Angela Louisa

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, by Unknown

Lifestyle

What 2017 has taught me

Hello Lovelies!

So i've had a few days to recover after, quite possibly, my busiest month of 2017. This month and year have really flown by so quickly that we are days away from a new year....crazy! I'm a bit gutted that I didn't get to complete the last two days of Blogmas, but I was so overwhelmed that I decided not to beat myself up over it. I do hope that everyone who kept up with Blogmas enjoyed reading my posts!

As we're literally a few days away from the beginning of a new year, a fresh start - what better time to reflect on the year that has just been? 2017 has got to be one of the best and worst years combined but I don't think I would change anything from this year.

Personally, 2017 really opened my eyes to a lot of things that I didn't think would ever become relevant to me or things that I always saw in a different light. I can definitely say that i've matured a whole lot throughout this year and I seriously feel like i'm about to begin the journey through my 20's (which, I really am because I turned 20 this year).

Let's get into the things that 2017 has made me realise and open up to:

1. You are not going to be able to please everyone

No matter how hard you try to meet everyone's expectations, there will always be someone who isn't satisfied and that's OK. Not everything will be perfect and that might not sit well with some people, but that's OK. I've learnt that if I try to please everyone, I only end up overwhelming myself with a great amount of stress.

2. It's important to look after yourself

This one is extremely important; for you, for your wellbeing, for the people around you and for your outlook on life. We can get caught up in a busy lifestyle, and it's so easy to forget to reflect, relax and treat yourself with some down time.

3. Things take time

This has been a main one for me, and i've always been a quite patient person when it comes to things but the thing with me is that when I think of an idea I want it to happen straight away (or soon) and I never thought about the lengthy process it would take to achieve something. I'm all for working hard to achieve things, and i've never been one to think something is going to happen instantly but my expectations were always a little over the top.

4. Take time to view things from other peoples' perspective

With the social and political views that have been in the spotlight over the years, it can be very easy to get caught up in your own view or opinion and although you respect others' opinions, it may come across that you do not. This isn't about me specifically but i've just come to realise that with everything going on in the world these days, it's super crucial that you take the time to consider that other people's perspectives on things may be completely different to yours.

5. People aren't as judgemental as they were in high school

This is a big one for me as well. I think, because we are all in school for such a long period of time in the beginning of our lives, we might not be as confident when we get out of it. I'm not saying that I always thought about what people thought of me when I was in school, but I feel like socially that is what my mind grew to accept. Life after school has been soooo different and it's taken me 3 whole years to finally realise that those people who I saw as judgemental in high school, weren't any more. I also realised once getting out of school that (because we mature and enter 'real life' after graduating) people are so much nicer..

6. Just do it

To go with #3, whenever I got an idea I would procrastinate like heck and never get around to it. Then, I would think to myself 'this is taking forever', when really, it was me who never got around to doing it in the first place which slows everything down. Even just the little things like going to the gym or studying for an exam - I swear I thought about it longer than actually doing it. I found that if I kept thinking about it then it would make me not want to do it anymore but once it was done, I felt good about myself.

7. Do not keep toxic people in your life

I am the type of person who often gets mixed up with 'is this person still in my life because I want them in my life or because the idea of having them in my life is exciting'. About halfway through this year, I sat down one night and realised that being around some people just really drained me, mentally. Once I started to distance myself, I became a lot happier and realised that those type of people really don't care if they're in your life or out.

8. It's okay to have a down day

It's okay to cry once in a while, it's okay to stay in bed all day and eat ice cream and watch netflix, and it's most definitely okay to take a breath. Sometimes, I even need to do these things to get back up and running again (sort of like, charging batteries haha). Don't ever doubt whether you'll be seen as 'lazy' or 'dramatic', we're all human.

9. Don't set your expectations too high

It's not that I set my expectations too high, but high enough that I never achieve what I was hoping or never receive what I was expecting. I think my biggest flaw with this is that if it's a goal I want to achieve, I never set myself a realistic time span to achieve it. I've really been working on this one and it's going well so far.

10. People grow apart, sometimes you just have to let them go

This is pretty much the opposite to #7, where people are no longer in your life, not my choice but because we all have a different path and some just eventually separate, on good terms. It can be hard at times, to just let someone go who was such a big part of a time in your life but if they were meant to be in your life somehow, they will find their way back in.

Now that you've read what 2017 has taught me, take a few minutes to reflect on what 2017 has taught YOU. I think doing this once a year is super important and will help me grow as a person as there is always room for improvement! It goes hand-in-hand with #2, where it's important to look after yourself and also your goals and life ambitions.

This may be the most SERIOUS and DEEP post i've ever written on my blog so far but I think it's good to get personal sometimes and plus, I also love reading what other people have realised in 2017 so be sure to let me know if you have written a similar post!

Well that's all from me today! I'll be back with a new post soon..

Come follow me or say hi on my social media and i'll follow back x

Angela ♡