27 lessons life taught me at 27

1. Don't be afraid to dream. You may be mocked for seeing the good in everything, may even be dubbed delusional, but hold on to your dreams, they are valid.

2. You are allowed to have bad days. Even, bad weeks. Allow yourself moments of rest, to reenergize yourself and trust that you will be okay. Rest, don't quit.

3. Trust your intuition. When you feel that something is off, do not second guess yourself. Your inner voice is powerful and will act as a guiding tool. Do not ignore it.

4. Don't run from yourself. When you find yourself doing any and everything to not face yourself, know that something is wrong. You should be able to face yourself, in your singleness, and when in a relationship. When you have a job and when you do not. When things are falling apart, and when things are not.

5. Save. Financial literacy is self-taught, consciously seek to learn it. Do not allow yourself to get carried away in the moment and spend money on things that are not building. Have a purpose for your money, set financial goals, and handle your money so that it serves you. Avoid getting into a cycle of expenditure and consumption.

6. Don't be afraid to choose what is best for you. Allow yourself to make unpopular choices when they are what you want. Do not live in regret, because once upon a time it is what you wanted.

7. Learn to let go. Learn to move on when it calls for it. Quit the job. Leave the relationship. Move out. Learn that some things come to stay, others are seasonal, learn the difference.

8. No condition in life is permanent. Know that no matter what you are facing, a new day will come. Whenever you find yourself feeling stuck, know that no condition is permanent.

9. Actively work towards your dreams. In as much as you should dream, there too should be an active will to do the work. Dreams remain just that, for as long as there is no active will to make them a reality.

10. Always remain honest, because integrity is what will ensure that you always remain true to yourself. Do what is right even when no one is watching, make the right choices, and stick to life's honest path.

11. Your purpose lies where your burden is. Your passion will drive you to what you should do for the rest of your life. Do not fight it, even if it does not conform to what the world believes is a lucrative and respectable path.

12. You must be teachable, it is not okay to hold onto an uninformed viewpoint. Learn new things, learn new perspectives, and ensure that you remain teachable.

13. Speak your truth. Do not be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Do not swallow your words, do not choose silent when you want to speak and believe what you have to say is worth being heard.

14. People are different. We are born into different households, we are brought up with different beliefs and do not perceive life the same. That is okay, in accepting that people are different, you stand to gain relationships with people from all walks of life.

15. Step outside of your comfort. Do things you have always wanted to do, travel, meet new people, take the risk, and always live your life to the fullest.

16. Don't be bound by fear or the fear of rejection, because it can be redirection. You stand to gain a lot by taking the chance, then allowing fear to dictate your process. It is better to have learned, then wonder what may have been. Also, you never know, it may just be the best chance you ever took.

17. People come, people go. You will lose some people along the way, and it will hurt. However, allow yourself to be grateful for what they brought into your life, what they taught you, and how they left you better.

18. Work on your perspective. Be cognizant that much of how we perceive the world is based on how we look at life. Always clean the lens through which you look at life, by asking yourself what you may not be seeing, putting yourself in the shoes of the next person, and allowing yourself to see the other angle.

19. Love, and then love some more. No matter how many times you give love and it is not reciprocated, do it again and again and again. Love is beautiful, do not let disappointing moments define the rest of your life experience of life. Take time out if you need to, but do not walk around forever shielding your heart. You stand to miss out on some amazing experiences of love.

20. Everyone has their own season, and things happen at their own pace and time. You gain little by fixating your eyes on the journey of everyone else and comparing yourself. Instead, focus your eyes on your own journey, enjoying the feel of the wind in your hair, the sun beating on your back, and the trust that your life is your own. You are the captain of your own ship and you reserve the power and ability to make the best of it.

21. Remember to pause. Reflection allows us perspective, and sometimes you need to pause to allow yourself to get a holistic overview of your life and to be able to redirect and refocus. It's okay to choose a different path from the one you started on. You can always start over, it is never too late.

22. Create your tribe. Reach out to people when you need help. No one is an island, no one knows everything and no one can journey this life alone. There is strength in community.

23. Your parents are not always right, but they have the best intentions for you. Glean from their understanding and knowledge they have walked life long before you and they have wisdom they can pass on.

24. Learn to listen, not hear, listen. Pay attention when people speak, they tell you a lot more than you know if you listen closely. Learn the skill of listening.

25. Your health is important. You cannot go through life eating just anything you want, because your health should be a priority. Ensure you pay attention to how you nourish your body and with what.

26. Decide who you want to be, outside of external forces, and outside of what anyone thinks. Then decide to actively step into that version of yourself. Work on it, and become it.

27. Start on your dreams. Do not wait for a better time, a better opportunity, a better moment, because sometimes the better does not come. Be found doing, because in your journey of doing is how you master what you do.

= Rejection is a part of life. Sometimes it is redirection.

These are the opinions of a 27-year-old, who is slowly learning, heeding, and bettering. In the journey of becoming, I have found great solace in that I am continually learning from those around me and from life itself. I find nothing more beautiful, then learning. It is in learning that we become better versions of ourselves, it is in learning that we grow, until someday, we may be wise. However, wisdom comes to s/he who seeks, I will be found searching.

With Love

Mavis

Find me on twitter - @mavisbraga