34 Lessons I've Learned in 34 Years
I’m turning 35 tomorrow and I LOVE a good list almost as I love taking a moment to reflect. I’m a firm believer that you can’t hate your past and the lessons that have shaped you if you want to love where you’re going in the future.
Here’s a few highlights of lessons that have stuck with me over the past 34 years.
a person who is “nice” to you, but rude to a waiter is not a nice person.
you can be the juiciest peach in the world and someone still won’t like peaches. you’re not gonna be everyone’s favorite thing and that’s ok.
be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
travel every chance you get.
leave every place you’ve visited better than when you arrived—find a way to give back to the country and it’s citizens.
6. make friends everywhere you go and don’t limit yourself - have friends of all backgrounds, genders and ages.
7. your circle should want you to win. your circle should clap the loudest when you have good news. if they don’t, get a new circle. oh, and make sure you’re the person who is cheering loudly when the people around you win.
8. comparison is the thief of joy. don’t judge someone in their winning season. you never know what they lost in their losing season.
9. life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it.
10. be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up with more. concentrate on what you don’t have; you’ll never ever have enough.
11. even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise soon enough. don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep...it’ll lead you to a new beginning.
12. working hard doesn't always mean working smart. being “busy” isn’t a badge of honor. learn the art of priorities and time management.
13. if it’s not gonna matter in 5 years, don’t spend more than 5 minutes worrying about it. no amount of guilt can change the past and no amount of anxiety can change the future.
14. always be cognizant of these things: how much you love, how gently you live and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.
15. if it comes, let it. if it goes, let it.
16. you don’t just wake up and become the butterfly, growth is a process. be patient with yourself. nothing in nature blooms all year.
17. if you're not happy with yourself, you'll never be happy in a relationship. the most important relationship in your life is the one you have with yourself. love yourself first and then you’ll be able to love someone else better.
18. always be kinder than necessary. do not intentionally make people feel inadequate.
19. debt sucks and credit scores are (really) important.
20. everyone deals with death differently — and every death is different. grief comes in waves. allow yourself to go through the feelings of loss, it’s then that your pain can become your power.
21. your health is your wealth. treat your body with respect. there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to wellness, let alone anything. find what works for your mind, body and soul.
22. someone’s inability to see your worth doesn’t decrease your value. a job, a relationship — see rejection as redirection.
23. regret is even worse than fear. and, if you don’t build your dreams, someone will hire you to build theirs.
24. if you can be grateful for how far you’ve come, excited about where you are going, and in love with the journey—you will come out winning.
25. relationships can and will change rapidly. some people come into your life for a reason, some a season, and some a lifetime. oh, and, nurture relationships with your family—more than likely, they’ll be the ones who are there to pick up the pieces with you when things break. love them fiercely, even when it’s hard.
26. don’t believe the lies, it’s actually not that hard to make friends in your 30s. be open to new connections.
27. being single is actually kinda sorta really fun. don’t be so scared of it. it doesn’t have to be forever and it most likely won’t be, so enjoy the season for what it is.
28. staying in touch with old friends is worth it. treasure those reciprocal friendships.
29. not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.
30. your scars are symbols of your strength. don’t hide them. the wound is where the light gets in.
31. you’ll lose yourself pleasing everyone else and you may just lose those same people when you make the choice to find yourself. don’t make major life decisions based on what someone else wants for you.
32. don’t believe everything you think. thoughts are not facts.
33. be nice to yourself. it’s hard to be happy when someone’s always mean to you.
34. what’s meant for you will reach you even if it's beneath two mountains. what's not meant for you won't reach you even if it's between your two lips. what is for you will not pass you!
xo
