18 Things Learned ft. Sara

Hello, everyone! 

I’m Sara, taking over Emie's blog! Hahaha, I’m just kidding. I’m her elder sister (I’m not that old, mind you, just three years older!) and we came up with this idea of me sharing 18 things I’ve learned over the course of my 18 years of life with all of you for my birthday. I hope these tips can help some of you as much as they did for me! Let’s get going!

18 things I've learned in my 18 years of life:

1. Keep your feet on the ground, but your head in the clouds. I never want to be the kind of woman who thinks of herself as Holy or above everyone else; I want to stay grounded yet always lighthearted!
2. You can succeed whatever you set your mind to, such as for me, learning a new language (English is both my sister’s and my second language) and perfecting it with some willpower and practice was (and still is) truly satisfying.
3. Having friends does not always equal to happiness. As a child and through my pre-teen years, I used to be a real social butterfly and think that having friends would make me feel "cool" and “normal,” but that isn’t true at all.
4. Believe in your parents’ judgement and respect them. They were once our age, too, and their experiences can help us make better decisions in our lives.
5. I should never, under any circumstances, change who I am based on who I hang out with. I must influence others positively rather than be influenced by the world. Not doing so may hurt my loved ones and blur my true character.
6. Being alone doesn't necessarily mean I'm lonely. I feel great staying indoors in my bedroom and read all day when I have the time!
7. Always check the expiring date of that deli meat in the fridge before you make yourself a sandwich. Always.
8. God is always first in priority. Next comes family and friends, they always have your back and you should appreciate them every day! 
9. Do nice things onto others for no apparent reason. Be considerate; hold the door for others, wave at a neighbour, smile at a stranger, clean the dishes once in a while without being asked... It'll always be appreciated, and you'll further develop the characteristics of a big-hearted person! (Win!)
10. Never overeat dough! There's nothing worse than bread dough proofing in your stomach, hahaha! I've been through this plenty of times!
11. Don't be so hard on yourself. The way people perceive you isn't how you see yourself. Chances are, the negative things you hate about yourself are the most charming things people find about you. I'm also talking about appearances, don't look at your every little feature through a magnifying glass, that’s not advantageous in any way!
12. I've learned to not take myself seriously. Who likes a haughty person for a friend? Not me. Laugh at yourself, humans are funny creatures! So if people make fun of you and you're able to laugh at yourself, their comments won't be as painful to you because you'll already be lighthearted and joyful. (Take that, bullies!)
13. My previous tip also implies that you shouldn't take people too seriously either. Let them breathe, what they say shouldn’t affect you negatively. Take criticism and improve yourself instead!
14. No matter what happens in your life, stay positive. The Lord might have allowed the devil to hurt us at a certain point in our lives, but that doesn’t mean God hates us; it’s because these experiences make us stronger and better comforters for when the time comes to help others in a similar situation.
15. Just because we’re young doesn’t mean we’re entitled to make mistakes… To me, that just seems like an overrated excuse. Sure, we may not be the wisest yet, but we do have a conscience! Let’s use it! :)
16. Speak what’s on your mind; don’t hold it in, it isn’t healthy!
17. Speaking of healthy, I’ve learned that being healthy is so much more than calories. Eating more wholesome food, cutting on soda, but still enjoying junk food once in a while is truly gratifying!
18. And finally, when you’re having a bad day, —after praying about it and oftentimes writing about it sincerely in a diary or journal, that is— there’s nothing better than opening up a good book, snuggling in your bed with lots of blankets and pillows and escaping reality for a while. (Ain’t nothing wrong with that either!)

I want to thank Emie specially for allowing me to feature on her blog! It’s been a pleasure to compose my eighteen tips & tricks, and thank you all for reading! Here are my two favourite Bible verses I’d like to share with you as well:

“And above all else put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:14

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” 1 Corinthians 13:7-8

Love you sissy!
Sara