Dear Diary. It's my birthday today. And in celebration of that, I like to write this personal note on my previous year as a 22-year old.
I feel like it is an unwritten to tell you that a lot has happened during this year. 22 was definitely a turbulent year for me. Starting with a break-up on my 22nd birthday, and ending it with me moving to a different continent to pursue the American Dream: You can safely say I've experienced a lot this past year. I had to fill quite some diaries to be able to process these events.
I believe that you can learn from every event that occurs in our life. Every fortunate or unfortunate event is a life lesson. Usually these life lessons creep up on you like those unexpected messages from people we haven't talked to in 3,5 years.
I believe that you can learn from every event that occurs in our life. Every fortunate or unfortunate event is a life lesson. Usually these life lessons creep up on you like those unexpected messages from people we haven't talked to in 3,5 years. That out of the blue "Hey how are you" makes you remember the past and realize how different it is from the present all at once.
Understanding these life lessons doesn't happen overnight. Growth is a slow process. You usually don't feel the change happening in the moment itself, until you reach a certain point in life. You look back at the person that you once were, realizing that the person that is currently 'you' has nothing in common with the person 'you' were a year ago. You only share the same name and history.
When I look back at my year as a 22-year old, I definitely feel like I have changed into a different person completely. It's like the only thing I have in common with the Lilia one year ago is our shared existence; the essence that I once considered as my character has now blossomed into a different type of Lily.
I have learned that the most precious gift in life is time. I have learned that a beautiful soul is priceless. I have learned that being caring, emotional and 'soft' is okay - you do not have to be 'cool and careless'. I have learned that if people do not treat you with kindness and respect, they are not worth your energy. I have learned that life is about the ups, and definitely also the downs. I have learned that nothing can stop me. I have learned to believe in myself, my dreams and ambitions - even if they do not fit into a stereotypical vision. I have learned your support made all this possible. And I want to thank you for that. Cheers to my 23rd birthday. Let's celebrate it together and make this year an even better one.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT THIS YEAR. HOPE TO COUNT ON YOU THIS YEAR AS WELL!
xo Lilia

Happy Birthday Lilia!
You can be so proud of yourself! Wish you all the best and may all your wishes come true! <3
xo
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Aw thank you babe <3
Gefeliciteerd! Hele fijne dag vandaag<3
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Hello,
I wish you a very nice birthday.
Thank you for the amazing daily inspiration. I feel like a lot of people, when you like nice bags, dresses and make up, expect you to be only a girl addicted to shopping.
I like the fact that you show that we can be glamour everyday, and still do hard studies, or like other stuffs that are completely different, and that people consider more “serious”.
I work in Finance and I love it, but I also love make up, designer bags,…. A lot of people make me feel like the two cannot work together, or that I am weird, so I have to hide it.
I have to come in boring clothes, not with a lot of make up for people to take me seriously and It makes me so sad because I feel like it is not me at all ๐
So I love to watch your videos because you manage the two so perfectly, and I really like it !
Happy birthday,
Charlie
Hello Charlie !
I work in finance too, I know the feeling ^^ And I agree Lilia is really inspiring ๐
I don’t know if it’s possible, but maybe you can apply for a job within a fashion or luxury company ? So you can work with people with the same interests ^^
Marie
Hello Marie,
Nice to meet you ๐
I actually work in the cosmetics industry but the problem is that for people a good financial analyst is a very serious person that never laugh and wants only to work.
If they see a girly girl they think ” She is not competent”, ” She thinks only about make-up”. They cannot imagine that you actually like finance as much as you like make-up
I remember Lilia talking about this in one of her vlog saying that she likes different things and I was like ” YES ME TOO”. It sounded so obvious but it is crazy that people want to fit you in one box.
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Thanks so much Charlie, glad you can relate! xo
Happy Birthday Girl ! ๐
I wish you all the best in your future projects <3
Happy birthday! Hope this year has more ups than downs for you, but mostly I wish you to keep learning, growing and doing what truly makes you happy ๐
Wauw, gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag! Lijkt me een heel fijn jaar dat je hebt gehad, allemaal door hard te werken voor je doelen. (:
Liefs,
Yara
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YAY gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag! X
Happy birthday Lilia
Happy birthday! ๐ Je inspireert me altijd met je video’s en blogposts, daar wilde ik je even voor bedanken <3 Wishing you all the best!
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Aww dankjewel <3
Nog gefeliciteerd <3 Ik hoop dat je een hele fijne dag hebt gehad!
anna recently posted…OUTFIT OF THE DAY | OBSESSED WITH RED AND FLOWERS!
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Thanks Anna! xo
Een beetje te laat maar alsnog een gelukkig verjaardag toegewenst! Hopelijk heb je een toffe dag gehad!
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HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY SWEETIE
Keep up the great blog and the amazing adventure you are on pursuing the Amercian Dream!!
Hugs
Hayley (www.ourdubailife.com)
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Happy Belated Birthday Lilia.
You are an inspiration for all who watch your career take shape before our eyes: ) For someone soo young, you prove to us, all the time, that personal evolution/improvement is something we can all achieve! You remind us that, not one of us is always perfect-we are fragile, but with every small self step to our goals (with each disappointment and accomplishment), we can always recreate our lives. You are an inspiration for me: ) Soo happy I found your Vlogs: ))) Thank you, Girl!
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Aww thank you so much. xo
That marble staircase is amazing, makes a great backdrop to the photos. ๐