20 things

Today is my birthday! And in honor of turning 20 here are some things I've learned in my "long" life.

20 things I've learned....

1. Jesus is the only thing that matters. He is and always will be there. The only constant in life.

2. Travel. Everyone should travel, it doesn't have to be somewhere far away. Traveling opens your eyes to different cultures. It also allows you to see the beautiful earth God created.

3. Meet new people. Meeting new people is a good reminder that we aren't all that different from each other.

4. Write things down. I am always thankful when I can look back on memories. So many important things happen in life.

5. Every single day counts.  Saying tomorrow or in a couple of years I will do this or I will be happy is not right. Today is all the matters and if you can't enjoy today right now, you won't be able to enjoy today in a couple of years.

6. Be the change. You want to the world to be a better place? It starts with one person, and that one person is yourself.

7. Take risks, embrace adventures. Never once have I regretted going out on a limb and doing something "crazy." Life is meant to be lived.

8.  Think. Stop and think about your actions. Ask yourself, 'Do I really need to say this? What are my reasonings? Will someone else be hurt at my expense? What good will come of this?' A lot of problems could be avoided if we all thought about something before we said it or acted on it. Just because you want to do something doesn't mean you should do it or it's impossible not to do it.

9. Realize you have a choice. You don't have to go to college. You don't have to get married. You don't have to raise kids. You don't have to live in your hometown forever. You can choose not to do the "normal" thing and still have a successful life.

10. Being single is great. You don't have to worry about someone else. If you want to pack up and move to Italy, you can.

11. Kindness is everything. It is important to go out of your way and be kind to someone, even if they might not appreciate it.

12. Show appreciation. Sometimes it's hard to tell the ones you love the most how thankful you are for them. No matter how hard it is, you must express your gratitude.

13. Read. Step away from the electronics and sharpen your mind. Reading helps you become a cultured and well rounded person.

14. Laugh. Laugh every single day. I can't remember a day when I didn't laugh. Learning to laugh at the little things, and the huge things in life is the best way to live.

15. Don't plan too much. I used to be a planner. Then all of a sudden my life got crazy and everything I planned always failed. I realized that life is too unpredictable to map out. Going with the flow is easier and honestly a lot more exciting.

16. Care about what you're eating. I could rant all day about food (especially in America). I'm not talking about the calorie count, I'm talking about ingredients. Dye, high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, and BHT... Some of the many things that should NOT be in food (and are banned in many countries) but sadly are in many items households consume.

17. Don't be selfish. This also goes along with thinking. Worry about other people and how your actions affect them.

18. Remember. Nothing feels better than when someone remembers something about you. When you remember something it shows you care.

19. Forgive. You only hurt yourself by caring around the burden of a grudge. Forgive and forget. (Easier said than done).

20. LIVE. We have around 80 years of life. Don't waste it.

It's Like Bob Goff said in his book "Love Does,"

"There is only one invitation it would kill me to refuse, yet I'm tempted to turn it down all the time. I get the invitation every morning when I wake up to actually live a life of complete engagement, a life of whimsy, a life where love does. It doesn't come in an envelope. It's ushered in by a sunrise, the sound of a bird, or the smell of coffee drifting lazily from the kitchen. It's the invitation to actually live, to fully participate in this amazing life for one more day. Nobody turns down an invitation to the White House, but I've seen plenty of people turn down an invitation to fully live."