It’s good to say no! More accurately, its good to find a balance & part of that is not saying yes to every dam thing. While being pro-active is important, it turns out that there’s not much point in you showing up if you’re going to be a grump & look like shit. Chill out, stay in & watch a movie. The world won’t stop turning if you take some time off!
Not everyone is nice. Kind of a depressing so early in the list but I’m writing as things spring to mind! I had some issues during the year with the way some people were treating me and, on a day where I was feeling particularly upset & frustrated about it I was crying on the phone to my Dad (… as ye do), he said quite firmly in the midst of my whaling ‘Sarah, your problem is that you think everyone is as nice as you’…. harsh but an unfortunate fact.
Family matters. Well, duh! I’ve always been fiercely independent in life & that trait transcends to my relationship with my family. I love them, adore them but wouldn’t need to talk to them every day. Now that my parents have moved to the Aran islands & my sister has settled in Australia is shows me the importance of making time for family; something that may have come as an afterthought until they weren’t accessible to me on a daily basis.
Value your integrity. I’ve had the fortune of meeting many, maaaaany amazing people involved in the world of fashion this year but one of the interesting things that came out of these experiences is realizing how much worth is put on being a decent bloody human being within the industry…. I’ve had some very real conversations with people I’ve met in what perhaps is not a very ‘real’ setting and can guarantee that character will get you further than couture. I’d like to continue the trend of choosing respect over admiration in 2016.
Nobody has it all figured out. I’m not far off 30, an age people seem to equate with having it all ‘figured out’ but I’m nowhere close to figuring everything out & I’m glad. I think the day you stop wondering is when you start getting old… with all the things I have to wonder about & figure out, I’ll stay young forever!
Happiness is where you find it but rarely where you seek it’. Ok well, I didn’t only learn this concept this year but so many experiences I had in 2015 consolidated this idea. I’ve had so much fun in a variety of places I may not have went to with a variety of people that I may not have given time to if I’d been less open minded. Turns out the best memories definitely come from trying new things, pushing boundaries & not turning down a situation based on a narrow ideal of what a ‘good time’ is.
Less is more. Despite being a fashion blogger, I have a strong urge to constantly get rid of clothes & accessories as I feel that the more I have, the harder it is to choose. I think its called ‘choice overload’ if memories from a recent late night delve into the depths of internet self help serves me . I’m happier getting ready with less each morning, knowing that everything I DO have is a piece that I love. 2015 was the year I rounded off a pretty epic clear out with the help of clothes swaps & Depop and, by invested more in my personal style as opposed to trends, I now love what I have in my wardrobe season after season (I mean, if it was never ‘in fashion’ then it can never be out, right!?)
If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no. This year I took more initiative in terms of asking for things I wanted & knowing my own self worth. If I felt I’d earned something, I’d simply ask for it. Turns out that I got most things that I asked for which afforded me some very interesting opportunities & a more comfortable state of living. As I always say to people. ‘the worst they can say is no!!’.
Its important to consciously prioritize. Simple in theory, seemingly impossible in reality. With a full time job, blogging, fitness, study, friends, family & a boyfriend to prioritize this year it sometimes felt that I should just forget about sleep altogether! Getting the balance between what I feel like I ‘have to’ do, ‘should do’ & ‘want to do’ can be really reeeeeally tough but, it came down to consciously prioritizing & often planning weeks in advance just to see people or complete a task…. not very spontaneous I know but, I’d rather pencil you in for 3 weeks time than not see you at all! By changing my internal vocabulary from ‘I don’t have time’ to ‘its not a priority’, it gave me the push I needed to reevaluate where my priorities lay. I didn’t always get the balance right but, I’m getting better each month.
Don’t resist change. I’m all for the unknown when I’m travelling; where uncertainty is certain but, when I’m settled I anticipate things going ‘to plan’ & therefore feel put out when things don’t pan out the way I expected. Ironically, some of the best experiences I’ve ever had in life have come from unintended turns in the paths so, why be so resistant to change? This year I had loads of wonderful things happen unexpectedly and I already know 2016 is bringing change that I hadn’t anticipated encountering until further on in life (watch this space!) so, instead of being fearful of it, I’m going to embrace the change and the inevitably that it’ll be better than the path I’d originally planned to take.
Loved this post so much! So happy I discovered you/your blog/snapchat last year, definitely becoming one of my favourite bloggers! Honest and to the point, and finally someone who speaks my language 🙂
I really love this post, it was so honest and relateable. I found myself wanting to write down the lessons to keep them with me for 2016 as they truly resonate with me!
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Loved this post so much! So happy I discovered you/your blog/snapchat last year, definitely becoming one of my favourite bloggers! Honest and to the point, and finally someone who speaks my language 🙂
Excited to see what 2016 brings you Sarah! x
Aw, thank you so much for the lovely comment Tessa, I’m smitten that you’re enjoying what I’m up to 🙂 Heres to a brilliant 2016 <3 xx
I really love this post, it was so honest and relateable. I found myself wanting to write down the lessons to keep them with me for 2016 as they truly resonate with me!