How time flies when you’re having fun! I can’t believe that it’s been a year since I first launched this site; and what a year it has been. Through the ups and downs, I’ve learned a lot about myself. This blog has brought personal reflection that has shown me parts of myself that I had no idea existed, things that I never would have considered.

I’ve always been a very particular person, and my time with this blog has made it even more evident, especially in everyday life. This semester, I’m currently taking philosophy (definitely a new favorite subject). In the class, we’re currently in the middle of our chapter on “self” and what it means to be an individual. While I could go off on a rant regarding my thoughts on this topic, I’ll save that for another post. Meanwhile, I’ll stay simple and just say that I’m currently having a slight crisis regarding whether my true self is authentic or not. I’ll let y’all know when I figure that one out 😉

Even more recently, we had an assignment in my Creative Writing class entitled “Teach Us Delight in Simple Things.” While the objective was to write about one thing that has impacted us, it has slightly inspired this post.

Ok, so how will I manage to pull together my one year anniversary, my philosophical crisis, and a past Creative Writing assignment? Well, one major component of all 3 is self-reflection. I’ve spent the past couple of weeks trying to figure out how I want to celebrate this milestone in my life, and these 3 kept popping up. So, I thought I would share some of my reflection all-while shedding some more light on who I am.

Everything that I do is with reason and purpose, nothing slips past meaningless. There is thought to each and every one of my actions; perhaps that’s the method to my madness. So, without further ado, my personal philosophies for a happy life:

1. Find a good comfort movie and don’t be ashamed of it. Own it! Personally, I can’t pick one, but I highly recommend either Sweet Home Alabama, The Princess Diaries 1 & 2, Newsies or Cars. Just a movie that will provide immediate comfort and relief from any bad day.
   

2. Sweet potato fries can fix anything. Heartbreak, disappointment, or sorrow. They also go with just about anything. My go-to sweet potato fries are the one’s from Order-Up in Lincoln Heights. They’re always crispy and have just the right amount of salt.

3. Cherish your friends. This past year I grew closer to my best friend and I don’t know how I managed before I met her. She’s my closest confidant, my partner in crime. I feel like this past year we’ve gone through so much, separately and together, and I couldn’t image doing any of it without her.

4. Don’t be afraid to take time for yourself. This year, I’ve found that every once in awhile it’s ok to take an hour, night, or day to de-stress and re-group in whatever way needed. My favorite is Chinese take-out, my favorite candle (Vanilla Birch; I will die for this scent), and a new movie or show (could be a comfort movie…depends on the mood).

5. Find your signature style. I’ll admit…I haven’t always been one for fashion. That is until I found what works for me. I now have a personal elegance in my wardrobe that I couldn’t image myself without. The way you dress is one of the first things people notice about you, so you should mirror your outward appearance with your inner one.

6. Don’t throw away the old ways. I understand that the times are changing, but some things are better left untouched. The art of letter writing, good manners, books, records, and so much more have such strong impacts. Don’t lose sight of things that bring you joy, especially if others don’t like it.

While these philosophies don’t have to be directly translated into your own life, they come highly recommended. It took time to find what worked, so you might have to do the same as well. It’s nice knowing that despite how crazy life gets, you’ll always have something sound to fall back on.