28 things I’ve learnt in 28 years.

1. Your back pocket is a TERRIBLE place to put your phone
2. You can shave your legs with soap.. go save those few extra dollars on shaving cream.
3. Don’t let the Muggles get you down.. if you have a creative and vivid imagination and you want to share your writing, your art, your passion then just do it.
4. You don’t have to be nice to somebody who broke your heart. Sometimes it’s better to just block, delete, erase and don’t answer the “hey, how are you? x” 2am text messages in a friendly manner.
5. Some friends will stay in your life forever, others are just temporary for that moment of time.
6. COMMUNICATION IS EVERYTHING! Every relationship, friendship, personal and professional complication is usually caused by a lack of honest communication.
7. Put your mental health first. Always. Always. Always. If you aren’t okay, nothing else is either.
8. Create an emergency self-care kit and have a day of doing what makes you feel good GUILT FREE (plays Witcher 3 all day)
9. Writers just write.
10. Contact lenses will change everything you thought you knew about 20/20 vision while wearing glasses.
11. Birth control is the quintessence of female empowerment.
12. Writing music and journaling is good for the soul but it doesn’t always have to be shared.
13. No matter how hard you try and how lovely you are, some people just don’t like you.
14. Social media does not sooth my introverted soul, I need space, unplanned days and lots of room to create.
15. Depression needs to be managed just like bad habits and procrastination.
16. Having less stuff means less cleaning and more money saved.
17. Living below the minimum wage will inspire you to work hard even when you cry yourself to sleep because you can’t pay your rent.
18. You will relate to Taylor Swift’s lyrics more than any other songwriter and that’s fine. She’s cool.
19. Katy Perry looks her best with black hair, particularly in the Roar video.
20. You will struggle with procrastination, imposter syndrome and self-doubt more than any other demon you encounter. I must balance these out, be kind to myself and believe in myself.
21. Prioritising my values will lead to my happiest self.
22. LEARN TO SAY NO! I don’t have to do everything, there are not enough hours in the day.
23. A family doesn’t mean you have to be close.
24.  Reading is better than binge-watching any TV show or scrolling endlessly, with no purpose, through social media.
25. I don’t have to be a part of every social media platform. I like Instagram, YouTube, WordPress and that’s it. I barely use Facebook anymore. Minimising these has lead to SOOOO much happiness and time.
26. I don’t have to use my phone as an alarm clock.
27. Baking soda and vinegar are the only cleaning agents you will ever need to clean your house.
28. Being organised leads to less anxiety and more time doing what I truly enjoy

Bonus:
Moving away from everything you’ve ever known will be challenges but incredibly rewarding. I’m so thankful for everything that I’ve worked for and continue to work for. Going back to university as a ‘mature’ aged student and moving to the GC with Mark has been the most positive step forward I’ve ever taken.
Love Haley x