on my twenty third year
reflections and thoughts for my jordan year
i celebrated my twenty-third birthday three days ago on march 28th. cue the song, the party poppers… or the guilt you’re feeling for forgetting to send your wishes.
and yes, i’m an aries born in the golden serpent year, which makes me really really stubborn.
birthdays have always been special occasions to me. i’d always been the runt of the pack, the youngest in my grade, so growing a year older (i.e. into the same age as my peers) always felt like a huge upgrade. it was like, “hey, we’re equals now.”
the glamour of birthdays started to fade after i turned twenty one. in the u.s., twenty one is the year someone is branded as a responsible adult, one that can legally handle alcohol and cannabis and poker chips.
my twenty-first happened in my senior year, right after spring break. it was a weekend-long rager, and that is all i’ll say.
now that i’ve ticked that box… the following birthdays have felt a little awkward. the song sounds more off-key. tequila tastes more bitter. the attention grows suffocating. but i remain happy on my birthday—more grateful, if anything—that life has been kind, that the right people have stuck around, that the year i have lived is worth celebrating.
as you can probably guess, i tend to be very reflective this time of year. i think about the lessons i’d learned in the previous year, and what habits i hope to forge with the level-up.
twenty two lessons from my twenty-second year, with no context for privacy reasons
i’m just not one of those girls!
mental health always comes first
a happy place can also be a physical sanctuary that you have control over
doing your nails is a great way to get you to stop picking at your cuticles
“trying too hard” shouldn’t be a fear, and is hardly a negative trait
instagram reel is the most informative and chaotic time suck ever
sometimes an apple is just an apple, and nothing else (i.e. don’t overthink it!)
the voices in your head are voices you can tune out
if beyoncé can slay the country genre, you can do literally anything
know when to let go of what doesn’t serve you
retail therapy is an underrated form of joy—just ask these miu miu shoes
your gut (literal and figurative) is a better judge than you give it credit for
halfway!!! take a break with this photo of harvey on his birthday
american football is a beautiful sport, especially when you watch the chiefs 😜
the ability to connect people together is such a special, heartwarming gift
don’t get caught up in the emotions tied to silly mistakes
developing a stamina for long calls is golden
sometimes things don’t make sense, and senseless is how it will always be
take! the! plunge! fortune favors the bold 💫
playing board games with intelligent adult nerds is really really fun
sleeper tents actually have a bottom layer and campers don’t sleep on grass
there are always ways to make chores tolerable and slightly easier
art stands still so you can return to it to see how much you’ve grown
new habits
reading everyday before bed
working out consistently, lol
respond to texts faster
the passage of time is so funny because one minute you’re a little baby and then you’re suddenly a sexy and cool and smart 23-year-old disaster woman. may the force be with me; the odds ever in my favor.
thanks for stopping by,
<3 tasha