24 will be hard to beat – from living in vibrant, cosmopolitan cities to traveling the world, finding some of my closest friends, and truly learning to love who I am.

To reflect on 24, I thought I’d put together a short list of some of the lessons I learned.

---

Chase after your dreams – No matter how big or small, no matter how much they scare you.

Treat yourself to coffee, but not too much – I’m an iced coffee and latte lover. I splurged waaaay too much on  lattes and almond croissants this past year. All were delicious, but some weren’t always necessary.

Listen to podcasts – I’ve learned so much from podcasts over the last year. Some of my favorites are The Skinny Confidential and Gals on the Go.

Cherish the people around you – Appreciate the people that support and love you regardless.

Give everyone a chance – Being kind to others will open up so many doors of opportunity. Whether it be a new friend, business connection, or mentor.

Book the flight – When in doubt, book the flight. Don’t ever question it!

Less is more – Unless it’s chocolate or wine. But on a more serious note… I’ve found the motto of less is more to have a positive impact on so many areas of my life.

Appreciate the little moments – Life is full of ups and downs, don’t only focus on the high highs and the low lows. Take in the simple things such as your favorite cup of coffee or favorite song coming on at the perfect moment as the sun sets, the warm embrace from your mom after you haven’t seen her in a long time, or the laughter you share with a friend.

Get out and explore – Put your phone away, turn off Netflix, and get outside. It’s important to break our routine and adventure every once in a while, even if it’s in your own backyard.

Change is never easy – I can promise you, change is good. And as hard as it may seem at the moment, it might just turn out to be the best possible thing that could have happened for you.

Read books – Similar to moving your body everyday, reading is just as important. It gives our minds a break from technology and allows us to disconnect for a bit.

Not everyone is going to like you – This was a hard lesson for me to learn. You just simply can’t be everyone’s cup of tea!

Skincare is important – I’ve always l o v e d skincare. But this past year, I’ve established a solid routine and made it my morning and nighttime ritual.

Have a morning routine – I love waking up early, doing my skincare and morning routine, and starting my day feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Speak positivity – Only speak words of positivity. When we allow toxicity and negativity to flow from our mouth, we allow it to fill our lives.

Believe in yourself – The biggest obstacle in life is oftentimes yourself. Get rid of self-doubt and believe in you. You know your worth, embrace it, own it, love it!

Network, network, network – I’ve done so much networking this past year and it has been one of the best things I’ve ever done.

Write things down – Life goes by so fast.  I use the Five Minute Journal which I think is amazing! It helps to get your mind thinking about what you’re grateful for and what you can work on.

Set goals – Know where you’ve been and where you’re going. When you reflect on your journey, you’ll realize how many of your goals you’ve achieved.

Move your body – I’ve found my mental, emotional, and physical self feel so much better when I’ve moved. Whether it be a quick stretch on a busy day, a walk at sunset when I’m feeling tired, or a full gym session.

Listen to others – Once I started turning my own self-talk off and really listening to what others were saying, I found value in their words and grew so much closer to them.

Pray and praise – In good times and in bad, pray about it and praise God in the waiting.

Invest in a hydroflask – Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Spend time one on one – Take time to be with your friends and family one on one. It’s so important to spend quality time one on one every once in a while.

Besos,

Madeline Alice Johnson x