Sourdough Cookie Skillet Cake

& a lil bit of birthday wisdom

I turned 25 yesterday, and while I’ve always felt older than my age (maybe that's the eldest sister in me), I know deep down I’m still just in the beginning of my life.

One of the most eye-opening parts of growing older is realizing that adults; parents, mentors, even strangers we look up to, are just people too. They’re living life for the first time, just like we are, stumbling, learning, and making their own mistakes.

As a kid, you think adults have all the answers, that they’ve got it all figured out. We don’t think about how they lived entire lives before we came into the picture — full of experiences, triumphs, and failures. Every year I get older, I find myself growing more empathetic toward that reality.

We are all human. It's easy to forget that, especially in a world where it seems as if the internet amplifies our differences. Sometimes it feels like we’re more divided than ever, with negativity and conflict getting all the attention. But I truly believe that’s the minority. The voices of hate and division may be the loudest, but beneath it all, I’m convinced the majority of us are driven by love, kindness, and empathy.

We are all more alike than we realize. Last year, I made an intention to not just quietly embody these values but to amplify them. The more we make a conscious effort to show love, kindness, and understanding to the people around us, the more it spreads.

Small acts of kindness can be contagious. When we make someone’s day just because we can, it creates a ripple effect, encouraging others to do the same. I plan to carry that intention into 25 as well, and I hope all of you beautiful people will join me in that.

Also — one of my favorite things to do every year is to make a list of wisdoms I learned throughout the year. Whether that’s advice I’ve gotten, quotes I heard, conversations I have taken something from, or even thoughts that have randomly popped up in my mind. This list is over 100+ things now, but I wanted to share 25 of my favorites with you. These are all things that have made and are making an impact in my life.

25 Wisdoms for 25

1. To live in fear is to not live at all.

2. When faced with a challenge, ask yourself, do you want to suffer - or evolve?

3. It is not what happens to you, it is how you handle it.

4. When experiencing laughs, love, family, nature, travel - take a moment for gratitude. Some people wait a lifetime for a moment just like this one.

5. Instead of saying “I have to do this,” start reframing to, “I get to do this.”

6. True love isn’t about feeling validated, it is about feeling fulfilled. It is our ego that needs that constant validation.

7. We are here to learn. If something doesn’t go according to plan or as you wish, ask yourself, “What was the lesson?”

8. Stop wasting time in indecisiveness. Lean in or out, choose to live and act instead of worry about what if.

9. Comparison is the thief of joy, we’re often comparing the worst version of ourselves to the best version of someone else. Stay on your own path, while supporting other’s successes.

10. If the feeling of shame and embarrassment is stronger than and holding you back from the want to do something, you don’t want to do it that badly. Stop worrying about embarrassment, no one cares, and the people who are judgemental, are projecting their own insecurities.

11. Instead of spending time complaining about what you don’t want to do, start thinking and envisioning what you do want to do.

12. We oftentimes are avoidant because “It’ll take too much energy” to confront. But it takes just as much if not more energy avoiding conflict, mentally and physically thinking or obsessing, instead of just communicating and getting it out of the way. Say what is on your mind, and lead with love and kindness. The outcome we dread is rare to actually occur.

13. Don’t waste time pretending to be someone you’re not, authenticity attracts genuine people.

14. Build a strong friendship with yourself, self-compassion and respect is vital.

15. You can’t control others’ opinions or actions, but you can always choose how you react.

16. What you give your attention to shapes your reality.

17. Overthinking prevents action; taking risks leads to growth, even if you fail.

18. Don’t let a fleeting negative moment ruin your day, life is bigger than that.

19. Focus more on listening (truly hearing people) than speaking and obsessing over what you are going to say next.

20. Act out of love, not fear.

21. Cherish moments of silence, solitude and boredom, it can help you connect with your intuition amid life’s noise.

22. Living in a victim mindset traps us in blame and limits our growth. While it's important to acknowledge pain, constantly seeing ourselves as powerless prevents healing and harms both ourselves and others. By shifting our perspective, we reclaim control and inspire positive change.

23. The choice that is good for protecting your character is often the harder choice.

24. Don’t let perfection block progress. Striving for perfection can make you afraid to start or finish. Embrace imperfection. Progress, no matter how small, is always more valuable than waiting for the perfect moment.

25. Rest is productive, not lazy. Your body and mind need rest to recharge. Burnout is real, and R&R helps to re-inspire you to show up as the most creative, positive and energized version of yourself. Don’t let that lil voice in your head tell you otherwise. Give yourself permission to slow down.

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Sourdough Choco-Chip Cookie Skillet Cake

Watch me make it here

Ingredients