is usually paired with excitement for the unknown. When moments in your life come up where it feels like the opportunity is a leap of faith in yourself, take it. They don’t come every day, and it’s better to take the leap of faith and bet on yourself than never leap at all.

Six | second chances are not always deserved

You, your time, your knowledge, and your love are valuable; unfortunately, not everyone is worthy of them. People who have wronged you are not owed the opportunity of a second chance if they don’t ask. This doesn’t come from a place of cynicism or resentment but rather from self-respect. Those who deserve second chances are people who ask for them with apathy and love.

Seven | the only opinion that matters is yours

This is still a lesson I’m learning daily. But holding back on doing something or being someone out of the fear of being judged is an enormous dis-service to yourself. No opinion matters greater than your own. And what opinion will you have of yourself if you hold back out of fear of judgment?

Eight | You Should always be learning

Growth is a part of the journey of life. I feel like we think we need to know everything all the time, but we can’t, and we don’t. It’s okay to admit where more knowledge and information is needed, especially regarding important things like your job or relationships. Learning is power; the more you’re open to learning, the more you grow.

NINE | Challenge Yourself

Whenever you’re in a moment in your life where you’re feeling stuck or stagnant, it’s because you’re lacking challenge, i.e., a subconscious fear. Challenge takes us beyond the comfort zone into territory often un-explored. Challenge yourself in all that you do; not only will you learn, but you will open yourself to great opportunities.

Ten | Everything is constantly changing

Everything in the world is constantly changing. The Earth is always moving, and we are always evolving. The only proper consistency to life is that it is always changing. Progress is always being made. This is a reminder that nothing lasts forever, so always be present. Happiness can always grow, and stagnancy will always change.

Eleven | Lean on those you love for support

You have people in your life who love you. People with such genuine love and adoration for you—that is your team. Your team is there to cheer you on for your wins and pick you up when you’re feeling down. There is nothing wrong with leaning on that team for support. You never have to go through something alone.

Twelve | You are never alone in your emotions

Sometimes we can feel isolated in the depths of our emotions. And although our emotions are unique to our experiences, that doesn’t mean we’re alone in feeling them. The isolation we create can often feel so confining that we either resent our emotions or bury them so deep that we can pretend we no longer feel them. But, the truth is you never alone in your emotions; it’s okay to feel them to heal them.

Thirteen | You hold the power

No one in your life holds power over you unless you give it to them. We live in a world in which human beings have free will. So although we cannot control all the circumstances and experiences of our lives, we do have control over how we react to them. You are in the driver’s seat of your emotions, and it’s up to you to decide how something does or does not affect you.

Fourteen | Be a non-specific manifestor

Instead of manifesting money, clients, or jobs, I learned I needed to start manifesting emotions. I started focusing all my energy on manifesting a life in which I felt peace, freedom, love, and joy. By manifesting those emotions, you open yourself up to a Universe where the opportunity to fulfill those emotions is endless.

Fifteen | Money is not the end all be all

When you start thinking of money as the RESULT of the actual manifestation, you take away its power over your emotions. It used to feel like the only thing I was trying to manifest was financial freedom. But once I started driving all my focus on manifesting emotions, I realized how much I was opening myself up to the other manifestations I wasn’t focusing on: great friends, a good relationship, amazing experiences, etc. Money is the result of manifesting your dreams, not the dream itself.

Sixteen | Having Standards is a good thing

As I’ve continued to grow into my own, I’ve realized just how important having standards is for the people and experiences in your life. I don’t just hang out with anyone or do anything. I spend my time with the people and things that bring me the most joy and love. Setting standards reminds you of how valuable your time is and that it doesn’t need to be spent on just anyone or anything.

Seventeen | Appreciate your body

Your body is your vessel for experiencing our three-dimensional world. Your consciousness exists within an intricate and balanced system that allows you to experience life. And despite the beauty standards set, life would be really boring if we all looked the same. So appreciate the body you have and all that it lets you experience; it’s what helps make you, you. Your body is beautiful.

Eighteen | own who you are

This is a personal opinion, but I believe there is nothing more attractive in a person (be it a friend or relationship) than someone who owns who they are and loves themselves. You are who you are. We’ve all made choices and mistakes we’re not necessarily proud of, but they’ve shaped who you are. Have nothing but gratitude for your past self, and EMBRACE being you!

Nineteen | you cannot be in a successful relationship until you love yourself

This may not be the most popular lesson, but it’s essential to your happiness. If I’ve learned anything about dating based on my relationships and those of my friends, the successful ones only happen after you’ve fallen in love with yourself first.

Twenty | Everything happens for a reason

Although I haven’t looked back at last year’s list yet, I know this is on it, and I stand firm in this belief. Everything in our lives happens for a reason. The good, the bad, and the very ugly serve a higher purpose in our lives and the collective evolution of all human life. Does this justify war, poverty, and death? No, absolutely not. Does it give us a faith-based understanding that in a world where we can make decisions, we can also learn from them? Yes.

Twenty-One | Routine & Structure Set you up for success

I have never felt more aligned with myself than when I have structures and routines that care for me. The actions we take today affect our tomorrow. And when you spend time devising a lifestyle for yourself that sets every day up for success, you’re living a more intentional and fulfilling life that creates ease, happiness, and comfort.

Twenty-Two | Listen to your needs and desires

Our bodies and minds speak to us. When they tell us to rest, we need to rest. When we feel energized and charged, it’s time to take action. And when we feel hurt or angry, it’s time to have a conversation. Our body and mind are a tool for living extraordinary lives. And when we don’t listen to what they tell us we need, we create a cycle in which we cannot depend on ourselves. Listen to your mind and body.

Twenty-Three | Be authentic to who you are

Everything about you is what makes you unique. And when we deny parts of ourselves to shine, we are doing both ourselves and the world a dis-service. The Universe needs you and your authentic energy. Whatever your goals and dreams are, charge forward towards them with nothing but confidence and love.

Twenty-Four | You are inherently worthy

Never stop dreaming big. No matter how far away a dream may feel, you are inherently worthy of it. There is nothing you cannot do, and (once again) you are doing yourself a dis-service by not dreaming big. Start with a dream, and take steps to make that dream come true every day. You can do this, and you are worthy.

Twenty-Five | Follow your intuition

Twenty-Five! We made it! One of the strongest (and hardest) lessons I’ve learned over the last year is to trust your gut and follow your intuition. We all have that voice within, and it’s not “dumb” or “silly.” That voice is an inner knowing; our connection to our higher self and inner wisdom has been passed through generations of our soul’s journies. That voice is there to guide you, help you, and support you. Trust your intuition; it will never lead you astray.

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this post and found comfort in its content. These are powerful lessons I’ve learned over the last twenty-five years. And although some have been harder pills to swallow than others, learning these lessons has changed my life in more ways than I can count. And I am genuinely grateful to have learned them.