22 was awesome. 23 was even better. Somewhere in there I made it to 28 and that’s even come to an end but I’m very happy about it. Sure there’s been some pretty memorable and awesome moments, incredible opportunities but there’s also been a lot of, we will call them “growing moments”. I shouldn’t complain, I know people are and went thru things that are far worse than anything I’ve gone thru and I shouldn’t complain but I’ve never been so ready to “end a year”.
29 is a new start for me on so many, many levels. It’s funny how in the back of my mind I’ve been thinking about “29 Things To Do While I’m 29”, similar to what I did for “28” (I’ll do a recap of that at some point) but I’m going to do something a little different for this year.
There’s only going to be one item on my list….
Quit giving such a damn about what other people think. I live everyday trying not to let other people down, when at the end of the day, it’s me that feels let down. In retrospect, I’ve put others before myself more than necessary and end up completely disregarding what I wanted. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not turning selfish, I still care about what other people think/feel, but it’s time to put me into the consideration. We’re going to swap this sucker around. If you don’t like it, well you can deal with it.
So, as a reminder on this last year in my 20’s, here is a letter to me.
Diana,
You have always been a person who grabs every opportunity and tries to enjoy it as much as possible. You try to fill everyone’s expectations, make sure everyone is involved and accommodate everyone. It’s not a bad thing to put others before yourself, frankly, it’s a quality that seems to be fading but be sure to make this last year count as a year for you. Too many years of your “20’s” have been geared towards others. This year, I wish for you…
* Enjoy your moments in the moment. Don’t start thinking or worrying about what’s next before the agenda on the plate is done. Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy! Savor life!
* Know you are deserving, important, beautiful, smart, loyal, entertaining and a friend that everyone should want to and be glad to have. You are always up for anything, literally anything whether it’s watching a movie and staying in, going to a show on a Sunday night, doing something sporadic and unusual or going on a random trip a couple hours away. It’s pretty awesome.
* Quit worrying. God has a plan for you, trust it, live it, go with it.
* (I know I don’t have to remind you of this but…) You are surrounded by some of the most amazing people. Family, friends that you’ve had since kindergarten, friends from college, “Texas” friends, blogging friends and you consider them all like family. You embrace people and they embrace you. No matter where you are, where they are, they’re only a call away. They are there for you no matter what and love you. Your friends accumulate – there’s a reason for that. 😉
* Do something for you. The life you are living is not for anyone but yourself. As Elaine said in college, “At the end of the day the only person you can count on is yourself.” Take hold of this last year in your 20’s and make it a starting year for something so great that you will have no idea how it ever got to that / this point. Grab opportunities, give yourself a challenge, know you are more deserving than you think you are (quit cutting yourself short), know that people should be fighting for you and not the other way around. Take a trip for yourself. Surround yourself with the “good” people. Stand up for yourself, others and the things you believe in. Step outside your comfort zone. For once, just wing it. Go with it. Life doesn’t have to have a plan, it already has a plan for you.
Lastly, the horoscope from Seven Days for this week says “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Come on – if that doesn’t state the obvious, start reading this letter again.
With Love – A Small Reminder to Yourself