The greatest things I ever did

There's no doubt about it, I have lived an incredible life so far. A very blessed life with a loving family who have been able to afford to take me to all kinds of wonderful places around the world. However, this isn't about the greatest things I've seen or experienced, it's about the greatest things I've ever done...

Got braces young

I think having nice straight teeth is so important because your smile is one of the first things people notice about you and when it comes to job interviews etc, first impressions are a big deal! But while most people I know got braces aged around 14, I actually got mine aged 11 and so they were off by my 13th birthday. At the time I hated them and felt like a freak (ah, adolescent dramatics), but looking back I'm so glad I got them young! Not only because they required less work because my teeth were still moving and growing anyway but also because it's much better to be an awkward and slightly self-conscious 12 year old than it is to feel that way in your late teens or even early twenties. Praise the lord for Scandinavian dentists!

Had a varied childhood

I suppose this one is more on my parents than it is on me but I can't even explain how glad I am that my parents didn't just plonk me in front of the TV when I was young. Instead, we played in the garden and we played make-believe and we built things with lego and we made dens and we painted (for about 5 minutes after half an hour of set up and half an hour of clearing away; much to my mums delight) and we were read to and we had our spelling test homework turned into funny stories. And although I watch way too many Netflix series now that I'm (kindof) an adult, having a childhood like that has made me more intelligent and creative and it's one of the things I'm most glad for.

Skipped uni

I've mentioned this one quite a few times now but I can't even stress how glad I am that I went straight in to work and skipped university. My college tutors were always determined to try and tell me I didn't know my own mind; that I don't know what I want and I may change my mind later and it's better to still go through UCAS and apply anyway. My parents knew me better though; they knew that once my mind was made up that there was no changing it so they didn't even try. Fast forward 3 years and I've had 3 great jobs, I've got zero debt and I've just had a big pay rise, so it's safe to say that I regret nothing and it was one of the best choices I ever made.

Didn't wear foundation

Okay so this one is technically the greatest thing I never did, rather than something I did do. You know how it is in about year 8 when everyone suddenly starts discovering make up and boys and MSN. And of course, I jumped on the bandwagon with make up at first - dream matte mousse foundation, obviously, and I even had a gimmicky version that came with a little foam roller so that you could roll your foundation on to your face (although someone borrowed it and dug a big dent in it before I'd even used it yet - Sian). However, after about 6 months or so when everyone started moving on to actual liquid foundation, I just dropped it out completely and stuck to my ridiculously overdrawn eyeliner wings instead. And I'm so glad I gave up wearing foundation at that point because I feel like when you clog your skin at a young age, it makes it worse moving forward. So by not wearing it then, I don't need to wear it now. Meaning not only that my skin is in a nice condition now, but also that I don't have to spend loads on yet another thing for my makeup bag - win win!

Became fearless

It's hard to explain how or when this happened but when I look back, it's definitely one of the greatest things I ever did. And by fearless, I don't mean that I don't get scared of things. I still get scared of being near the edge of things (like cliffs or rivers or bridges) and I still get scared about losing my parents one day. But to live fearlessly, I think, is the ability to push those fears to back of your head and go out and live your life to the fullest. I know people that won't go on holiday because they're so scared of flying but I think it's important to let your hopes and dreams control you, not your fears. You have to dream as if you'll live forever and live as if you'll die today. I think that fearing what other people think is also a big thing that stops people from doing exactly what they want, but I realised a long time ago that caring what other people think is overrated. So apply for that job that you're not sure if you're experienced enough for, and take that trip, and message that person that you're scared may not reply. Learning to live my life that way was definitely one of the greatest things I ever did.

Started my blog

This is something that I did 4 years ago, pretty much to the day, and it's one of the best things I've done. I initially started my blog as something to put on my CV (because it sounds better than 'I enjoy socialising with friends and family') but it's become so much more than that. It's become a really enjoyable hobby and something useful to do on my lunch break at work and a platform for me to express my ideas and beliefs and (at times) political views, and a perfect excuse for a vain narcissist like me to take countless photos of myself (joke)(kind of). And since I now have over 44,000 views, it's clearly become something you guys like reading too. I've come a long way since I started my blog and I've just had to laugh to myself at the first couple of posts I ever wrote (mainly at my terrible taste in restaurants back then) but it is without a doubt, one of the greatest things I ever did. Happy blogiversary to me!