It’s been a minute.
Well- a few minutes lol so hello.
In observance of turning 25 tomorrow, I felt it was only appropriate to make my annual birthday post so I can go back and read this in 365 days and pick out all my grammar mistakes and cringe at all the shit I thought was profound a year ago like I’m doing right now lmao.
(Here’s my 24 things I learned on my 24th birthday post if you wanted to do the same).
The thing is- if I wasn’t criticizing the work I put out a year ago that would mean I was in the same place; the same place creatively, the same place mentally, the same place spiritually- and frankly this is the first birthday in a very long time where I feel like I have a lot to celebrate. For the first time that I can remember- I am content in my life. To be clear here: I am content in a way that cannot and SHOUT NOT be confused with complacency. I am in a place in my life where I see the potential I have and I’m not afraid to ask for it. I have found peace in the chaos of the constant juggle of priorities that comes with being an adult and I’ve found a way to celebrate living in even the most mundane of days.
It’s funny because last year I wrote about how 23 was the year I hit rock bottom… and I mean no offense to the girl I was a year ago… but she had no idea that the 6 months after that post was made would be one of the most difficult storms she would face in her early twenties. Talk about rock bottom having a basement lol. The difference about 24 though, was that regardless of the consistent trauma, bad news, and anxiety; I grew as a person in ways I didn’t know I had in me.
When I look back at my 24th year, the growth outweighs the tragedy, the self-love outweighs the anxiety, and the love one hundred percent weighs out the bad 6 months I went through with my family.
I developed a sense of peace within myself this year that I never thought I could achieve. I feel like the things I’ve learned, the people I’ve surrounded myself with, and the opportunities I’ve allowed myself to take have altered my life in ways I never saw coming a year ago.
I was able to be there for my mom while she beat cancer.
I was able to hold my grandma’s hand before she passed away.
I was able to sit in quarantine with nothing but my own thoughts and sort through some deep-rooted internal battles.
I was able to harvest a legitimate and healthy relationship surrounding my body, food, and exercise.
I figured out what I was passionate about.
I figured out who my friends were.
I surpassed the picture in my head of the girl I wanted so badly to be a year ago and have already begun manifesting an even better version of who I am right now to hopefully evolve into at 25.
So, with that, with the conclusion of this beautiful, tragic, transformative, inspiring, and passionate year of my life- here are 25 thoughts I have on my 25th birthday.
- You will never be loved correctly by anyone else until you’ve learned to truly love yourself. Period.
- You cannot ‘fake’ love yourself. You either commit to working on you, or you commit to working on the person you think everyone else wants you to be- choice is yours.
- Life is short. Like very short… Take the trip, go to the party, buy the shoes, eat the ice cream, love on the people you love. Money returns, time most definitely does not. Sleep when you’re dead.
- You can be physically present somewhere but not mentally, show up to life before you wake up 3 years later from cruising on autopilot. Wake up.
- You shouldn’t feel bad or give a fuck for saying no.
- You have to be a friend to get a friend. Don’t expect people to show up for you if you don’t show up for them.
- Carbs are your friend- they’re good for you and you’ll never get stronger without them.
- There are no true or realistic timelines of life to follow. Make your own. Your gut feelings are right.
- Learn to love Tequila.
- You’re never too old to make new friends or get closer with new people- don’t be closed-minded.
- You can give unexpected people a chance who you believe deserve them. There’s probably a reason your “type” hasn’t worked out thus far lmao.
- Drinking in your mid-twenties will onset Hangxiety. For symptom relief find an equally anxious friend to spend your hangover with. Repeat every Sunday.
- You should not give a fuck over what other people think about your actions. You owe no one but yourself an explanation for what makes you happy.
- Some people will misunderstand you. Some will do it on purpose, some will not. Don’t take it to heart.
- People can only meet you as deeply as they’ve met themselves.
- Your parents and grandparents are getting older too, cherish your time while you have it.
- Take your makeup off at night and go to the fucking dermatologist. Preventative measures are key.
- Getting up at 5am is good for the soul. Working out at 5am is good for the gains.
- Check-in on your friends. Sometimes the darkest minds have the brightest smiles and the loudest laughs.
- You never know what someone is going through or has been through; be a fucking good person and don’t put your foot in your mouth.
- If you don’t go after your dreams no one else will do it for you and no one will be as unhappy as you will be if you don’t get what you want.
- We are all existing on a huge floating rock in the middle of the universe- nothing truly matters as much as you think it does.
- The next time you have an anxious thought that someone thinks negatively about you- ask yourself who told you that and remind yourself that no one did.
- Life isn’t just meant to be lived Friday and Saturday. Make the most of your free time and do things for you everyday.
- Finally- the choice to fall in love with life will always be there. It is a concrete promise that once you do, life will always love you back.
Cheers to a 25th year of being blonder, being better, and being the happiest I can ever remember being.
To my friends, family, followers, and everyone in between that read my posts, support me, and who have lifted me up the last 365 days- this post is dedicated to you; thank you for reminding me what the difference between being alive and living has felt like.
Stay tuned for more content coming your way…
And don’t be surprised if a new platform is thrown into that mix.
I’ll leave it at that.
xo,
Carlie Bradshaw
Sex & The Suburbs 