Year Twenty

Hello all my readers out there! So today marks the 20th anniversary of my birth! Whoo! I've had an incredible day so far! I woke up early to be showered with presents from my wonderful family (I got new vegan recipe books... good news for me AND you!!!), went on a run, made myself a delicious coconut cream smoothie, went on a long hike, and now I'm getting ready for dinner with the family! It's so trippy  not being a teenager... I mean, I know twenty sounds young to a lot of people- but it feels BIG to me, BIGGER than my sixteenth and eighteenth! Anyway, I made a list of twenty pieces of advice I know now that I would have given my younger self ;) Here they are:

1. eat clean (duhhhhh- my blog. Need I say more?) Don't try to "diet" or count your calories or worry about numbers on a scale... if you eat well and get enough nutrition, you'll be good to go!
2. make yourself happy. Don't let your happiness depend on someone who could change it at any moment. 
3. don't have expectations- disappointment is the worst feeling in the world and sometimes you do it to yourself just by expecting from certain people and occasions. 
4. meditate. 
5. drink lots and lots of tea- there's a remedy tea for anything!
6. smile, it might make someone's day
7. forgive. Forgiveness has always been the hardest thing to do, especially when someone has cut you so deep that it's made a scar. People change, situations change, learn to grow through forgiving those who did you wrong.
8. it isn't about LOOKING good, it's all about FEELING good... and NOBODY can judge you on the way you feel because they don't know :)
9. there's absolutely NO problem a spoonful (or a few) of peanut butter cannot fix. Try it out next time you're feeling sad... miracles will happen!
10. be inspired by the people you meet- listen to their stories and learn from them
11. rest! You run around like crazy, your body needs rest days!
12. wear sunscreen- the tan won't be worth cancer twenty years later 
13. if it hurts, don't do it! I learned this when getting back into running after my hip injury!
14. spend time with your family and friends- they will be there with you when times get tough no matter what
15. write, read, and listen/play music- all of these will lighten your mood by a tenfold
16. be confident! 
17. don't compare yourself to others- every person is different, everybody one of a kind
18. go on hikes more often- being surrounded by nature is restoring
19. it's okay to not know where you are going or what you are going to do- you can't plan out your entire life. Travel, meet new people, learn, grow, and be the person you want to be because nobody else can be that person but you!
20. love yourself! You are the best you that the universe has, don't ever ever forget that!

I hope that this inspires you all too; and that you are having as wonderful of a day as me!
xoxo