Today is my 29th birthday which I consider to be the perfect day to reflect on a few important things I’ve learnt in all of these years that have passed.

So let me share with you 29 things I’ve learnt:

1. Now is the only thing that’s real. The past has gone, the future is uncertain, so be present in this very moment. You will feel stress and anxiety fade away.
2. When one door closes, another will open – always. So don’t be scared, take risks, life will always go on.
3. There is a very close connection between your body and mind, psychosomatics is real.
4. Travelling on your own makes you grow so so much. Don’t let people that haven’t seen the world explain the world to you, go out there and make your own experiences.
5. Your health is one of your biggest gifts, never take it for granted and take care of your body because you only have this one.
6. Going vegan is not a sacrifice, it’s pure joy.
7. Never settle for anything that doesn’t make you happy. Everyone deserves to life a fulfilled life and the only person that can create this life is you and you alone. Noone is coming to save you.
8. Love always finds you when you least expect or need it, so stop looking for that perfect partner and relationship, it will all come when the time is right.
9. You can’t make your fears disappear but you can be scared and do it anyway.
10. A healthy diet, exercising and meditation are essentials for a healthy body and mind.
11. It’s okay to be passionate about a lot of very different things, to feel as if you have a lot of different interests and preferences that don’t seem to go together. Don’t put yourself in a box, don’t label yourself. You’re not a vegan, a teacher, a surfer, a metalhead, a mother, a cook, a writer, a traveller,.. you are you and you can be all of those things combined.
12. Don’t waste your time complaining about things you can’t change. Accept them and move on.
13. Always be grateful, even just for the smallest things in your life and remember that there is always something to be grateful for, even in your darkest days.
14. Spending money on experiences rather than materialistic things makes you so much happier.
15. Stop comparing yourself to others for you don’t know their whole story and you will never have another life than your own. Often you see other people have what you want to have. Instead of getting lost in envy, use it as inspiration and motivation to get to where you want to be.
16. Don’t wait for the perfect moment to start for this moment will never come. Start today.
17. People come and people go, it’s normal for common interests to change and for paths to divide.
18. Being a minimalist doesn’t just mean having less stuff you don’t need but also having less burdens, less distractions and more freedom.
19. Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.
20. Stop worrying and overthinking each and every single decision you have to make. Try to listen to your heart and intention. If it doesn’t feel right to you, it probably isn’t right.
21. Never let people who are unhappy with their own life poison your thoughts, dreams and goals, don’t listen to their advice. If you need advice, look for people who are happy and who already achieved what you want to achieve.
22. Spend as much time as possible in nature. These days we are so disconnected from nature, find that connection again. Nature calms, nature heals.
23. What you think, you become. What you imagine, you attract. So always be mindful about what you wish for and how you paint your future in your mind.
24. You can plan as much as you want, unexpected things are always going to happen.
25. Sometimes it’s okay to just let go of everything and enjoy your life without thinking about tomorrow. So go to that party, eat that cake, have that glass of wine, kiss that person.
26. Don’t take anything personal. How people treat you and what they say about you is only a reflection of their inner state of mind. So don’t worry too much about what other people might think of you. In the end all people mainly focus on themselves and their own life which lies in the nature of us humans.
27. There’s no such thing as failure. If something goes wrong it’s a lesson for you to grow.
28. Everything is temporary. If you’re going through a hard time, always remember that this too shall pass.
29. It’s totally okay to not have it all figured out, even at the age of 29.