6. Never let a rejection bring you down.
Not too long ago, I got rejected from a job that I really wanted, and that I was convinced I was going to get. I cried for a bit that afternoon, I vented to my parents, and then I moved on. It’s a cheesy line I know, but when one door closes, another opens. I don’t know what that door is, but it’s coming.
7. Time outside is always well spent.
Being in Florida, it was easy to get outside most days even just for a little bit. We went on walks on different nature trails, at a park, and even just in our neighborhood – which honestly is kind of like a nature trail. Seriously, one morning my mom and I saw a coyote, and our neighborhood is also full of peacocks. We were able to go to the beach, go out on the water, and hang out at the pool. I am absolutely one of those people who feels refreshed by nature and needs some level of outdoor activity in order to thrive, so unless it’s storming or something, I really don’t think time outside is ever wasted.
8. I am so much stronger than I think.
As you already know, I was beyond devastated after my trip to Arizona. How I felt after that trip also brought up a lot of the things that for me have triggered my disordered eating, and it was hard to not give in to them. But, I knew that I was stronger than that, so I finally talked to my therapist about it and reached out for help. Now, I’m seeing a dietitian and am in recovery for my disordered eating, which is extremely hard to do. Changing the relationship you have had with food and exercise for years is tough work, but I know I can do it.
When I got back from that trip, and the way that things panned out with him afterwards, I was sad a lot. But I made it through! And, I’m still open to meeting someone despite the fact that I know my heart could be broken again. That’s also very hard. I’ve made it through a lot, I’ve smiled through a lot, and I can make it through anything else that God sends my way.
9. Working out is much more fun with someone else.
I consider myself a pretty active person, and I do love working out, but being home I remembered how much more fun it is to exercise with someone else. Every night, I’d pick a workout for my mom and I to do (our favorites are from POPSUGAR Fitness, Yoga with Adriene, and Heather Roberston) the next day, and in the morning, we’d go to the playroom and laugh our way through the workout. I’m pretty sure we burned extra calories just from how much we laughed.
10. How to save money.
This is definitely something I’m still working on, but I have gotten better about making and sticking to a budget. I also learned that a lot of the things I was buying I can make myself, and that some things, I just don’t really even need. I’ve always been pretty thrifty – I use coupons and Ibotta and Rakuten and Honey, and I’m very careful about how I spend my money, but it’s those little things that add up for me. Finding ways to replace those with cheaper things is definitely helpful for me – and my wallet.
11. Take time to reconnect with yourself.
During the quarantine, I finally got good about meditating, often doing it at night before bed. It has helped me immensely! I feel more in tune with myself, and more aware of what I need. I have learned how to do little self-checks throughout the day when before, I would push myself to cross everything off of my to-do list before I would let myself notice how I felt. It’s so important to be in tune with your mind and your body, and whatever you need to do to be able to do that, do it. I really believe that by working on yourself you attract so much more positivity.
12. Always appreciate the little things.
This is pretty self-explanatory, but if 2020 has some sort of deeper purpose, I think this is it. When I did my “Picture of the Day” series on Facebook for a couple of years, this was what I was trying to accomplish. People get so focused on the big things in their life, and if that one big thing they had planned for that day doesn’t pan out, they get crushed. But they don’t think about how they got to their local cafe just as their favorite pastry was being brought out of the oven, or how their favorite song started playing on the radio when you turned on the car. It really is the little things that count.
13. Tell people you love them.
Again, self-explanatory. You never know what could happen in five minutes, so just tell people you love them every chance you get. Life’s too short not to.
14. How to keep up my work ethic and self-discipline.
It was hard for me at first to stay motivated with everything I wanted and needed to do. I was studying for the LSAT, applying to jobs, trying to redo my website and start my blog, work on my barre certification, an online class, and be a human. At first, I just wanted to catch up on sleep and watch Netflix, and I definitely did for awhile, but then I made a plan and picked a few hours a day that I’d dedicate to work on at least one of those things. You don’t have to work on something all day every day, but make sure to stay on top of the things you want even when you don’t have a manager or supervisor telling you what to do. Carve out a couple of hours each day, put your phone away, turn on some chill music, and get to work! Doesn’t it feel so good when you get something done?