Feeling 22

22 Things I’ve Learned at 22

Before I say anything, I must say thank you.

Feeling so unbelievably loved. The deepest thank you to everyone who made my birthday, and this year, so special. I can not say thank you enough. To all who texted, called, instastoried, tweeted, or wished me “HBD,” there has been a smile glued onto my face all day because of you.

I said in my Miss America interview that “I am a collection of everyone I have ever met,” and this year I have been reminded time and time again how true this statement is. I see so often in my life that my ideas, my habits, my perspectives, and my actions all go back to an interaction I’ve had with another human being.

With it being the #fourthquarter of my reign, I am constantly nostalgic and reflective. Hence, listing 22 ideas, statements, and montras I have learned by my 22nd birthday. Here we go.

1. Coffee naps are essential: You drink a cup of coffee, fall asleep during the 20 minutes it takes to kick in, wake up super happy and loving the coffee nap life.

2. Find a “why” that is not about yourself. Whatever your goals or dreams are, whatever your “why” is, I am a firm believer that our second, or even our third reason “why” should all be the same. If you know “why,” you can endure any “how.”

3. Only start watching netflix if it is before 10 pm…you will end up watching all 9 seasons of The Office five times over. I had to learn this one the hard way.

4. A cup of tea can solve any problem.

5. Take time to invest in your mental health: make phone calls to people you love, make tea, work out, eat good foods, drink more water, put your phone away. Even just for stamina’s sake.

6. Airplanes make good time for meditation, or movie watching.

7. Talk about your heartaches. The greatest conversations and the best friendships I have found start by transparency. Being able to look at your struggles outside of your brain helps to reduce the size of their hold on your heart, and creates deeper fellowship with the people around you.

8. Listen to other peoples’ stories, life perspectives, and ideas. There is so much life that goes on that we don’t know about, that is equally as validated as your own. This is something being an art major taught me. Learning to have an open mind and an open heart lead to a more colorful life.

9. Find what sets your soul on fire and run with it. I know and believe that we are all given gifts, and now more than ever we have an obligation to make a difference with whatever our gifts are.

10. Journal. Don’t let your instagram be your only life recorder.

11. Thunderstruck by ACDC is the perfect interview pump up song. {To all my pageant ladies, find a hype song that you can play in your head before interview, swim, and talent. To everyone else, find a hype song that you can play because life.}

12. Pro Tip: airplanes are freezing 9 times out of 10. Bring extra socks.

13. At Starbucks, it’s more fun if you mumble your name when they ask for it.

14. Ask questions. Learn lots. You’re not suppose to know everything. Find every chance to ask questions about life outside your own.

15. Fill your brain with what you want to talk about. Only follow people that inspire you on Instagram. Tell yourself truth.

16. You can not be grateful and anxious at the same time.

17. Always wear a shower cap when getting a spray tan.

18. Give yourself grace. You are perfectly imperfect, and you are always more than enough.

19. Make a list of things that make you happy. i.e. listening to music on rainy days, people reuniting at airports, anything related to Christmas, when that first sip of coffee in the morning touches your soul, seeing wildflowers on the side of the road.

20. When working towards a goal, train so hard that when it comes time to your performance, speech, interview, all you have to do is press “play”.

21.  Surround yourself with people that make you a better you.

22. This is one I am still learning: You will not make everyone happy, and that is okay. It is more than okay, it is normal. One trait of mine that has caused me the most anxiety is the desire to please people, and the desire to be liked. This fleeting idea that happiness comes when everyone around you is happy, not only cripples joy, it makes it impossible to be content. I am constantly learning that it is not my responsibility to change the emotions of the people surrounding me, but rather my responsibility to make decisions that lead towards healthy solutions, even if at first they seem daunting.

And I am still learning, everyday.

Again I must say thank you. I would not be the Miss America I am today or the Savvy I am today if it was not for all of you. I am forever grateful, and for this year, forever #feeling22.

So much love,