ANNA M ERICKSON

 101 Things I learned at 22

 
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  1. Self care is gorilla warfare. 

  2. Breakups are beautiful because they’re an invitation to reinvent yourself. 

  3. Say “Thank You” when you mean it. 

  4. Give to others for your own pleasure. 

  5. When you’re getting ready, sometimes there comes a point where you just have to decide you look hot and head out the door. 

  6. You do not have to look any certain way to be the most seductive person in the room. 

  7. Make sure you find yourself beautiful in your work clothes. 

  8. But also remember to buy sexy clothes for outside of work. 

  9. Regime your beauty treatments to make it easier to keep up. 

  10. Remember to sleep.

  11. Take your vitamins. 

  12. Notice who are the energy givers versus takers. 

  13. You’ll know when it’s time to move out of your parent’s house. 

  14. Trust yourself. 

  15. You can talk yourself into anything. Use it to your advantage. And, vice versa. 

  16. You will have doubts about your job, but don’t dwell on it. 

  17. Do something about it or stop complaining. 

  18. Take life by the horns.

  19. A girl can wait for the right man to come along, but in the meantime that doesn’t mean she can’t have a wonderful time with all the wrong ones. 

  20. Subscribe to Masterclass

  21. And Rent The Runway.

  22. Take yourself out for a solo drink. 

  23. Guard your reputation at work. 

  24. Cash in: to your reputation and your relationships (what’s the point if you never use them).

  25. Showing up everyday in your radiance everyday will take you further than the “homework” you lost yourself over (and will be forgotten).

  26. Know what the priority is.  

  27. It will be hard to fail if your colleagues want you to succeed. 

  28. People are more forgiving to those which they like. 

  29. The universe has more grace than you think. 

  30. Being imperfect makes you loveable. 

  31. Bank your luck. 

  32. Do good when you’re doing good. 

  33. Rest when you are not. 

  34. At work, do not inflate your importance.

  35. If you die, they will just rehire a new you. 

  36. Do the “catch up” dates with friends you haven’t seen in years. 

  37. Learn how to go to events by yourself. You’ll have just as much fun. 

  38. Only buy Stuart Weitzman and Christian Louboutin.

  39. You can’t go wrong with light pink or red nails.

  40. Continue to get your lashes done in NJ. It’s worth it. 

  41. Failures will happen, but don’t let them define you. 

  42. Embarrassments will happen, but you are more courageous than you think. 

  43. Remember that you are young. Allow yourself to be it. 

  44. Learn to dust yourself off and move on. You’re even better now. 

  45. Everything will be better in the morning. 

  46. Decide whose opinions mean the most.

  47. Know who really cares. 

  48. Don’t assume anyone can read your mind. 

  49. Communication is not monolithic. 

  50. Speak the language of your counterparty. 

  51. The more languages you can speak, the more you can get what you want. 

  52. Play the story out to the end. 

  53. Revise as needed. 

  54. Learn what turns you on. 

  55. Ask to be pleasured.

  56. Set people up to succeed by asking for things they are apt to give you (play to their strengths; you are the puppetmaster). 

  57. It’s much more fun to watch people succeed. 

  58. If you knew they would fail, don’t blame them. 

  59. Never outshine the master; make them seem genius; it will take you further. 

  60. Dressing like a rockstar will help you stop being a victim. 

  61. Never be a victim. 

  62. But know when to play the victim. 

  63. Celebrate the wins often. Train your brain to repeat them.

  64. Look for beauty. The world is full of it. 

  65. You’re not doing too much because you bought a jersey for a sports game date. If you’re having fun, he will have more fun. 

  66. Don’t hide your excitement. 

  67. Don’t let anyone ruin your excitement. 

  68. Notice the moments where you are playing (just as you did as a kid). 

  69. Do more of that. 

  70. Notice the feelings you are truly having versus those that are expected to be had in the situation you have found yourself. 

  71. Untangle this mess; then, follow your instinct. 

  72. Set goals. Big ones. 

  73. Do quarterly check-ins with yourself. You’ll achieve so much more this way. 

  74. Amuse people. 

  75. Aw people. 

  76. Notice when you cause disillusionment.

  77. Be careful what you do afterwards. 

  78. Notice what makes someone fun to be around. 

  79. Use anger to your advantage. 

  80. Be the immortal phoenix.

  81. Know when to scream: don’t tread on me. 

  82. Spend time with different types of people. 

  83. A lot of older people do political campaigning. 

  84. A lot of creative people take improv classes. 

  85. A lot of corporate people go skiing. 

  86. Learn from all of them. 

  87. When making a decision, often one option is not better than another. Just choose.

  88. Sometimes inaction is the worst decision. 

  89. Beware of the waiting room.

  90. Life is meant to be lived more than figured out. Notice when it is paused. 

  91. NYC will break you down and build you back up a million times over if you let it. 

  92. Let it. 

  93. Healing hurts and takes time, but those who have done it would do it all again to reach the other side. It’s worth every tear. 

  94. Buy yourself a champion ring when you do. 

  95. Learn to celebrate yourself.

  96. Do it better than anyone else. 

  97. Give your heart to those deserving. 

  98. But never leave your happiness in the hands of others. 

  99. Notice all the things you are doing today that you dreamed of. 

  100. In every situation, go higher. 

  101. Remember: your name is in rooms you haven’t entered yet.