25 Lessons I’ve learned at 25
1. “You’ve got to work hard”
I cannot begin to express how important it is to have good work ethic. Regardless of what it is you want, remember that nothing comes easy and it sure as heck will not be handed to you.
2. “We all make mistakes, we just need to learn from them”
I’ve been so scared my entire life of making a bad mistake. And honestly, the truth is everyone makes mistakes. No one will sit there and put you down for your mistakes. Just simply, wipe that tear away, get up, and learn from them. We’ve got a whole life ahead of us to be worrying about this small thing that happened.
3. “Remember your roots”
How can I live a life without thanking those that raised me? I see many people forgetting about where their upbringings are and not being prideful of their culture. My parents immigrated to this country and lived in a small town to raise my brothers and I. I did not live wealthy, but I grew up with parents who showed me strong work ethic. We visit Mexico frequently, to visit family and to remember where our roots began. My parents have always been so advocate about remembering where they came from.
4. “Your family is your support system”
My pride and joy. The people I want to make proud. My family means the world to me and I’ve realized how important it is to have some sort of support system. Whether that is your best friends, your mentors, your family, etc. you should always have those people around you that care for you and uplift you. This ride isn’t meant for us to be solo, pick up some passengers along the way 🙂
5. “Get yourself a puppy”
You may not like dogs but get yourself a companion of some sort. My pup Chewy is literally my ride or die. I never knew a pet would be able to understand you and your emotions so well. If you are single, married, taken, divorced, etc. having a companion is like having a best friend with you at all times. They know what you’re feeling and although they can’t talk back to you, you still know what they mean to say.
6. “Make a difference”
It’s important to live your life, but it’s also important to remember to give back to the world you get to live in. Whether that’s helping out with community service, donating, mentoring, coaching, etc. Many of the life lessons I have learned is from my mentors and coaches. I strive to do the same.
7. “If a door closes, find a better door to open”
I think majority of us just see everyone’s “good” life, but we obviously do not see their struggles and hardships. Social media portrays that everyone’s life is perfect, but it’s not. I have had way too many doors closes (some smashed) in my face. I learned this lesson from my Dad, do not sit there and be sad and depressed because bad things happen to you or because something didn’t go as planned. You have to continue to work hard for what you want, and let me tell you in the end, it will all be worth it. That feeling of accomplishment is just oh so rewarding. Do not give up!
8. “Some dreams may change, but never stop dreaming”
This lesson is similar to the one before. Dreams fuel my blood. I accomplish something and I’m already looking for the next big dream to work on. I seriously just cannot stop. I also want to add that if your dreams do not scare you they really aren’t big enough. Sometimes we are just so afraid of failure that it keeps us from dreaming bigger. Don’t let that stop you!
9. “Everyone has their own timing for everything”
Goodness…do you guys ever scroll through your social media and sometimes wonder: “when will I ever get _______?” The blank can be anything from having kids, getting married, getting engaged, buying a house, graduating, etc. I’m being completely honest, I used to think this way. Do not compare your life with anyone else’s. Let me be the first to tell you that you do not need to follow someone else’s timeline. There is a plan for each one of us and it is not the same. You are the only one that knows when your time is right.
10. “At the end of the day people will remember how you made them feel, be a good human”
I am not perfect, but if there is something I strive to do is be kind and help others. I want to make a good impression on others. That doesn’t mean you want to please people but it means don’t be a jerk and be kind to others. People will remember the way you made them feel, don’t be that jerk. I remember in high school there was a girl in my class who kept asking me how I was going to pay for college. I didn’t see her asking everyone else the same question. She assumed because my parents were poor I would be taking out loans or not going to college at all. So yes, she made me feel like I wasn’t at her level/status. Well fast forward many years, I graduated with my two degrees without any loans, I don’t hold resentment towards her, but I used that as motivation for everything I ever desired. Moral of the story – be a good human to others!
11. “Take the road less traveled by”
I love love love this quote! I used this as motivation a couple of years ago when I decided to study abroad in China. Oh how I love doing what no one else around me has done. Do not get me wrong it is not a prideful thing. On the contrary, I see it as there is not just one way to do something. For example, I struggle a lot with doing the “right” thing because everyone else around me has done it. Meaning, getting married through church, then having kids, not moving in with your partner until you’re married, etc. Who says any of that is the “right” way of doing things? Just because I grew up like that doesn’t mean that’s what I have to do. I know it’s so hard to understand because we are accustomed a certain way. The pathway you take, is the one you want to take. It does not have to be the same road that everyone else takes. I choose to live a life that no one around me really lives because in my heart that’s what I believe in. It ends up being the one less traveled by, and people doubt me, but I’m the happiest this way 🙂
12. “Don’t worry so much about others, first take care of yourself”
This lesson is kind of similar to some mentioned before but it’s so true. I worry a lot about so many people because I just love helping everyone else. However, I have realized the hard way that I cannot help anyone else if I do not help myself first. It is my life and I’m the one that should be in control of it. The people around me will be supportive and I can help them as much as I can, but first comes me.
13. “Some of the people closest to you will hurt you the most”
This one is hard to swallow. I cannot fathom how people who have been a part of your life for so many years actually hurt you the most. I’ve lost a couple of close people in my life. My mom used to always tell me it’s because people are jealous. I still don’t believe that. I put a lot of blame on myself and pretty much make excuses for others as to why they left my life so abruptly. Let me be open and honest and tell you MANY people have blocked me, unfriended and unfollowed me. I personally don’t think I have done anything to them. But I cannot worry about those who choose to stray away from my life. I post what I want to post and if others do not want to see that they have every right to walk away. This is one of those lessons that sucks to go through but at the end you learn not to trust everyone.
14. “People come and go, those who stay are worth it”
This is similar to the one before. However, I do want those reading to understand that even at 18 this happens to you. Don’t think just because you get older that people won’t abruptly leave as well. People drift apart and it truly does suck, for lack of better words. I hate it. I’ve had friendship for more than 20 years and when it came to an end, it hurt more than any other guy has ever hurt me. I never wanted to have a close friend because of the pain I felt. But you have to understand that people will walk out of your life, but people will also come into your life. I have met some of the greatest friends since then. People who not only are my close friends but people who just teach me a lot about life in general. I love that about relationships: you get to learn from one another.
15. “Travel often”
I saw this quote that said “We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us” and it just hit me. That is beyond true! Life is so precious and we truly never know when it might come to an end. If something were to happen to me, I can say I’ve lived life to the fullest. Although I still have dreams I want to accomplish, I have enjoyed life. Since studying abroad, I realized how much life is still out there for me to explore. I want to continue doing that. I think up to this point I have been blessed to go to many places and not just alone but with those close to me. Enjoy life too 🙂
16. “Give back to your parents”
This is one of my life lessons because I have realized at such a young age how much my parents have done for my siblings and I. I started working when I was 12 years old, not because my parents forced me, but because I saw they needed help. Since then, any opportunity I have to do something whether it’s pay for their trips, take them somewhere, anything, I try to do it. It’s rewarding in my heart to know I can give back to the parents that raised me to be who I am today. I am who I am because I see how my parents are. My parents give back to their own parents and I can tell how rewarding it was for them.
17. “Work towards you dream job”
If you love what you do you will come home happy, you’ll radiate happiness around you, and you’ll feel like you’re doing something that makes a difference because it’s what you are passionate about. If I can give another advice with this is don’t take a job that isn’t something you like doing. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes you have to sacrifice and take something because you’re working on getting something better, and that’s fine. But never stop working somehow for your dream job 🙂 Stay hustling!
18. “Be smart with your money”
Just because you have money doesn’t mean you need to spend it, especially on unnecessary things. I do believe in treating yourself every once in a while, I mean it’s good for the soul lol. But be smart, make some investments, put money in your 401K, etc. I believe that money doesn’t buy happiness but it does feed you, and put a roof over your head.
19. “Value yourself”
This lesson is more of knowing what you’re worth and valuing who you are as a person. Don’t let negativity and people’s comments dictate who you are. Look at yourself in the mirror and say positive affirmations towards yourself. I know that sound weird, but you have no idea how many people live life unhappy with themselves. I remember Alonso would always tell me, “if you don’t love yourself, who else will?” & “if you don’t flaunt yourself, who else will?” boy was he right. If you don’t like what you are becoming, change it. It’s never too late to be the person you were meant to be.
20. “Find a hobby”
Like blogging 🙂 I always have to stay busy and do a million things at once. I don’t know why, I must think that the I’m on a timer and it will go off pretty soon if I don’t get to everything I need to do. It’s important to find hobbies you love to help you distress. I love to workout and blog. If I’m not doing that I do feel like I’m more tense and stressed out. I feel like I don’t have anywhere to let go of that stress and relax. Find something you love doing and make it a part of your life.
21. “Do not settle”
Repeat after me DO NOT SETTLE! There’s nothing worse than feeling like you can’t do something so you have to just go with plan B. If you’re truly happy with plan B then that’s fine. But if you truly wanted something you can’t settle. You got to believe in yourself and continue to keep trying. Where there’s a will there’s a way. You are in control of your life, make sure your destiny is what you want it to be.
22. “Don’t be afraid to love deeply”
If you know me personally you know I love hard. I love those around me so passionately. My heart literally can explode from so much love. Many people are afraid of that because they have been hurt, they don’t know what it feels like, or they don’t need it. But love is so pure and it fuels the things we do in life. When you’re in a relationship with your partner and he/she is the one for you, don’t be afraid to let go and love and be loved! If you get hurt, remember life goes on 🙂
23. “Time is valuable, spend it with the right ones”
Time is money haha. No, but it really is. People do not have time to be wasting it on those who do not value it. Find the right people and spend your time with them.
24. “Try something new”
Whether its food, moving, job, etc. Just do it! We grow most when we are at our uncomfortable stage. Don’t let anything hold you back from exploring your horizons.
25. “Don’t let other people influence your decisions”
This is the hardest lesson I’ve had to learn. Many times I feel like I’ve been pressured by society and others to make certain decisions in my life that I’m just not ready for me. Enough is enough, I’m the one that needs to do what’s best for me and take control of my life. People will have their opinion, but I can’t be making decisions because of what they think, but rather what I think and want. The people who love you will support the decision you choose because that’s just what they have to do. They have to respect that.
If you got through all of that, I just wanted to say thank you! Thank you for following along even though I haven’t been so consistent on here. There are a lot of things I’m working on that hoping soon I can share. Here’s to being 25, and seeing what life has in store for me 🙂
Save Don’t Splurge
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Here’s to the first post of the year! A little upset at myself that it took this long. I have a ton of other drafted posts that I just haven’t finished up, including some of our trips. I also have a bunch of footage to edit and post on my YouTube. If you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe here so you don’t miss a video!
I have been wanted to splurge on the Tory Burch sandals and the Chloe espadrilles for a really long time, but I just can’t get myself to do it. I am clumsy when it comes to sandals because I tend to scrape them on the front. And regardless if they are $100+ plus sandals I will still end up doing the same. I would much rather splurge on boots because they need to last me through the winter. I always try to get at least two seasons of wear if not more, for my shoes. However, somehow sandals never last me even one season.
Anyways, I found a couple of amazing dupes for such an affordable price. I got my espadrille Chloe dupes for less than $35! Talk about a steal and a fraction of the price. They look almost identical, except I wanted something different and picked up the white ones instead. I picked up some Birkenstock dupes because I wanted something I could lounge in. I actually got mine on super sale and they ended up being on $11. Thank me later, they are still under $17!
So far I have been mostly wearing the espadrilles and the dupe birkenstocks for the past several weeks. They are both so comfortable. I do have to insert this quick little story. Over the weekend I was at my parents house and was wearing the white espadrilles that many of you have probably seen on my instagram. Tell me why everyone was hating on them calling them ugly lol. I even asked my youngest niece and she was like no they’re ugly haha. My Dad and oldest niece were the only ones that liked them. I kept trying to tell them espadrilles are trending everywhere.
Anyways, that wraps up today’s blog post. If you feel like splurging by all means splurge, but just in case you want to save yourself some few (A LOT) dollars, I hope this post was helpful!
-Patty G.
All About Our New Puppy (FAQ + Answers)
Long time, no talk? I bet! So happy to be blogging again! I missed coming on here and typing up some blog posts. I have so many updates, but I will start with one super important one. Alonso and I got a puppy! If you follow me on instagram you probably already knew this, but if you don’t, now you know. I wanted to gather some questions that I frequently get asked about him and figured I would answer them here on my blog.
Let’s get started!
1. What breed is he?
Chewy is a Mini F1B goldendoodle! His dad was a mini poodle weighing about 10-13lbs I believe, and his momma was a goldendoodle weighing around 20lbs.
2. How much will he weigh?
Chewy was really tiny when we picked him up at 8 weeks, weighing barely 2lbs! Can you believe that? He was so tiny and practically fit in my hands all curled up. He was smaller than his siblings and will most likely weigh around 15lbs max. He is not even 10lbs yet and he is 7 months this week.
3. Where did you get him?
We got Chewy from Rollins Goldendoodles. Allie is the point of contact and she’s awesome. You can tell her and her family love each one of the pups they breed, and want them to go to a loving home. I first found her instagram handle because I was frantically googling left and right trying to find goldendoodles in our area. I will be completely honest with you guys, that Alonso and I almost purchased another goldendoodle from a breeder in Reno. We even went to see them and put down a deposit! However they were standard goldendoodles meaning they would be 60lbs full grown. We thought about it and we wanted a smaller puppy so we lost our deposit. I then found Rollins Goldendoodles online and jumped on their waitlist. Sure enough, nine months later, we got our little guy! He was worth the wait.
4. What is the meaning behind his name?
We had a couple of ideas for names before we actually got Chewy. When we went to pick him up and saw there were two little guys we instantly new we would pick Chewy because of his apricot color, just like we wanted. We named him Chewy which is short for Chewbacca (Star Wars) since he was fluffy like him and similar hair color. Totally off topic, but I am not sure if you guys have seen that video that went viral on the internet where a lady was trying on the Chewbacca mask? That is one of my favorite videos and I seriously love Chewbacca’s character so we felt it was the perfect fit! We also nicknamed him some Spanish names like Peluchin (teddy-bear-like) and Chucho (dog). I thank my mom for these lol!
5. Have you thought about taking him to puppy school (professional dog trainer)?
Prior to getting a dog I thought this was a necessary thing to do when you got a dog. But after getting Chewy I realized it wouldn’t be necessary. Chewy is really well behaved and he is pretty smart (lol I feel like everyone says that about their dogs). Anytime we want to teach him something it takes a couple of tries and he picks it up right away.
6. How do you manage work/time when you are away? Where is he when you are away?
It is pretty hard getting a puppy especially when you work full time and commute. Originally it was very difficult because I was coaching and would be gone all the time with practices and games. Alonso and I balanced it well where he would take care of him on my away games. I make sure to take him on walks during the weekend or play with him when it is still light outside. He loves playing inside, and we play fetch all the time. Then he gets tired and just wants to cuddle next to me. You have to make time for them because, well they love being around you and they deserve that time with you.
I get up really early in the morning and take him out for his morning potty break and give him some food. My mom has been really helpful in taking him out for a potty break, and then I take him out when I get home from work. He loves being in his crate and we trained him since he was a tiny pup. When we get home he loves being around us and wanting the attention. So we make sure to balance “our time” with also being home with him. A little of both!
7. How is his temper/personality?
Ahh I love everything about Chewy’s personality! It reminds me a lot of my own. He loves kids, like LOVES them. And if you know me, you know I do too. He gets too excited sometimes so I have to calm him down. You should have witnessed him during Halloween it was Christmas to him haha. But he gets excited when he sees people and wants to meet them. After a while he begins to relax and starts cuddling or laying down next to them. He is very relaxing and gosh I feel like he’s the smartest little dog in the world. Chewy picks up on your moods, like if you are sad or happy he acts the same way. He listens to us when he isn’t supposed to do something. Chewy has been a very good puppy and I haven’t seen him eat anything he isn’t supposed to or go through trash cans like I hear some puppies do. He just plays with his toys and sits on the couch. So lucky that he is easy to train! He has his potty bell that he rings each time he has to go outside and learned in one day. Oh, I also want to mention that Chewy practically never barks. I think we have heard him bark maybe 7 times since we have had him the past 5 months. If you want a calm, active, and trainable pup goldendoodles are awesome!
8. Where do you buy his puppy clothes?
I love dressing Chewy up he looks so cute and he loves it! I get most of his little sweaters from Marshalls, Home Goods, and TJMaxx. They are really affordable and they have great snacks and puppy items as well. I get to shop for myself and Chewy at the same time. It’s the best of both worlds lol!
Well, I think that summarizes all the questions I frequently get. If you have any more that you think I may have missed and you want to ask, feel free to comment below or DM on instagram. Thank you for reading till the end!
-Patty G.
(all photos were taking by Ashley Wartgow)
I’m Finally Walking That Stage
Wow, it’s been about 6 months since I last wrote a blog post. I’m alive, lol! It’s actually very fitting that this is the post you get to read. The truth is I have been overwhelmingly busy with school and work, and I hope this posts helps update you on some of the things that have been going on this past year.
(I apologize ahead of time for the long post):
Many of you have followed along my journey when I graduated a couple years ago with my undergraduate degree. Some may not know what I’m talking about but this blog post may help you catch up. A couple of years ago I never got to experience what it felt like to walk across the stage and “celebrate” my graduation. My family and I experienced a really hard time when we lost my grandma the same day I was supposed to walk. It was an unexpected loss. Walking across the stage is like the cherry on top to all the hard work of every student that gets to graduate. Some care, and others don’t. But I think being a first generation and daughter of immigrants, has a lot more meaning behind it. It’s an opportunity for my parents to see their hard work pay off, along with my own.
I always knew I wanted to continue pursuing my education after my bachelor’s, but I didn’t know it was going to be so quick. I started the Master of Business Administrative program at the University of Nevada, Reno in spring 2017, without having actually been accepted into the program. It’s was pretty cool that I was able to do this to get ahead. I wanted to start the program as soon as possible, to not lose time by just sitting around. I only took a semester break in between my undergrad and starting the graduate program.By the time fall 2017 (only my second semester) came around, my silly self decided to apply for another position as a graduate assistant. This position aligned with my passion of working with social media, marketing, and some web development. This meant that besides my full-time position, I was going to be working another part-time job. I roughly worked 50-65 hours a week since August 2017 and actually just finished doing that this past week. It was really difficult because I was taking full schedules at the university, as well. However, I am so thankful I was able to learn more about marketing, graphic design, and social media to help me with blogging. It was a sacrifice I had to make, learn more about marketing and take a break from blogging. But don’t get me wrong I missed not having time to create content.
During this time, I also decided to move cities and become a commuter. That is another long story that I hope I can squeeze in here. Alonso and I have always wanted to move back to our hometown to be closer to our parents. We both decided October 2017 to buy a house we fell in love with in Yerington, NV. Alonso and I owned a home in Reno so this meant we would have to sell our home in order to purchase a new one. To cut to the chase, we got an offer within a week. We moved out all of our stuff and a week before we were going to close, the buyers backed out. This happened to us twice! The sellers of the house we wanted to buy wanted us to pay way over the appraisal price. So we put an offer on another house and this also happened to us, AGAIN. In other words we spent a lot of money trying to sell our house and buy a new one. It was so frustrating trying to find a place to live, commuting, and living out of a suitcase these past 3-4 months. But in all honesty, Alonso and I have the baddest supporters that were always there for us. I couldn’t have done any of this without my parents and family helping us so much. My family helped us pack, clean our old house, and move all of our stuff while I was in class. Seriously I just want to cry 😭 knowing how amazing they are. So blessed!
Since I had to commute, this meant that I would be waking up between 4am-5am and getting home anywhere between 8:30pm-11p! By the time I was home, all the lights were off but there was Alonso with his light on waiting for me to get home. But it is so rewarding being home with our family, we wouldn’t change anything!
To sum it up, I had the worst stress I had ever encountered. I never ate, never slept, rarely hung out with my boyfriend, friends, or family. This was and is probably the hardest I have ever worked for something. My eating schedule was completely thrown off. The lack of sleep really wore on me. I was so tired and moody and if I could grab 10 minutes to nap I would take them! However, these were all choices and sacrifices I had to make in order to accomplish all my goals.
Everyday I would just wonder when would this all be over? I kept thinking to myself is anyone else this tired, or is it just me? Don’t get me wrong everyday when I just couldn’t do this anymore I would open up my phone and see pictures of my nieces, my parents, and family, just to help through my day. It’s so easy to just want to give up but it’s so important to take a step back and appreciate the hardships. We are truly blessed to be able to go to school and further our education.
Many people have the privilege of working part time or only one job. Yet, there are some of us go getters, that want to do everything and anything and somehow try to manage it all without exploding haha. I feel like none of the sleepless nights, hungry days, or stressful moments, compare to how hard my parents have worked. My work ethic is a representation of the skills my parents taught me. Work isn’t everything and I understand you have to enjoy each day. However, some people enjoy their careers and also want to work towards their own personal goals and that requires hard work and sacrifices. None of the goals we want to accomplish are just handed to us, I mean it would be nice if they did. My parents have sacrificed so much that I can’t even put it into words. Just imagine sacrificing your life in one country to seek another, for the unknown. Not sure where you’re going to work, not sure where you might live, but very certain you want a better life. That unknown scares all of us, but that’s exactly where we grow as people and what ends up defining us.
This graduation means a lot to every single one of us in my family. I am not sure who it means more to. It means a lot to Alonso because he can finally sleep without hearing me stress out lol. But for me personally, I have waited 6 years for the opportunity to walk and experience my own graduation instead of someone else’s. I truly wanted to experience this 2 years ago, but being with my family during a difficult time was by far the best decision I could have ever made. I have learned to become selfless, and put others before me. It truly is my happiness to see a smile on my family’s face. That’s my purpose in life. This experience has taught me to work twice as hard for my dreams and never give up. It has also made me realize to be very appreciative of the people around me during the hard times. My boyfriend, my best friends, my family have guided me through this, and I couldn’t thank them enough for pushing me.
My favorite quote that truly represents how I am feeling now is from Gina Rodriguez:
“My dad used to tell me to wake up each day and say, ‘I can and I will.’ Well dad, today’s a great day. I can and I did.”
-Patty G
The “Fall” Look
Happy Tuesday! This daylight savings has been kicking my butt everyday. It feels like I’m so behind on my day since by the time I get home it’s already pitch black outside. Who else feels this way? Alonso and I shot this look a couple of weeks back but I’m finally able to get it up this week. I love this look for those days that are not too cold outside and I can get away with wearing just a vest to keep me warm.
The boots I’m wearing are some of the ones I picked up on my Macy’s haul. I got such a good deal for them! They are the perfect riding boot for this season and I’m obsessed with the color since I haven’t owned a pair of boots like these before. Macy’s, like Nordstrom, carries some of my favorite brands and I can’t pass on sales that are too good.
I also want to mention that these pair of jeans are my favorite! They are from Express (obviously lol). If you have followed me on my Instagram for awhile now you know how much I love the jeans from Express, they fit me just right. They have a lot of different styles but my favorite pair the jeggings because they are so comfortable and stretchy.
I am almost done with my fall semester and definitely looking forward to winter break because I need one! This semester has been so hard with lack of sleep, always on the go, and sacrificing all of the fun things I wish I was doing. However, make sure to sign up for my recent giveaway!
