"I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22!" is the first thing I heard when the clock struck 12 am on March 9th 2018. In my silk polka dot pyjamas I danced on the couch followed by the Happy Birthday chants of my energetic sisters and mother. Yes beautiful people, this "woman" has turned the ripe age of 22 years old and for the first time in my life it actually feels incredible to turn a year older.

You see, up till a few months ago I was 100% convinced that I had been struck with the Peter Pan syndrome. I had the greatest fear of growing up and becoming older. It didn't get to the point where I was breaking clocks and cursing time, oh no. Just the pure feeling of more responsibility and more pressure from society scared the bejeebers out of me. I couldn't understand how people could live their lives without any kind of fulfilment and hold on to that routine for another 30 - 40 years.

So what changed? April 2017 changed. Previously I wrote about my experience at the Almond Blossom retreat in Ibiza. The temple of love that led me to stepping into my female power. What I didn't mention in that post is an experience that shaped the course of my ageing mindset. An experience that turned my inner Peter Pan into Wendy Darling.

During the first day of my monthly mess, as I called it back then, I experienced the same pains and set backs as I have for years on a monthly basis. I was feeling all sorts of aches and I'm sure my emotional pains shone brightly out of my hunched body. Being on this magical hill in the beautiful Spanish heat with 12 women, a few of us shared our period stories. A lovely young woman by the name of Ella, shared how the first day of our monthly we should be most grateful. You see, in these particular few days every month we are most aligned with the Universe. On our first day we have the strongest connection with the cosmos than any other day! She taught me to cherish this day every single month and be very aware of my thoughts, emotions and events happening on this day.

As I lay down separate from the rest I closed my eyes under the shadow of a large palm leave. Setting the intention to love my body through all the pains, I made it my will to connect with this female energy that I supposedly have. In this moment it all changed for me. Like a film role I was receiving scene after scene of what looked like someone's film story. I quickly figured that this wasn't any story. It was mine. Future snippets of what's to come and one scene that still stands out like bullet till this day. The birth of one of my children.

Now this may sound super strange and eerlingly spiritual, but this is part of my spiritual journey. Someone who is opening up to receiving signs, visions and lessons from every corner of the Universe. It showed me that one day I will have children, and that I'll need to be ready to give my all and be the teacher that they have been waiting patiently to meet. I started crying out of shock and so much gratitude for this beautiful first day of my period. Consoled by my mother who had just experienced a similar vision, we embraced and smiled and talked and loved. From this day on I have made a promise to myself that I would do everything in my power to be the most complete, rounded person I can be. The most pure, well-hearted and beautiful version of myself I can be. And so that growth and wisdom comes with growing older.

It's in this past year I have opened myself up to so many more lessons that I graciously want to share with you today! Here are 22 of the most important lessons I have learned in 22 years:

1. Your heart is always guiding you on the path to your inner purpose.

2. Music is an emotional support empowering your thinking and thoughts.

3. Family will always be your number 1 home base, in whatever form, shape or size that may be.

4. Life started with a single bacteria, which makes us more connected than we think.

5. Everyone has their own story, so treat everyone as their own individual.

6. To live a balanced life, is to master the skill of energy management.

7. Life is a journey in which we are led forward by mysterious coincidences.

8. Everyone who crosses our path has a message for us.

9. Being conscious of our energy is the first step towards fulfilling our potential and purpose.

10. Life requires more than knowledge; it requires intense feeling and constant energy. This combination will lead to ultimate happiness and peace.

11. Sun rays through your window are a sign that you're on the right path.

12. The moment you open yourself up to the unknown, the moment everything will fall into place.

13. Be honest with yourself, and admit to both ups and downs.

14. You can't change people that don't want to be changed.

15. You can truly have the greatest laughs with none other than yourself.

16. When you let go of the thoughts you have about yourself, you enhance the value you can bring to others.

17. Sometimes you have to invest more than you have to gain back more than you have.

18. You'll never be ready, so never let time excuse you from creating a change now.

19. Your mother is ALWAYS right!

20. Life is simple. Don't make it any harder than it truly is.

21. When you believe that everything is possible, all your greatest dreams may truly come true.

22. Becoming a year older is a beautiful sign of growth, wisdom and time whose always ticking for you to do what you have come here to do.

I can now only embrace growing older as a sign of baby steps towards becoming a more complete individual. A conscious individual that can't wait to be a teacher of her own children. Now that's something to look forward to and I thank the cosmos for the unique and stunning existence of time.

"I look forward to being older, when what you look like becomes less and less an issue and what you are is the point." - Susan Sarandon

Lots of love,

Yasmin

(thumbnail photo by Loretta Delores)

22 Lessons I've Learned in 22 Years