Twenty Four Awesome Things for Twenty Four Awesome Years

I hit the quarter mark of my life in twenty days and somehow, it all feels like these all at the same time:

• exciting
• blah
• scary
• whatever that feeling is that makes me blush

Truly, the twenties is an amazing phase, having almost completed half of it feels like an considerably mind-blowing feat, sad to have passed by it, excited to tackle the next five years. When I was young, I have always dreamed of living in this age bracket. I have always wanted to be free to do everything I want, to fly anywhere I wanted to, to drink as much as I can, to come home at a time I deemed acceptable, all those while having finished the necessary schooling years. Now that I'm in it, I realize that I have been living my seven year old self's dream, if not better. Life doesn't fail to deliver anyways. Many times, I wish it could be better but looking back, I am eternally grateful that I've been given the opportunities to live my life, the way my heart had called for.

And so, in honor of the twenty four years that I've already been here on this earth, I'd like to list down twenty four awesome things I have made and accomplished, if only to remind myself that the twenty fifth needs to be in the same level of awesomeness if not more, because to be lesser would be an insult.

In no particular order, I have:

1. Walked away from a job that paid well but drained the living lights out of me and found a career that defined love, so much so that money was never an issue.
2. Dipped my toes on scuba diving and got to discover a different world under the sea. Would've been nice to meet Little Mermaid, too but maybe next time.
3. Fulfilled my 2010 wish of sitting on oldschool desk chairs and going back to school, albeit shortly.
4. Traveled to South America, explored Mexican cities on my own {on a 12 hour layover} and came back a different part of the river.
5. Bought a car with my own money and in cash with no concept of how to bring it back home, having no driving skills at that time.
6. Ended a relationship, albeit after months of deciding on it because it wasn't good for me, or for anyone, anymore.
7. Got published in the biggest and most widely read newspaper in the country thrice, as well as in a magazine I believe in.
8. Made friends on my second job, not knowing that people, despite being already in their twenties are still capable of making authentic, real friends you know you'd trade sleep for some nights.
9. Climbed a mountain and braved the rapids of Bacolod, Liliw and Cagayan de Oro, respectively.
10. Admitted to a guy who I wasn't sure if he liked me, that I liked him, too, and if he could please stay.
11. Took a stab at investing instead of waiting for my business genes to come and I am proud to say that I can retire if I want to. But I wouldn't {Mother, please do not panic.}.
12. Quit smoking for three weeks, got back into the habit and is now trying to live nicotine-free.
13. Visited underrated tourist spots in the country and frowned at how they are, indeed, underrated. Maybe it's best for them to be, else they get appallingly commercial, too.
14. Ran and many other things, for good causes.
15. Heeded the call of independence and moved out from the familial residence and out of the parental dime before I've been 20.
16. Conquered my great fear of roadtripping and vowed to do more of it in the future.
17. Conquered some parts of Asia with my bestfriend and then with my friends from work, then SG by January.
18. Lived through heartbreak after heartbreak, and even though at some point, I feel like I did some really stupid things {like break someone else's heart}, I think I have emerged a better woman because of it all.
19. Bought my mother a piece of real jewelry.
20. Been on a billboard {in Chinatown, too}, on the newspaper and flyers.
21. Been a good daughter and allowed my mother to find her happiness. Without me. At 17.
22.  I've finally learned to forgive myself, and to not apologize for who I am and is becoming less and less self-deprecating.
23. Won an editorial contest and got sent to the southern part of the country to represent the region, got offered a journalism scholarship but turned it down to follow and find out what my heart wanted.
24. Drafted my life's plan for my twenty fifth year and keeping myself all hopes that I'll have a blast on my silver year.

 To everyone who has made my twenty four years awesome, I will forever be grateful to you. Cheers to more awesome years. <3



This post is inspired by this.
As for the photo, no copyright infringement intended.



Love, peace of mind and natural highs,