Yesterday was the day I have blown out my 26 birthday candles. While it is just about getting one year older, I feel I have learnt so much in my life as a 25-year-old that make the age of 26 even better. Because of all the experiences gained and the feelings felt, my 25-year-old me has paved the way for my 26-year-old self in the following ways..

I am more independent
Starting my own blog at the age of 25 has helped me to become more independent than before. Choosing what kind of content to create and determining the layout of my website are just two of the many things I got to decide on as a blogger. These decisions allow me to rely so much on myself that I have gradually gained more self-confidence and became more independent. Also professionally I got to challenge my ability to be independent on a daily basis. The nature of my role as online marketing consultant makes me to independently take the lead in making decisions of what is best for clients from my specialisation.

I am a better me
Everyday I am working to be a better me. This always will be a work in progress for as long as I live. In the past year I feel I have made a lot of progress in this respect. For me, becoming a better self is not only about achieving my life goals but also the relationship I have with myself. I learnt to love myself more and I know my own self-value. Therefore I become better in indicating my boundaries and viewpoint, in both my personal and professional lives. I used to be very critical of myself which literally blocks me from enjoying live to the fullest. Now I know better how to let go of things which I can not control. This also means to embrace my flaws and to be at ease with my imperfections. This, in turn, makes me to realise my self-worth and helps me to better indicate my boundaries & viewpoints.

I am a better sister and daughter
My family is my priority number one. My love for them increases with age. The more I experience, the more I realise how important it is to cherish our relationship. Our mutual understanding increases everyday. Even if in times we do not talk, we know exactly what we are thinking. That is so special about family. No matter what challenges life brings, learnings or chances, I try to be there for my parents and sister every minute of the day.

I am a better friend
I come to accept the fact that you simply cannot be friends with everyone. In life, where everything changes continuously, it is totally fine that some people you get along with previously take their own path and say goodbye to you for good. It is not about the quantity but rather the quality of friendships. Although my life get busier as I get older, I become better in trying to plan dates with friends in advance. Once a date is marked it will be solid. Between these dates, short phone calls also help me to keep in touch with my friends and to get to know what they are up to.

I enjoy being alone
If there is one thing I have learnt from being one year older is that being alone is far from being lonely. Being alone means that I can enjoy and feel at ease to be at my own. I appreciate the time that I am just with myself. Although I very enjoy being together with friends and family, I also appreciate the times when I am just surrounded by nobody but myself. That is why I can optimally enjoy of reading a good book and make my own drawings. It is then when I can really tune into my inner self and listen to my feelings.Cheers to another year!

Until next time.

Love always,

Mee-Ling