“Own Your Shit and do what makes you  happy.”

Hello Twenties,

“you were not what i expected but you were exactly what i needed.”

When I reflect on my twenties I think of love and growth. A different kind of love than what I imagined. Not a fairytale love with a charming prince but the love you feel when you look in the mirror and accept yourself. ‘Self-love’, but I call it self-appreciation. Appreciating my body for the endless hours it pushed on when I was exhausted during my undergraduate education. Appreciating my heart for being pure and always giving it my all, even when things didn’t turn out as planned. Appreciating the people who still choose to be by my side through all these stages of my life. Most importantly, learning to appreciate all that I am and embracing it. It took you some time to learn this, but life became easier once you did.

“not all people deserve your time and attention.”

Your biggest challenge is putting yourself first. You have always put others’ needs and wants before your own. At some point, you didn’t even know what your own ‘needs and wants’ were. Your brain slowed everything down and you acknowledged that YOU didn’t even know yourself. That was a rough time, but you overcame it because that is what you do, you overcome.

“Plants grow. But you blossomed.”

Growth, oh what a beautiful word. Children grow. Plants grow. But you blossomed. Everything changed once you overcame that obstacle and began to love yourself. You realized that the only person you need to please is yourself. If your group of friends are not supporting and pushing you, are they really your friends? If anyone is making you feel less than what you are, leave. Not all people deserve your time and attention. The same for others, if they are giving you their time, be there and be present. You are a beautiful person with a kind heart. Own your shit and do what makes you happy. You want to travel, do it. You want to eat some cake, eat some fucking cake. You want to spend time with someone, spend time with them and make them feel appreciated because they too took the time to be there, present. Be there for people as they would for you. You deserve the world and you should never settle. Be you baby!

Love,

Sandra