Life Lessons at 27

So I turned 27 last month and I was ruminating on how I've grown so much over the past years (Now that I'm off my corporate life, I have plenty of time to mull over. Hehe). Now let me cut to the chase and share my musings. :)

1. Self-love is not selfish. Invest in yourself. For the past year, I've been obsessed with self-care. I wasn't a "me-time" junkie before but I was forced by circumstances. I was working so hard that it was consuming me and I reached that point where I felt exhausted. I had to act on it. I had to recharge. It started with essential oils, then clean eating, facial masks... The list went on and on and boy did I felt good. I also enrolled in online classes and it's the best thing ever. I can say I'm a student of life. Investing in yourself is the most profitable investment you will ever make. It yields not only future returns but a current pay-off, as well.

2. Don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle. I'm so guilty of comparing myself to others. We all are. In this social media-driven world, it's like we're always in a rat race. The more I compared myself to other people, the more I felt dejected. What I realized was, I was comparing my behind-the-scenes to everyone else's highlight reel. Mind you, it isn't healthy. As I grew older, I learned to be contented with what I have and appreciate the life I'm given. Instead, I trained myself to be happy for other people's fortune and because of this I felt happier.

3. Take a breather. I'm a self-confessed workaholic. I literally can work 20 hours a day. There were days when I would just stop with work to take a bath. I got promoted, I got accolades but was I 100% happy? No! I was sapped and sickly. The salary raise I got was just enough for my medical consultations and medicine. I'd say I'm still a workaholic to date but I know how to draw the line and respond to my body. If my body says enough is enough and you should watch some Brooklyn 99, heck I would! :)

4. No matter how busy you are, carve time for your friends and family. When I was in a 6-year relationship with my ex-boyfriend, I have to admit that I let my world revolve around him. Whenever friends or family would ask me out, I would decline. I was content spending time with him and if he's not around, I'll just work some more. I fell off my nearest and dearest's wagon. But guess who was there for me when I had the most heart-wrenching breakup of my life? My friends and family! Whom I took for granted because I was laser-focused on one person. I was so grateful to them because they never left me on my darkest days and constantly listened to my rants in between sobs. The least I can do for them is be there when they need me.

5. Don't beat yourself up when you commit mistakes. I'm a perfectionist. Whenever I commit a blunder, I would endlessly blame myself for not being good enough. And it's not a good thing to do. I learned to be easy on myself. When I commit mistakes, I get up, learn from it, and move on. I don't waste time anymore thinking how and where did I go wrong but how can I avoid doing it next time.

6. Quitting is not always a bad thing. The biggest decision that I had to make was resigning from my corporate job to focus on my new life in Canada. I used to believe that winners never quit and quitters never win. But I realized, quitters are not losers. Knowing when to accept facts and change course, even if it means, abandoning a goal is a sign of maturity. There comes a point in your life when you have to set your priorities. Pursuing something that wastes time, energy, resources, and emotional capital is not prudent. No matter how scary the future is, you have to be strong to say enough is enough. I can say it's the best decision of my life and I have no regrets.

7. You can't please everyone and that's ok. I hate disappointing people. That is the reason why saying "No" has always been a struggle. I have always been a "yes person" and it's usually at the expense of my own happiness. But as I grew older, I learned how to stick up for myself and make sure I'm not being taken advantage of. Setting boundaries is healthy. "You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there's still going to be somebody who hates peaches." Some people simply can't be pleased no matter what you do so why squander precious time and energy? You can't please everyone and that's perfectly fine.

I celebrated my birthday with all these life lessons and I so look forward to another year of learning and adulting. Cheers to turning 28! :)