When reading Emma Gannon’s blog post titled “Lessons I’ve learnt in 2014” I was inspired to write one similar. As Christmas comes around so does the New Year and we all have those moments of looking back. I try my hardest never to look back and regret what has happened in the last year but there are always an abundance of moments that we learn from. 2014 was an interesting year for me, I grew up a lot, I figured out what I loved and what I didn’t love, who meant a lot to me and who didn’t and most significantly how to look after myself.
The importance of being selfish
Being selfish means putting yourself before others. I tend to be a people pleaser, I always go along with what everybody else wants to do in order to keep them happy. However I’ve learnt this year that whilst being selfless is important when it comes to being a good person, it’s equally important not to forget your own feelings and well-being so you don’t become despondent.
Embracing change
I’ve never been one that responds well to change. I tend to structure, plan and schedule everything that I do. I’ve always viewed change as a bad thing. Anything in my life that crops up unexpectedly seems to really throw me and mess with my mind. However when you think of it, what would life without change be like? This year I have learnt to “go with the flow” embrace change and see where life takes me.
Surrounding myself with positive influences
They say that as a person you are made up of the six people you spend the most time with. I’ve learnt over the past year that being involved with toxic people can have a really negative effect on your personality. I believe when it comes to friendship it is about quality not quantity by having a tight group of best friends instead of trying to be best friends with everyone.
Read everything
I love to fulfil my natural curiosity. I am a very curious person and like to have as much information in my head as possible. As I want to be a writer I need to be inspired and I mainly find my inspiration by reading. Instead of scrolling through Instagram on the train I’m constantly reading blogs on bloglovin- the app I’ve recently discovered and fallen in love with. I’ve read a huge amount of books this year and will hopefully double the amount that I read in 2015.
Say yes
I’m a girl of home comforts and a lot of the time when I’m asked to go out and do something new I normally find an excuse to say no. In the last few months of this year I’ve really pushed myself to say yes in order to discover new experiences and create memories. As important as it is to have downtime, I’m young and need to make the most of that.
Never save an outfit
This year I’ve got into fashion a lot more, not as much as a lot of people but I’ve developed my own sense of style. One thing I always used to do when deciding what to wear is picking something I love and saying “oh but I’ll probably find somewhere better to wear this.” I changed my mind a lot and I was too indecisive when it came to clothes by “saving” too many outfits. This year, if I want to wear something, I’ll wear it.
Write everything down
This year I started my blog and it is my absolute pride and joy, therefore I’ve found it imperative to write everything down. I always carry a notebook wherever I go so if I’m suddenly hit with an idea I have somewhere to scribble it for later. I recently read the book “Paper aeroplanes” by Dawn O’Porter, her book was based on all the diaries she used to keep as a teenager and at the beginning of the book it says
“Having my own diaries as my guide to how it really feels to be a teenager has been invaluable; I just wish I hadn’t stopped writing them when I was sixteen. If you’re a teenager now and keep one, don’t stop. Reading your own words many years later is the best story of all.”
I’ve kept journals since I was about 13 and I continue to write in them, so In the future I can look back and read my thoughts, feelings and dreams and see how my mind grew up. I want to write a book one day and I’ll be able to look back on my experiences and be inspired by my own writing.
Be ambitious
This year I found my passion. I know what I want to do and how I’m going to get there. I’ve been given fantastic opportunities such as becoming a blogger for the Hippodrome and these have really pushed me to where I want to be. I love my new sense of ambition and determination and I plan for it to build and continue in the years to come.
