Year 26

As I approach my 26th year I wanted to continue my tradition of doing a blog post to reflect and map out goals.  I have been so blessed in the previous years since I moved back to Chicago from Florida and started this blog to make sense of things. As always my travel goals have been met, I've been on four beautiful trips in 2021, which were life-changing, to say the least. On my travels, I found myself back in Orlando, FL  the city that stole my heart back when I was on my Disney College Program, and I was filled with so many mixed emotions. I went to all of my favorite restaurants, went to my favorite Disney parks, my favorite stores in the area and for a while, it felt like wow this is the life I used to live. 
Life has taken many twists and turns but I think I am currently on the right path. I quit my dead-end job in retail and I am in the program on a fast track to Real Estate, property management, and financial freedom. This is truly me reaching my next level and hitting peak adulthood. At this big age, it's time to start looking like it and acting like it. If I'm being honest 26 makes me nervous because Life is getting real, and I know that life has been real for so many others for a long time but I still had my safety net. I want to Continue traveling, Continue my health journey, and as always trying new places in the city. I've compiled a list of things I have learned over the course of the past 26 years on Earth and I would like to share that list below. 

1. Love yourself first, self love is the best love 
2. Other peoples opinions of you are not your truth 
3. There is power in advocating for yourself 
4.  Enjoy right now 
5. Take things one day at a time 
6. Be the you that you needed when you were younger 
7. God will never give you more than you can handle 
8. Your Grandmothers prayers are still protecting you 
9. Be humane
10. Smile more 
11. There is a lesson to be learned in everything 
12. Life is the greatest teacher 
13. You do not need college to be successful 
14. Never fall in love at the DCP
15. Do what’s best for you 
16. Not all skin folk are kinfolk 
17. Take risk 
18. Always bet on yourself 
19. Go to las Vegas .. multiple times 
20. Dance like no one is watching 
21. Do that thing you have always wanted to do 
22. There is beauty in being extroverted  
23. Wear the dress 
24. Laugh out loud 
25. You are deserving of  love where you don't have to settle 
26. Your birthday is special treat it as such.

I truly believe your birthday is the true start to the new year and the true day to start to measure your growth and make adjustments. Life is full of blessings, lessons, and opportunities. Life can be whatever you make it I've created myself a life that is enjoyable and My theme forbear 25 was showing gratitude, however, my theme for 26 is … I'm coming for what I deserve.