27 Things I Learned in 27 Years

Zainab Zaheer
2 min readAug 7, 2019

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Source: New Girl Season 1 Episode 13: “Valentine’s Day”
  1. Say ‘thank you’ always, and quickly when you mean it most.
  2. Perhaps a little girl could benefit more from hearing “You’re so creative!” Or, “Wow, you seem so joyful!” than “You look so pretty in that dress!”
  3. Print out simple things like where the laundry basket is, and the Wi-Fi password, and put them on display in the guest bathroom. It makes everything easier.
  4. When someone tries to pay you back for a kindness, ask them to pay it forward into the world.
  5. Make sure the people you love know this. Make sure they know it always, repeatedly, without doubt. Make sure that they also know it’s more than just words.
  6. Talk to children in your adult voice.
    Answer the questions they ask responsibly, and clearly.
  7. When you get an upsetting email or text message, take an entire hour to respond.
  8. If it’s too long to text — don’t text. Call instead.
  9. If you’re unable to be both productive and kind, ask to postpone the discussion.
  10. Cry. Whenever and wherever you need to. Especially happy tears.
  11. Don’t leave knives, cutting boards or trays dirty.
  12. Be able to understand what your mechanic is saying.
  13. Be able to understand a balance sheet.
  14. Before you ask for help, ask yourself if you can do this reasonably well in a reasonable amount of time. If not, ask for help.
  15. Your personal style will evolve. It’s okay to let go of old things you no longer love — even if they were pricey, even if they are still in good shape, even if they’re great quality.
  16. When people say you’ve changed, recognize that that was literally the entire point. Growth means change.
  17. When you are unhappy, it is okay to leave.
  18. When you leave by accident, it is okay to ask to come back.
  19. To be cherished is a privilege; be gentle with those who give it to you.
  20. Gratitude is a muscle you must build so it can serve you when you need it.
  21. Patience is a skill, and the hardest to master, but yields the most significant results.
  22. Actively manage your narrative — what are you showing yourself and others about who you are?
  23. It’s okay to like the internet. Think about what you’re doing with it.
  24. Make more time to read.
  25. Wake up early. No, earlier.
  26. An apology is more than the word ‘sorry’.
    Think about this every time you want to apologize.
  27. Show up when it matters to the people that matter to you. Also, in general, just show up.

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Zainab Zaheer
Zainab Zaheer

Written by Zainab Zaheer

Navigating life. Appreciating the little things. @zmeetsworld on all socials.