courtney shields

Today is my 29th birthday. Wow, where has the time gone? In some ways, I feel like I just turned 16 yesterday. On my sixteenth birthday, my parents got me my first car. A white Ford Escape that I later named “Zippy”, because it was so speedy. My best friend Taylor came over and we drove Zippy around my parents cul-da-sac, blasting music and talking for a good two hours because we were just so excited that I could drive. In other ways, I can’t even remember being that girl. My oh my, how much can change in 13 years.

For today’s post, I thought it would be fun to get personal and share 29 things that I’ve learned in my first 29 years of life.

1. God is real / This is a long story, maybe for another time haha, but to keep it concise: I have always believed in a higher power, but I wasn’t quite sure what that looked like until this year. Now, I can joyfully stand and say, God is real and He is amazing.
2. What Sally says about Suzy, says more about Sally than Suzy – If someone is saying negative things about you, or has an issue with you, more often times than not, it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them. Be kind, take a deep breathe and try not to take it personally.
3. Kindness is free / The golden rule: Always treat others how you would like to be treated. Be kind, patient, and empathetic…it’s free.
4. It is what you make it / It’s not if life will try and knock you down, it’s when. The important thing is how you handle it. Put your big girl (or boy) pants on, say #NotToday life, find the silver lining and handle that ish.
5. When you know, you know / I always wondered – how would I know when I met the one? And well, it’s true. When you know, you know. It’s hard to explain the feeling, because it’s just that, a feeling. The only thing I can say is, trust me, you’ll know it when you feel it.
6. You can’t please everyone, you’re not a jar of Nutella / You can be the nicest, most kind and genuine person in the world and there are going to be certain people who still won’t like you and that’s quite alright. Personally, I’d rather be someone’s glass of whiskey, than everyones cup of tea. In the words of Taylor Swift, shake it off.
7. Gossip is for the birds – I learned this a long time ago. Don’t gossip, it’s not a good look.
8. Only compete with yourself / Strive everyday to get your personal best, and you’ll be much happier than if you compare yourself to others. You are the only person you should be competing with.
9. Love your body / I’m never going to be 5’9 or have a thigh gap and that’s a-ok. Love YOUR body, the amazing and perfect way it was made.
10. Be yourself / This is the whole motto of my blog, Bring Your Own Beauty. There is only one you, and that is the most amazing thing in the world. Embrace who you are and be the best version of that.
11. Dogs are a girls best friends, although diamonds are nice too / Dogs love unconditionally and that’s a beautiful thing. If you follow me on Snapchat, you probably see Berklee and Chase in my Snaps daily. Trust me when I say, pup cuddles are the best cure to a long day! But Alex, if you’re reading this, diamonds are nice too.
12. Don’t get caught up worrying what other people think / If I could go back, give me 13 year old self a big hug and this sage advice, I’d have saved myself a lot of time and energy.
13. Value time and people, not things / Life is all about experiences and the people we share them with. Don’t get me wrong, I have an appreciation and love for all things luxurious, but the older I get the more I realize that people and experiences are far more valuable.
14. When people show you their true colors, believe them. 
15. Support other women / Lift each other up, compliment each other, cheer for each other. There is enough room for everyone to succeed and it’s about time that women start supporting each other instead of trying to bring each other down.
16. Being imperfect is a good thing / Perfection is boring. Your quirks and differences are what make you, you. Embrace them!
17. Invest in your skin / If you’ve been following me for a while, you know how obsessed with skincare! I shared my updated routine this week, you can check it out here. Side note, my 25% off code for Tula is still good for another 2 weeks! (Courtneyfall25). 
18. Everything happens for a reason 
19. Busy people get more done / My mom told me this years ago and boy was she right! On the days when I seem to have the most to do, I get the most done. One of my favorite ways to stay organized and #girlboss it up is to make checklists. There is something so gratifying about checking things off and it’s an easy way to get everything out of your brain and onto paper. I highly recommend trying it if you haven’t!
20. You are stronger than you think / Never underestimate yourself. You’re stronger and more capable than you can possible know. You got this!
21. Rules are meant to be broken / Now, I don’t mean ignore stop signs and board a plane without you passport, but life has a set of ‘sillier’ rules. Don’t wear white after Labor Day, Don’t eat dessert first…ignore those kinds of rules.
22. Ditch the checklist / When looking for your person, ditch the checklist and follow your instincts. Someone can be perfect on paper, but not perfect for you, so don’t get hung up on the little things. After all, you never know who you could be missing :).
23. Family is everything / Cherish them and tell them you love them as much as you can.
24. The right lipstick can make all the difference / But really…it can. Not just to flatter your face but to help you feel like you can conquer the world. Sometimes it’s the littlest things that make the biggest difference.
25. Confidence is key / Be confident but humble. It’s a fine line, but one worth walking.
26. Learn to say no / Don’t overload yourself with more than you can handle. It’s ok to say no!
27. Everyone has a ‘love language, know yours! / This is one of my favorite books. It’s based on the idea that everyone has a love language, a way we recieve love. Knowing yours will help you understand what you need from your future spouse (or even friends and family), and what they need from you! Alex and I love gifting this book as a wedding present because it really is great!
28. Kindness isn’t weakness
29. The key to having it all is knowing that you already do / This is one of my favorite quotes of all time. Live in a state of thanksgiving. Thank God for not only the big things in your life, but the little things too. It’s amazing how being thankful can change your perspective.

I’m feeling especially blessed today. Thank you all so much for following along, it really means more than you know. You’re messages and comments constantly make my day and I am truly thankful for each and every one of you.

Image sources: Balloons /  1