28
Writing parts of this while I listen to So Far Away (YoonJinKook version), lying on my bed, waiting to fall asleep. I am deeply attached to this song—it always makes me cry, no-fail— it has been a constant companion in what I dub as my 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐬™. It may seem unrelated right now but I’ll get to my point eventually… 😅
I’m sure it’s not just me… at what age have you stopped counting? For me, it’s 23. Somehow, in my mind, I’ll remain 23. I don’t know what’s with the number but it stuck. And now, in just one blink, I made it to 28.
Earlier this year, I told myself I’ll do a 28-list-of-lessons-on-my-28th-year kinda thing. And guess what… I still don’t have a list. So I’d like to think that this is my attempt at accomplishing that goal. Here I am, sharing with you the nuggets of wisdom I’ve had the privilege of learning over the recent years, life lessons I’d like to bring with me moving forward. 😊
Make space and time for the things that you love.
My sister and I are serial hobbyists. We’ve tried a lot of hobbies (together and individually)— resin art, beading, baking, collecting and making candles, assembling legos, journaling, playing Pikmin or The Sims, you name it. Aside from those, we’re ARMYs who run a fan account where we post our BTS dolls daily, which we fondly call Dollyeora Bangtan. These, along with many others, have aided me in recharging my creative batteries.
Others may judge you for it, but who cares? Go post that dance reel, try a new recipe, gush over your new emotional support series, share that new K-pop song you can’t get enough of. It’s your life, pake ba nila?
Find hobbies and interests that nourish your soul, and have fun doing them! 🥳
Surround yourself with good people.
I used to hate taking pictures but I’ve changed—here’s a bunch of selfies with some of my fave people 🧡
As an introvert, I like keeping my circles small. I realized that you don’t have to have a sh*t ton of friends, you just have to have a few real ones. Quality over quantity applies to friendships too.
I love love love(!!!) being around my closest friends. I love that I can be myself around them. They inspire me to be better and they keep me grounded. They are my safe space.
People come and go, but the realest ones stay. Keep them close, keep them forever. 💗
Protect your energy.
Your energy is finite. Spend it wisely. I’ve learned this the hard way.
Rest is important. You don’t need to deserve it or earn it. Allow yourself to pause and take breaks. Remember: you can’t pour from an empty cup.
Figure out how to set better boundaries, limit encounters that drain you, understand your triggers, and feel your emotions. These are difficult to do at first, but trust me, it will do wonders to your mental health. 😌
Honor your seasons.
When the pandemic hit, I was instantly on survival mode. I have talked about this in one of my past blog entries, where I wrote about my experience about burnout.
I was constantly stressed—with the news, with my job, with my small business, and with life in general. I’m always exhausted, with barely no time and energy left for my art. I even needed to push myself hard to finish drawing this piece.
An artwork from 2021—from a time when I didn’t know I was already going through an episode of burnout.
One important thing I’ve kept in mind during those times was to honor my seasons. And if going through them is what it takes to become me again, then I’m in for the ride. We can’t be 100% all the time—sometimes, our best is 20%, some days just 1%. But as long as you did your absolute best, then that’s more than enough! ☀️🍂❄️🌻
Learn when to let go.
A portion of my 2023 vision board—bird sticker from Imperfect Scents, Let Go sticker from Ivy Pangilinan 🕊
Another valuable lesson I’ve picked up after experiencing burnout is learning to let go.
Stop stressing yourself out, there’s only so much you can do. When it is out of your control, let it go. 🌊
Be kinder to yourself.
A oldie-but-goodie mini-banner from Eden Street 💖
If you are someone who’s hard on yourself: you are not alone, count me in. But just like how I’ve learned to let go, I’ve also learned how to be kinder to myself.
There will always be times where you’ll fall short, or worse, even fail. But please, please don’t beat yourself up. Whatever hardships may come, you have what it takes to power through them. 🌠
You are not running out of time.
I have this irrational thought that I’m running out of time. Time for what? I don’t know. There’s a nagging voice in my head saying I have so much potential and I’m failing to live up to it. You see, that is why So Far Away is one of my all-time favorite songs. The lyrics speak to me, especially that bit about being alone and seeing others run ahead of you. It's a song that encapsulates my feelings perfectly. It has seen me through my lowest and it’s still my one of my anthems up to this day. Every time I hear it, I get teary-eyed.
Thankfully, I’ve gotten better at managing these thoughts by repeating this over and over: I STILL HAVE TIME and there’s still so much ahead of me.
Stop pressuring yourself into achieving things. Just go at your own pace and you’ll get there eventually.🚶🏽
My laptop wallpaper since 2021; 📸: Ivana Cajina via Unsplash
“May your trials end in full bloom.
Though your beginnings might be humble,
may the end be prosperous.”
I love(!!!) this line an unhealthy amount that I wanna have it inked on me. It’s that special. :’)
Make space and time for the things you love.
Surround yourself with good people.
Protect your energy.
Honor your seasons.
Learn when to let go.
Be kinder to yourself.
And most of all, you are not running out of time.
These may be just silly words to some, but these are pieces of advice I’d like to give to my younger self. As with most of my blog entries, I’m pretty sure this is me being emo. Birthday blues, if I can call it that. My only hope is that this reaches the right people, the way these lessons made their way to my life.
Ending this entry with a postcard I made—
To the beautiful soul reading this: trust your journey~ 🏞️
‘Til the next!
♡ Marie ☺
