What I’ve Learned

What I’ve learned before turning 33-years-young. It was my birthday yesterday and here is some simple things I’ve learned along my 33-years-of-living.

1. I’m never too old to to learn new things / start studying new subjects.
2. I’m never too old to be a kid at heart.
3. There’s no generally approved “life plan” that I need to carry out.
4. I don’t need to get married or have kids if it’s not really for me.
5. I don’t need to shave my legs.
6. I can cut off my hair and feel more beautiful than ever.
7. I need to take care of my health / temple / body and my mind to feel good. It’s important to feel good.
8. I shouldn’t sit on a computer all day (see the previous point).
9. Don’t need to be always right and I can change my mind.
10. I often rather stay at home, drink a glass of good red wine and draw – than go to a party.
    

    Birthday card from my boyfriend // What I’ve learned //Elli Maanpää Blog 2018

11. I still can go to a party at times and dance until dawn if I feel like it.
12. I can take care of a cat and love having my own cat-baby.
13. I’m still not into politics or spectator sports and it’s completely ok.
14. Not everyone are into arts.
15. Not everyone are into cats.
16. It’s ok to fail.
17. It’s ok to succeed and show it.
18. I can question but not criticise the choices my parents make. It’s their life.
19. I can do things differently than my parents. I can do things differently than anyone else.
20. It’s cool to be nerd. It’s cool to be nice. It’s cool to be little goofy.
21. It’s ok If I like to eat oatmeal with chickpeas.
    

    Birthday card from my goddaughter // What I’ve learned //Elli Maanpää Blog 2018

22. I can stay in Finland for rest of my life since it’s a good country to live in.
23. I can also move abroad if new possibilities arise. And then move back again.
24. There’s millions of way of expressing “I love you” without saying the actual words. But saying them out loud never hurts either.
25. It’s ok to be vocal about the things I’m good at. If I don’t value my skills and traits, why would others. I owe it to myself.
26. If there are traits in my personality that I spite, I can work on them and become a better person by choice.
27. I can (actually) make a (good) income trough creative career.
28. Self-love is only way to be tolerable person.
29. It’s ok to ask help.
30. My friends and family are brilliant and important and I must remember to appreciate them.
31. I don’t need to hurry.
32. Dreams do come true.
33. I’m so damn lucky.

Happy 33rd year to myself! It’s going to be a good one since three is my lucky number. Happy Birthday to all Leos out there!

What I’ve learned // Elli Maanpää Blog 2018