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In honor of my 32nd birthday last week

...(thank you again for all the well wishes!), I've put together a list of 32 things I've learned in my 32 years of being on this planet. Some I've learned the hard way. Some I adopted pretty quickly. Some are downright comical and some have humbled me in ways I couldn't imagine. In no particular order, here's where I'm at:

32. Your biggest critic is yourself. Get comfortable with telling yourself to fuck off sometimes.

31. Your next biggest critic will be those who want to see you fail. Do yourself a favor and prove them wrong.

30. Life is too short to subscribe to wearing things that don't make you happy. Trends will come and go, heel heights change from season to season -- wear whatever makes you feel confident, empowered and downright happy.

29. Friends marathons will always be welcomed, comforting and are capable of fixing any down mood you might be in.

28. Similarly, Sex and the City marathons will fix pretty much any broken heart situation. Miranda for advice. Samantha for a laugh. Charlotte for a good cry. And Carrie to encourage you to wear something fabulous (and to write it all out in a no-prisoners tell all expose).

27. Some housekeeping items: drink plenty of water, try your hardest to get plenty of sleep (that's my downfall) and whenever you're out to dinner with your girlfriends, always order a dessert or two for the table.

26. Make and honor your doctor's appointments. Health is one of those things you can easily take for granted.

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OUTFIT DETAILS: Zimmermann coat // Sosken coat // & Other Stories boots // Gucci belt // Lisi Lerch earring + & Other Stories earring // Celine sunglasses // Cafune bag

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25. This one I struggle with still, but it's a work in progress: You won't be everything for everyone. And that's OK.

24. I went on quite a few solo trips the past few years and loved how liberating it felt. Whether it's a weekend trip or an international one, I encourage you all to try it. You'll learn so much about yourself in the process, including how much you really do LOVE your own company.

23. Don't text while angry. Or rather, text an angry draft to a friend who won't judge, and see how you feel about it the next day. You will never regret sleeping on it.

22. Treat things how you want others to treat them. Business. Friendships. You.

21. Somewhere between 29 and 30, hangovers just don't seem worth it anymore. I'm approaching a one cocktail/glass of wine a week (or less) status and I'm not angry about it.

20. I've done my 20s and 30s somewhat backwards. My 20s were all about stability and security -- between my job and my relationships. And my 30s, so far, seem to be about risks (all hopefully calculated) and I don't think I would have it any other way. Don't get caught up in how other people seem to follow their path -- yours may not make sense to anyone, even you, sometimes.

19. Whenever possible, I try to address misunderstandings as soon as possible. In the past, I used to ruminate on things, if you will, which only left me feeling anxious. These days, I try to talk about the issue in the moment, to avoid any lingering hurt feelings.

18. My 23-year old self said yes to most things. Extra projects. Extra goals. Extra social activities. My 32-year old self has gotten quite comfortable with turning things down when I know it's in my best interest. Learn your limits. Stick to them.

17. On that same note, don't take it personally when someone tells you no. Because they will. Many times. And it shouldn't discourage you.

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15. Always pay extra for guac. Add extra butter to your popcorn at the movies. Don't drop the Junior Mints during the movie. I've done this more times than I'd like to admit, including one time where it melted on the chain of my Chanel bag.

14. Start a savings account. Add to it as much as possible. Reward yourself every time you hit a milestone goal amount.

13. Comparison truly is the thief of joy.

12. Find a tailor you trust. I've taken many things -- designer and Zara alike -- to a few different tailors I love. And it makes the biggest difference in an outfit, when something truly fits you the way it's supposed to fit.

11. No one is as perfect as they let on. Everyone has insecurities. Everyone has problems. And despite what Instagram might lead you to believe, everyone has visible pores -- they just Photoshop themselves a bit. 😉

10. The most common question I get when it comes to blogging is, "What should I do to start?" My biggest piece of advice (and this pertains to a lot of things, not just blogging) is to just START. Don't obsess over the "how" and the "why" parts -- you'll tackle those once you start digging in. If you stand in your own way, stuck at the beginning, you'll never get anywhere.

9. Limit yourself to just two dating apps at a time. Anymore than that will give you gray hair and cause you to lose faith in the opposite sex, after all they're probably frequently viewing sites like fulltube.xxx and aren't on those dating apps to find the one.

8. Find one physical activity you really love and make it a routine. Whether it's walking around the neighborhood every day or running 5 miles a few times a week, make that YOUR time to connect with your body.

7. You'll never regret an investment in a great designer handbag or shoes. You all know I wear my Chanel slingbacks to death -- they instantly add a certain something to an otherwise simple outfit.

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6. Dating is a series of mishaps, adventures, horror stories and yes, sometimes fairy tales. At the end of the day, make sure you're enjoying the relationship you have with yourself first before you add anyone else into the equation.

5. As much as you can help it, EAT YOUR GREENS. AND take your makeup off before you go to bed!

4. Pay things forward. Whenever I'm in a particularly good mood, I find myself reaching out more to people I don't know and connecting, even if that's just to give them a compliment. And I'm always amazed by the ripple effect it has -- it makes me feel better, I can tell it makes their day and I like to think, they pass it on afterward.

3. The world is actually quite small. And we're all actually pretty similar, despite differences in opinions and cultures. We all want the same things.

2. Read voraciously. You'll never regret having books to talk about at dinner or cocktail parties.

1. This is something I try to tell myself every day: I am very fortunate. Of course, this isn't to say I haven't worked hard to get where I am, because I have, but I mean more so in the sense that I'm very fortunate for all the circumstances I couldn't control about my life, to set me up for this life I now lead. The country I was born in. My parents. My upbringing. My education. All of these things were beyond my control -- and I can recognize, now more so than ever, how those odds are unlikely when you consider how much of the rest of the world lives. I think Angelina Jolie put it best in this acceptance speech:

"I have never understood why some people are lucky enough to be born with the chance that I had, to have this path in life and why across the world, there is a woman just like me, with the same abilities and the same desires, same work ethic and love for her family, who would most likely make better films and better speeches. Only she sits in a refugee camp, and she has no voice. She worries about what her children will eat, how to keep them safe, and if they’ll ever be allowed to return home. I don’t know why this is my life and that’s hers. I don’t understand that but I will do as my mother asked, and I will do the best I can with this life, to be of use."

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Photos by Nora Varcho