28 Things I Have Learned By 28

Well y’all, I am officially one year older which means I am one-year wiser right? Whether or not that is true is to be determined 😉 This past Sunday was my 28th birthday and I am sitting here wondering where the time has gone? Though a lot has happened in this past year, I still feel like a kid most times. Always learning. Always making mistakes. Repeatedly feeling like I have absolutely no idea what I am doing… yet doing my absolute best to follow my dreams anyways.

At 28, I feel better than ever. I am in an amazing marriage with my best friend (and now business partner – still so crazy to say that), happier than ever, mentally and physically stronger, more successful, wiser (again, TBD), more confident, less self-conscious, and more optimistic. So, I would say I am doing pretty okay 😊 But of course, like most driven people, I have had many times this year where I felt like I needed to be doing MORE. Like what I was doing was not enough. This has been a common feeling ever since we launched Body By Riss. But, that’s life! All I know is that I am doing my best and the rest will fall into place as God has planned.

Since I started this blog and became a business owner this year, I thought it would be fun to share 28 things I have learned in 28 years. I still have a long way to go and a lot more growing to do, but here are 28 things that I wish I would have known earlier and could have told a younger Riss, and ones that I hope might help you on your own life’s journey.

1. To have patience and remember the power in prayer – God has a plan and trying to rush it will not work. Trust me! This one has been big for me lately. Learning to put everything in God’s hands and knowing he has your back is the greatest lesson you can teach yourself. There are so many things that are simply out of my hands and by giving up this control to God, I allow him to reveal what his plan is for me. Whenever you are in a situation that seems unfair or you feel lost and unsure, remind yourself that God’s not ignoring you. He just loves you too much to answer your prayers at any other time than the right time.

2. To give myself grace – I AM NOT PERFECT! After years of struggling with perfectionism, I feel like I finally know that it is ok to not be perfect and to just be a little kinder to myself.

3. To live in the moment more – We all have jobs and a life to tend to but living in the moment is good for the soul and we should all work on doing it more.

4. To be spontaneous – Along with my perfectionist/extreme Type A personality and attitude (which I am working on) has come the need to ALWAYS have a plan. Learning to let go and go with the flow is so important! As my husband would say, #RissBreezy

5. Do not take feedback & criticism too personally – Most of the time people are not trying to be rude, so do not assume the worst and just roll with it.

6. Always strive to live up to my potential – Reach for the stars! Never stop challenging yourself. Whether in fitness, business, or life, just keep pushing! You will be amazed at how far you end up going. The only way to keep growing as a person is to constantly challenge yourself. What does this mean? It means that when you meet your goals, it is time to make new ones. It means you should keep trying new things, no matter how difficult they are for you. It means you should always be pushing yourself to do something new, to step out of your comfort zone, to keep growing and improving no matter what.

7. To strive for balance in all areas of my life – I strongly believe that balance is the key to long-term happiness, but I also think that “balance” is kind of a unicorn word. As in, I do not know if I totally believe in it since I find it kind of impossible to feel balanced 24/7. Know what I mean? It is hard to feel balanced 100% of the time, but I am working on it. Whether it is work, play, fitness, indulgences, it is all about finding a balance that keeps you healthy, happy, and driven.

8. To fail and to fail often – Most people avoid failure as much as possible, but what most people do not understand is that anyone who has been successful (an athlete, an entrepreneur, an author, a small business owner) has failed in some way or another. In fact, they have probably failed a lot. But that is the thing about failure, it usually leads to success. That is, if you do not give up. So, try new things as often as possible. Follow your dreams. Fail. Then learn from your mistakes and move on.

9. Listen – I think I have always been a decent listener, but I have learned over the years that there is so much more value in actually hearing people than just sitting there thinking about what you are going to say next.

10. Family time is good for the soul – Time off with family should ALWAYS be a priority!

11. Take care of my skin – Wear sunscreen daily!!! I have done this since I was in college (wish I would have started sooner) and it has helped so much! Who has time for wrinkles?! Also, quality skincare is EVERYTHING! Make sure you invest in your skincare. A good, clean, non-toxic skincare line is well worth the money. And while you are at it, invest in some good silk pillowcases. Trust me, your hair and skin will thank you! My Nanny (grandma) always had silk pillowcases and now I totally get it.

12. Always make drinking enough water a priority – Hydration is the key to health after all!

13. Eat healthy and clean – Organic is definitely worth the extra money. Really all good, unprocessed foods are worth spending the extra money on. If you load your body up with fresh veggies, lean proteins, and unprocessed foods, you are likely to feel more energized, have better digestion, better skin, less bloating, I could go on and on! Try it! Before you know it, you will start craving that feeling of feeling so good that you will not even think about going back to eating any other way. You are what you eat after all. So don’t be cheap, fast, or fake. It is pretty simple… eat crap, feel/look like crap. The choice is yours.

14. To value and make time for my health – I think this speaks for itself, but let’s chat a little about it. Our bodies work so hard for us every day and many times we treat them terrible. Investing in your health may seem cumbersome or daunting but think about how much time you spend watching Netflix or scrolling through social media. If you could spend even 1/4 of that time practicing self-care think about how much better you’ll feel in the long run. Take the time to exercise, drink more water, eat intuitively, etc. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself.

15. Do something active every day – While getting in a workout 5x a week is great. It is what you do outside of your planned workouts that really makes the difference. Whether it is walking to the store instead of driving, going for a lunch break walk instead of sitting with your coworkers, or choosing to go on a hike for your rest day rather than sitting around binging Netflix all day, it all adds up. Aim to do something active every day, no matter what.

16. Be thankful for my parents – I have always been thankful for them, but the older I get, the more it grows. I seriously do not know what I would do without them.

17. The value in asking for help – I have learned that no matter how hard I try I cannot do everything on my own. I have learned that it is okay to ask for help! It does not make you weak or any less capable. Do what you need for your sanity!

18. To appreciate the journey – Not to get too deep, but it really is true what they say, life is more about the journey (that is where all the learning happens) than the destination.

19. To have gratitude and to express it – Saying thank you and showing your appreciation is so important!

20. Do not take time for granted – It is safe to say that life is literally flying by and I am trying harder and harder to savor every moment.

21. Not everyone will like you, and that is okay - We spend so much of our years trying to fit in… but at what cost? What I have found is when you no longer tie your self-worth to the thoughts of others, that is when you will truly thrive.

22. Experiences > material items - Travel whenever and wherever you can! Traveling opens up your eyes to the world! It lets you experience new things, new people, new tastes, and new sights. When you travel, you will be changed forever! I know COVID has made it impossible to travel this year, but eventually we will all be able to see the world again and we will appreciate it that much more.

23. Always celebrate the little things – Learning to celebrate your accomplishments is really an important skill, and yet, it is one of the hardest things for most of us to learn. I am still working on this, it is so easy for me to move from one thing to the next without taking any time to celebrate what I have accomplished (that is my “I should and could be doing something more” mentality), but I am working on it. It is always fun to pop a bottle of champagne, no matter how big or small the accomplishment. And we all know that I am good at that kind of celebration 😉

24. Take the chance and dream big – You never want to be wondering “what if” years down the road. Do not let others or your own hesitations hold you back from going after what you really want. Following your dreams is scary but living a life full of regrets is even scarier. Dream big and hustle hard! There is really no other way to live. If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.

25. Ditch the excuses – Excuses will not get you anywhere in life. ACTION is the only thing that gets you there. Stop making excuses, and just do it!

26. Never, ever give up – No matter what you do, keep pushing forward in everything you do. It will not always be easy, but if you stick with it, success will come.

27. Getting older is not something to dread – So much wisdom comes with getting older. It truly is a privilege!

28. YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY SHOES (OR LEGGINGS) – I think we should end on a lighter note shall we! Let’s be real… a good pair of shoes (I am talking both heels and tennis) can make you feel like you are on top of the world! I have been dubbed shoe queen and I am not mad about that title AT ALL haha! And leggings are basically pants now so it is obviously good to have plenty of those. 😉

I’ll leave you with this - The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate… So here’s to 28 years!

-Body By Riss