16 Things I Learned in 2016

Last year I made a similar post and this year I'm back with a 2016 version.
Like I mentioned in my previous post, 2016 was a tough year for me. I learned a lot of valuable life lessons last year and today I'm going to share them with you.

1. Pray more.
It might seem that He isn't listening but he is. I didn't go to church as much last year but I prayed. I prayed every day. At the start of the year, I prayed every time I felt like I was drowning... I prayed when I cried. I prayed when I was extremely happy. I prayed when I was frustrated. I prayed and prayed and prayed and the thing I prayed for the most was peace of mind because I was hurting so badly... God granted me peace of mind the day I realized that all I had to do was forgive myself.

2. Don't rely on others to make big life decisions for you.
I came to a point in my 2016 life that I was on the edge of an emotional cliff and I didn't know what to do. I started asking my family and friends for advice and it confused me even more... I learned (the hard way) that the only person who can make big life decisions for you is yourself. Trust your gut instinct.

3. Never stop on aiming to be better at what you do.
When I resigned from the hospital and made the decision to pursue baking full time, I also made the decision to better myself at my craft. I watched a lot of online tutorials, read a lot of baking related books, and signed up for a lot of baking and cake decorating related classes to get better at what I do.

4. It's okay to put yourself first.
My biggest 2015 downfall was always putting other people's happiness ahead of my own. Last year, I promised myself that I'd put myself first for a change. I started doing things that made ME happy. I started buying things for MYSELF. I started going out, not because others wanted me to, but because I wanted to. At first it made me guilty because I'm so used to always being a giver but then I realized that it's about time to make myself happy too. We all deserve to be happy.

5. Who you surround yourself with makes a difference in your life.
When you surround yourself with positive people, you tend to have a more positive outlook in life. When you surround yourself with negative people... Well, need I say more? From my family to my close friends, I've found that inner circle where I can truly be myself and be happy. When you surround yourself with people who love you and support your choices and aspirations, life becomes more meaningful.

6. Go with the flow.
I am a certified control freak so this is quite controversial for me. I like planning things and I like it when things go the way I planned but they don't always go down that way and I end up being frustrated. 2016's the year I learned to "go with the flow" and relax. I realized that there are some things that I just can control, things I can't plan on happening and I learned to be okay with that.

7. Learn to do things ALONE.
One of my biggest fears before was to be alone. I hated the thought of walking into the grocery or department store or even a fast food place alone because it seemed pathetic. 2016 was the year I conquered that fear. Now I am perfectly content to have a cup of coffee alone or stroll around aisles alone. I'll admit that it's lonely sometimes but I've gotten over it and I've learned to look at it from a different perspective. Now it makes me feel like I can be more independent.

8. Get out of your comfort zone.
Try out that new restaurant. Have your nails painted a bolder (than usual) color. Show a bit more skin. I always reveled in the familiar but I decided that the familiar was getting boring. So 2016 was the year I explored a bit more. Not a lot, but more than usual. I tried out new things like taking care of cactus and succulent plants, getting a new dog (my baby askal Max!), trying out new food, having my nails painted RED (a color I was afraid of), trying out new makeup trends and a whole lot more. Another way I got out of my comfort zone was when I started to open myself up to new people and got to know them more. EXPERIMENT. PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE!~

9. You always have a choice, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
At 25, I've finally realized that I have a choice. I have a choice to be happy or sad. I have a choice on how I wish to live my life. I cannot live my parent's or sister's life. I have to make my own choices and live my own life. I learned that in any given situation, you always have a choice, so hopefully this 2017 I will stop using "I didn't have a choice" as an excuse.

10. It's okay to have standards.
It's okay to be picky. It's okay to want to have the best. It's okay to think of the long term pros & cons. It's okay to demand what you think you deserve. I learned to no longer settle for leftovers. People will judge you for having standards, believe me but learn to not give a f*ck about what other people think.

11. Always trust your gut instinct.
2016 was the year I realized that if only I had trusted my gut instinct more, I wouldn't be getting in messy situations often. So now I listen a lot more carefully.

12. Stop living in the past.
The start of my 2016 greeted me with the most painful heartbreak ever and as the months went on, I kept replaying memories in my head. I'd feel so down and so lost but then I realized that it was my own doing because I kept living in the past. If you keep dwelling on "what has been" you will not be able to enjoy the "what could be"... Keep pushing forward, live each day fully, and always look on the bright side.

13. Ideas come and go. Write them down!
I've lost really good ideas on so many occasions because I forgot to write them down. Always keep a small notebook and pen with you. Or for those techie millennials out there, just whip out your phone, right?

14. Never assume.
When in doubt, always ask. It's confusing (and painful!) to assume things. Just be honest and upfront.

15. Don't give up no matter how many times you fall.
This one's self explanatory.

16. Don't allow anything or ANYONE to be your source of happiness.
We are all in the pursuit of one thing - happiness. How do we become truly happy if we rely on something, or worse, someone to be our only source of happiness? Be your own source of happy. Be genuinely happy for yourself through all of life's ups and downs.

Well, this wraps up my post. How about you? What did you learn during 2016? Comment down below!~