I don’t pretend to know it all. I don’t pretend to have all the answers. I don’t even pretend to have come close to mastering all the things below.

But what I do know is that we must live with open hearts and open eyes to pick up on what the universe is trying to teach us. Awareness allows us to grow. This past year has given me endless opportunities—whether I’ve enjoyed it or not—to learn from this life. I want to share that light with the world in hopes that it will help you expand your awareness and growth as well. We are all in this together, holding each other’s hands as we stumble and fall and get back up throughout this beautiful journey of life.

Here are 27 things I’ve learned in 27 years of life.

1. Until you learn to be okay being alone, you will never be okay being with someone else.

2. Self-care is not selfish. Self-care is essential to your well-being.

3. Vulnerability creates connection.

4. It is no one else’s responsibility to do your self-growth and healing for you. It’s up to you to put in the work.

5. It’s okay for friendships to ebb and flow and not remain the same as they always have. It’s okay for old friends to fade away and new friends to come into your life.

6. Having a pump up playlist to listen to when you’re down is an easy way to boost your mood.

7. Everyone should have some go-to daily affirmations to repeat to themselves. They may not seem like they’re helping much in the moment, but over time your conscious and subconscious mind will start to believe them.

8. Life will continue to give you the same lesson over and over until you have finally mastered it.

9. When you say “yes” to more experiences and opportunities, you will be surprised by how many doors begin to open.

10. Turning to external sources for internal validation will always leave you feeling empty and not enough.

11. It’s okay to be seen starting at the bottom. No one starts at the top.

12. God always answers your prayers with, “Yes,” “Yes, but not now,” or “No, because I have something even better for you in store.”

13. Sometimes ice cream really is the answer.

14. Unaddressed or unacknowledged issues from your past will continue to carry forward in your relationships until you take the time to work through them.

15. You are strong enough to do that thing you once thought you couldn’t do.

16. Healing is not linear. It involves steps forward followed by steps backward, and that is perfectly normal.

17. The quality of your friendships is more important than the quantity of your friendships.

18. You can have fun and be fun without alcohol.

19. Self-compassion. Self-compassion. Self-compassion.

20. When you give back to this world, the universe will bless you by giving back to you.

21. It’s okay to simply say no to people. You don’t need to come up with made up excuses.

22. Don’t always take your healing so seriously. Sometimes you just need to be silly and have a good belly laugh.

23. Your past does not define you. “If you are grateful for where you are now, you have to respect the road that got you there.” — Cleo Wade

24. People might say you’ve changed—take this as a compliment, not a personal attack.

25. Without your body, you quite literally have nothing. Respect it. Nourish it. Exercise it.

26. You have the capacity to reprogram your mind from the beliefs you’ve been conditioned to believe. It is possible to change your thoughts.

27. The energy you put out is the energy you attract.